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Jen and Sylvia Soska (aka the Twisted Twins) broke out onto the scene a few years back with their Grindhouse/Exploitation homage, Dead Hooker In A Trunk. With that film, the Canadian duo proved that they could make an entertaining movie on a small budget, and that violence, gore, and sick humor are not only something that the boys can play with. That being said, the Soskas' follow up feature, American Mary, manages to reinforce that notion, while also showing that the pair are more than just one trick ponies.
American Mary tells the story of Mary Mason (played by Katharine Isabelle), a medical student who is aspiring to someday become a surgeon. Her professors say that she has the talent, but that she also lacks focus in her studies; probably due to her financial troubles. In order to try and get herself out of debt, Mary begins searching the classifieds, and she finds herself applying for a job at a local Gentleman's Club run by Billy Barker (Antonio Cupo). An awkward interview makes it clear that she will need to do more than just wait tables, should she get the job. However, the interview is suddenly interrupted, and Mary finds herself being offered a huge sum of money if she will perform impromptu surgery on an unnamed man who has obviously been beaten within an inch of his life. Begrudgingly, she accepts, leading her down a dark and twisted path into the world of underground surgery and body modification.
Right off the bat, it's clear that American Mary is very different in tone from the Soskas' previous film. There is humor here, but it is of the blackest kind, and often I found myself laughing during the most inappropriate of situations. However, while the film is not just about dark humor, and at the center of it is a twisted morality tale that asks how far people should be willing to go to alter their appearances and whether or not it should be permissible. The film is filled with troubled characters, but the most dangerous of them prove to be those who appear the most "normal," bringing to light the notion that the sickest people out there are the ones who hide their true personality, rather than wearing it on the outside for all to see.
The film looks phenomenal. I realize that the dark, Gothic look has been done plenty of times before, but the Soskas manage to put their own unique take on it that is both sexy and demented. Brian Pearson's cinematography is the best that it has ever been, and it shows that he is extremely capable of working on films much darker than some of his previous ones (i.e. Final Destination 5, Drive Angry). While those films looked appropriately good for their source material, Person's work on American Mary is much more daring, and he wears his European influences on his sleeve here.
The performances are also much better in this film than they were in Dead Hooker. The standout performance is obviously Katharine Isabelle's portrayal of Mary, which is nothing short of fantastic. Though I still love Isabelle as Ginger in the awesome teenage-girl werewolf flick, Ginger Snaps, this is arguably the best work she has ever done. Cupo's take on Billy Barker is also very good, but some of the supporting cast manage to steal some of the key scenes; most notably Tristan Risk as Beatress Johnson, a dancer who has taken her love of a certain cartoon character a bit far, and Twan Holliday who brings some great dark humor as Lance, one of Billy's thugs. I also have to give a shout out to Clay St. Thomas, who's Dr Walsh is immensely slimy and unnerving.
The only real issue that I found with American Mary was that some of the dialog in the script felt a tad awkward at first. Most notably, David Lovgren's lines as Dr. Walsh felt a bit forced and exposition-heavy. I admit that they gave me an immediate idea of where his character was headed, but I couldn't help but think that they would be more effective if they were less over-the-top and a bit more subtle at times. However, this really only crossed my mind during the first act of the film, and once things got rolling, his character fell right in line.
And, since this movie has quite a few scenes involving body modification, I would be remiss to not mention how great the prosthetic effects are. From what I understand, CGI was used to help enhance the effects, but I honestly couldn't point out much obvious usage; certainly none that was unnecessary, at least. Todd Masters and his team, MastersFX, did an amazing job of transforming some of the best-looking people into bizarre characters. The film is not overly-gory, but due to the body-horror theme here, there are many cringe-worthy moments to be found.
All in all, American Mary, is a great film, and it represents a huge step for the Soska Sisters in almost every area. The pair show huge enthusiasm for the genre, and the movie marks a big leap in mature film-making for them. It's obvious that they can do a lot more than many Hollywood directors, and with only a fraction of the budget those folks have at their disposal. After seeing what they've done here, I am very interested to find out what they have planned next, and I can't wait to get the chance to re-watch American Mary again. The film has been acquired by Universal for overseas distribution, and it was announced at this screening that Anchor Bay has picked it up for distribution in Canada, but as of the time of this writing, I don't believe that it has secured a distributor in the US. Let's hope that changes very soon. I have a feeling it will.
Custom images by Frank Browning


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Blitz Group Wins Publicity Award for RedHot Midnight Kiss Fundraiser for Primo Center
Trumpet Award at the Publicity Club of Chicago's 49th Annual Golden Trumpet Awards held May 9, 2008 at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago.
Blitz Group won the Silver Trumpet for distinguished achievement in public relations in the field of community relations for its creation of the RedHot Midnight Kiss fundraiser benefiting the Primo Center for Women and Children (PCWC), a 120-transitional shelter for women and children on the west side of Chicago.
The inaugural RedHot Midnight Kiss was held August 18, 2007 and featured Hollywood's Carmen Electra. The event, held at Bon V nightclub, raised over $150,000 for Primo Center and featured Blitz Group LLC, Bon V, CS Magazine, Capri Capital Partners LLC, Dealmaker LLC, Harry Caray's Restaurant, NBC 5, Pagliuco Design, Prime Group, 10 Cane Rum and Tsuki Sushi as sponsors.
"This is quite an honor for Blitz Group and our entire RedHot Midnight Kiss Host Committee that worked so hard to make our first year such a success,†said Trish Hoffman, Blitz Co-Founder and creator and chair of RedHot Midnight Kiss. "We had top notch sponsors who believed in the cause from the very start, and that gave us a great springboard to raising money and awareness about the problem of homeless women and children, which is the fastest growing segment of the homeless population.â€
Nearly 500 public relations and communications professionals and their clients attended the awards ceremony, which annually honors distinguished individual achievement of public relations and other communications professionals. All awards entries were evaluated earlier this year by leading Chicago-area public relations executives, who selected "the best of the best.â€
About RedHot Midnight Kiss
RedHot Midnight Kiss is the summer red carpet celebrity fundraising event benefiting the Primo Center for Women and Children. For more information about RedHot Midnight Kiss and other RedHot events, please call Trish Hoffman at 312-805-4314 or check our website at

subset: commoncrawl


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Jimmy Kimmel got emotional discussing the death of Cecil the Lion, a famous Zimbabwe animal and tourist attraction, on Tuesday's "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
In a four-minute monologue, Kimmel sharply criticized Walter Palmer, the 55-year-old American dentist responsible for hunting and killing the animal.
Palmer and two hunters illegally killed the lion after luring it out of its home at the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe on July 1. After Palmer shot Cecil with a bow and arrow, the animal escaped and survived 40 more hours before the hunters tracked him down and shot him dead. The hunters later skinned and beheaded the caracass.
Kimmel responded to Palmer's statement with a pointed attack: "Stop saying you took the animal. You take aspirin … you killed the animal."
The talk-show host questioned the motivation behind Palmer's killing of the lion, asking "How is that fun? Is it that difficult for you to get an erection that you need to kill things that are stronger than you?"
Kimmel went on to mock Palmer by comparing him to alleged rapist Bill Cosby, calling Palmer "the most hated man in America who never advertised Jell-O pudding on television."


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Due to China's huge current account surplus there stock of foreign currency reserves continues to mount. Jin Renqing a Chinese Minister recently announced plans to create a special agency to look into the best way to invest their $1,000 bn foreign currency reserves.
Upto now the Chinese have invested a significant % in United States Treasury bonds. This is seen as a low risk investment strategy. However for various reasons the Chinese are likely to diversify their investments. For example they could take holdings in companies around the world. In particular they are likely to invest in commodity producers. Chinese rapid growth is causing the demand and price of commodities to rise. In the long term this will give China greater political sway over other countries who benefit from their investment. Up to now the Chinese have taken an inward looking approach to world affairs. But this could change as they increasingly flex their economic muscles.
If the China loose their appetite for low interest bearing dollars it could mean that US interest rates will have to rise, to attract other investors. It will also make it difficult to finance the current account deficit. Therefore the dollar is likely to fall further.
However the Chinese own so many dollar assets they have a vested interest in preventing a significant fall in the dollar. With nearly $1 trillion to invest they are likely to continue buying bonds.
See also: Why US dollar likely to depreciate
source: China to open fund for investment at NY Times


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|Cupcakes stuffed with cookie dough; Brownies filled with peanut butter cups; S'mores tucked inside cookies. Yum!
Treats that are delicious on their own become even more appealing when paired with a complementary flavor, making these goodies doubly fun and doubly delicious!
Flavors include Chocolate-Raz DelightFULS, Joy-filled Brownie Babies, and Lemon Luscious Cookie Pies.
|$ 12.00 ea.
Printed in the USA!


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Oct 12
Five free tools for producing professional-quality videos
Introduction To be competitive, businesses need to promote themselves in multiple ways. And as modern society has developed a short attention span and become highly social-centric, many businesses are developing a video strategy to aid in marketing. Most small companies … Continue reading


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VULCAN FARM (Sidney, IL) utilizes a 99-year agroforestry lease. Landowner grazes sheep in silvopasture, while lessee grow a variety of tree crops.
This workbook is for farmers and landowners who have a long-term vision for a piece of land and are willing to collaborate and commit to a lasting arrangement to make such a vision a reality. It offers an overview of legal considerations for long-term leases that address key particularities of agroforestry. While much of this Workbook is framed in the context of agroforestry, many of the issues raised are relevant for farmers & landowners who aspire to enter a long-term lease for annual crop or livestock farming. The full version of the workbook is 73 pages, while the short version is a two-page overview.
Download Full Version
Download Short Version
Agroforestry Long-Term Lease Workbook
Are you an agroforestry farmer seeking land, or a landowner seeking an agroforestry farmer?
Try filling out our Agroforestry Farmer-Landowner Matchmaking form, and we'll do our best to connect you with interested farmers or landowners in your area!
Other Educational Resources
SATURN FARM (Ogden, IL) utilizes a 30-year agroforestry
lease to grow chestnuts, hazelnuts, currants, and rhubarb.
FERAL FARM (Palmyra, WI) utilizes a 10-year agroforestry
lease to grow chestnuts & hazelnuts with hay alleys.
Finding, Assessing, and Securing Farmland: Plain-language guide from New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Tufts University
Document for farmers looking for land. Some questions this guide will help answer:
Ag Decision Maker: An Agricultural economics and business website – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Created for landowners; Topics covered:
Land Owner's Toolbox: Sustainable Leasing
Access to Land: Methods, policies, and resources – Partnership for America's New Farmers
Website for new farmers. Topics include:
Land access: Proven strategies – Agrarian Trust
A collection of useful strategies for land access: a dataset of possibilities, to broaden strategic thinking on land access.
Land Tenure Options and Strategies – University of California Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
Document for farmers and those seeking land. Topics include:
15 ways to secure land – California Farmlink
Document for farmers seeking land. Brief primer on ways to secure land.
Finding a Farm to Buy or Lease – Cornell University Northeast Beginning Farmers Project
for farmers seeking land. Topics include:
Alternative Tenure Options – University of Vermont Extension
Website for new farmers. Topics include:
Land Link Directory – National Young Farmers Coalition
California Farm Link
The Land Stewardship Project's Farm Beginnings Project
Gaining Ground: How CSAs Can Acquire, Hold, and Pass On Land
Document from Equity Trust for farmers and landowners.
Topics include:
The Landowner's Guide to Sustainable Farm Leasing – Drake University Agricultural Law Center, Sustainable Agricultural Land Tenure Initiative
Website or document for landowners. Topics include:
A Landowner's Guide to Leasing Land for Farming – Land for Good
Document for landowners. Chapters include:
Leasing Land to Farmers: Handbook for Land Trusts,
Municipalities, and Institutions – Land for Good
Document for farmers. Chapters include:
Elements of a Good Farm Lease – Land for Good
Document for everyone with brief commentary on elements of a good farm lease.
Nuts and Bolts of Farmland Leasing (webinar ~1 hour video)—Land For Good, New Entry Sustainable Farming Project and Legal Services Food Hub
Agenda includes:
Ag Lease 101 (document library)—North Central Farm Management Extension Committee
Includes many resource documents on:
Leasing Agricultural Land for Grazing, Hunting or Livestock Webinar – The National Agriculture Law Center
Right of First refusal – Iowa State University Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation
Website for everyone explaining the importance of being clear in right of first refusal agreements and legal ramifications.
Financial and Tax Aspects
Tax Aspects of Leasing – Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
Document for farmers and landowners.
How to Determine the Right Farm Rental Rate – University of Vermont Extension, Vermont New Farmer Project
Document for farmers and landowners. Topics include:
Comments on conservation easements with option to purchase – Excerpted from "Preserving Farms for Farmers"
Forests and Lakes - Conservation for Landowners – Downeast Lakes Land Trust (Maine)
Website for landowners. Brief explanations of conservation options,
Ag Lease 101 (document library)—North Central Farm Management Extension Committee
Includes many resource documents on:
Agricultural Ground Lease and commentary– Equity Trust.
Agricultural Conservation Easement and Commentary– Equity Trust
Grazing Lease Checklist – Texas A&M Extension
This list was written from the landowner's point of view, but may also be useful to a lessee in the negotiation process.
Sample Lease contracts – Green Lands Blue Waters
Several sample contracts and two real examples; includes information on determining rental rates and potential responsibilities for each party.
Finding a Farm to Buy or Lease – Cornell University Northeast Beginning Farmers Project
For farmers seeking land. Topics include:
Agroforestry grant opportunities – Inside Agroforestry USDA
This issue of Inside Agroforestry provides examples of how USDA Farm Bill programs such as the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) grant program support agroforestry implementation, research and education.
Index of cases – National Agricultural Law Center
Tenancy law – Drake University Agricultural Law Center
Conservation law – Drake University Agricultural Law Center
Urban Ag law – UrbanAgLaw.org
This page details the process of accessing public lands, the purposes of and best practices for land trusts, and the urban farming land inventories conducted in cities around the country. There is also information regarding lease agreements and easements, particularly relevant to non-profit urban agriculture projects.
© 2020 Savanna Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
site design by Yeoman Filmer | Privacy Policy
Savanna Institute
1360 Regent St. #124
Madison, WI 53715
(608) 448-6432


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Earlier this year, Gap was pressured to pull a problematic ad campaign after many rightfully accused the company of being racist, with an image of a white model propping her arm up on a black girl's head. Now the brand is under fire once again for its latest advertisment that debuted this morning, which caters to sexist stereotypes and perpetuates gender roles.
The ad featuring two children, insists that boys are the "scholarly ones," while girls tend to be more of a "social butterfly." The Internet has since responded accordingly, not overlooking the fact that the brand misspelled Albert Einstein's name. See the responses, below.
Dear @UKGap my daughter & son both love to have genius ideas-please don't limit them. Ps you spelt Einstein wrong https://t.co/VyKY6Ju0Xo
— ruth walker-cotton (@walkercotton) July 31, 2016
@LetToysBeToys @UKGap @PsychScientists seriously?? 7yr old daughter determined to be a scientist, what kind of message is this
— Vicky S (@fens_commuter) July 31, 2016
Absolutely incredible. It's 2016, we have a skills & productivity crisis & @UKGap is perpetuating gender stereotypes https://t.co/bResWyUSUb
— chi onwurah (@ChiOnwurah) July 31, 2016
No wonder girls don't choose #STEM careers after they've been subjected to this rubbish growing up. Seriously!!! https://t.co/kfJ0NcrGKB
— S-A Somerville (@S_A_Somerville) July 31, 2016
Shame on you @UKGap for this disgraceful #sexism that diminishes little girls #NotBuyingIt @PinkstinksUK https://t.co/qSOfuieHjR
— Rainbow Murray (@RainbowMurray) August 1, 2016
.@PsychScientists @UKGap idea: let's get a bunch of us female scholars to pose with cat ears and sparkles
— Dr. Yana Weinstein (@doctorwhy) July 31, 2016


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Vision for schools of the future
Over half of primary school children think that schools in the future will be totally different from today according to a new survey released by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA).
Today's pupils believe that classrooms will eventually be accessed from anywhere in the world and lessons will link up with children in other countries via satellite.
Pupils think teaching and learning methods will look very different in the future, with half envisaging downloadable lessons or lessons that they attend remotely via webcam being common place.
Alongside professional teachers, forty four per cent think that pupils in the future will also be taught by specialists such as artists, writers or professional sports people; and over 37 per cent think that pupils in the future will benefit from much more personalised teaching.
Many schools are also developing and improving teaching and learning by linking up with schools in different countries, bringing external experts into classrooms and encouraging pupils to have an input in the design of their lessons.
Urging schools to think about how they can adapt to the changing world, Graham Holley, Chief Executive at the TDA said: "It is interesting to see that primary and secondary pupils are anticipating new and innovative approaches to education for the future. They clearly value teachers who produce inspiring, high quality teaching and manage behaviour so that they and all of their classmates can learn. They are perceptive, and see these qualities as important for teaching in the future alongside the innovative use of technology and more personalised learning.
"Against this background, we are encouraging more schools to look strategically at how they use their whole school workforce to provide the best possible education for every child and young people now and in the future. The TDA's resources are developed with schools to help and support them to do so."
The TDA is urging schools across the country to learn from existing effective practice. One school, Aldeburgh Primary in Suffolk, has worked with a charity to provide lessons taught through art and gardening.
Linda Berry, headteacher at Aldeburgh Primary School in Suffolk said: "We worked with a charity - EastFeast - to develop effective learning outside of the classroom to give them unique opportunities and experiences. We made the project the focus for all areas of the National Curriculum. As well as giving them the essential tools for learning, primary education is about children experiencing the joy of discovery, solving problems, being creative, developing their self confidence as learners and maturing socially and emotionally."
Examples of schools using innovative approaches include:
- A school which runs a social network so that pupils can leave messages for pupils in Japan Partnering with the school in Japan, the two schools work on projects together. The two schools are currently growing plants together and are tracking their progress. They also share recipes etc.
- Pupils are developing vocational skills through setting up a jewellery club, which stemmed from a pupil's idea. The club gives children the chance to design and make their own jewellery, learning has gone beyond the boundaries as the project has involved children using data handling and they order their own materials.
- A school in an ex-mining area with a textiles centre that provides bespoke textiles training and which has been championed by a small husband and wife company. The pupils can access the industrial machines and they learn the process from the idea to the retail outcome.
- A school which uses a project called SHAPE - Social, Humanities and Personal Education - to develop a cross-curricular approach to learning, emphasise the importance of skills, produce independent learners able to work confidently on their own/in a team and learners fully equipped to deal with employment in 21st century. They are also given opportunities to develop their entrepreneurial and economic skills.
- A school which has led a range of initiatives such as implementing a fully working Salon on the school grounds. The school has set up a Retail course, shared between three schools and the local business community, enabling students to gain a 'real life' retail experience.
- i-wigt - what is good teaching?
- wigl – what is good leadership?
- project-based learning resources
- creative teaching and learning
- school leadership and management
- every child
- professional development today
- learning spaces
- vulnerable children
- digital learning
- leadership briefing
- manager's briefcase
- school business


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While Team Wareable's Dixons Carphone Race to the Stones preparation has been mostly about the runners so far, Sophie is looking to follow a different plan. Her personal challenge and goal is to complete day two of the Race to the Stones ŌĆō a mere 50km. This week's diary is all about herŌĆ"
As Mike reminded me today, with three weeks to go, I'm doing the "easy" walk of 50km rather than the full 100km for the Dixons Carphone Race to the Stones.
Easy is not the word that would have sprung to mind if you'd seen my face when I reached Whitstable last week (check out our full report from the team's big walk). Phrases like "in a bad way" and "call a doctor" would be more appropriate. This is possibly the worst idea James has ever had.
The fact that I only walked approximately 18km of the Crab and Winkle Way scared me. That's just a third of the total distance of 50km I'll be walking on the day, and thanks to my painful, bleeding feet ŌĆō from not Vaselining in between my toes and wearing hiking boots when I didn't really need to ŌĆō it took me six hours including a too-long lunch break.
Sophie's foot after 18km ŌĆō not a good omen
That's mainly because I lost the will to walk at a decent pace for the last hour and a half. I'm not gonna lie ŌĆō I stopped to buy a Twister as it was pretty hot. And my walking companion Mike abandoned me once he knew how close we were to our pub destination.
In my head it wasn't the day of the challenge, so I was within my rights to just trundle through the last section of roundabouts as we lost the trail, listening to political podcasts and feeling sorry for myself. Still, if I don't get faster, that doesn't really add up does it?
I'm still going to do the Dixons Carphone Race to the Stones though, don't worry. First things first, I will be ditching my North Face boots in favour of my much lighter running trainers. These won't have the same ankle support but I can take a band to wear.
I also checked the 10ŌĆō12 hours box when I (finally) signed up for the race. I was always going to check the slowest box and to be honest I don't know if I'll get it done in 12 hours ŌĆō what happens then? I'll have to check out the rules on how long you're allowed to stay out there, like when marathons have a cut-off time. The official website suggests this is 12 hours. Uh oh.
The Fitbit Alta HR is powering Sophie's training
Let's rewind a little. I've been wearing my Fitbit Alta HR tracker since the beginning of the challenge, but I'm not going to lie I haven't been wearing it every single day without fail. On the days I have worn it, I've genuinely found that I've been walking more.
My problem is that at this stage 'walking more' isn't going to cut it, especially in flat London.
Incidentally we've just looked at the topography of the Dixons Carphone Race to the Stones ŌĆō the boys were panicking about what they are calling a five-mile hill but the second 50km looks a little less intimidating in terms of horrible inclines. Still, it has been described as "unrelentlessly undulating" in a blog post. Nice alliteration but holy cow maybe my 30km in the Hebrides a few years back is the wrong comparison.
Not flat. Not at all
Anyway, I've tracked a bunch of smaller walks in places like Epping Forest with the Fitbit Alta HR ŌĆō 8km, 12km etc ŌĆō and it's nice to see them as the starred days on the distance section of the app. It's also good to see my heart rate data in real time, getting up into the 130s in the aerobic zone.
Unlike when I was running three times a week, though, my resting heart rate is still around 67 and isn't showing any signs of dropping gradually, a sign of improving fitness. I'm also still only 'fair' on Fitbit's cardio fitness score for women age 20ŌĆō29.
To be honest I was expecting closer to 'poor'. There's still time though. Is there? Yes.
Fitbit stats from last week's big walk
On the Whitstable walk day, the Fitbit Alta HR measured my total distance for the day as 26.8km, which included me getting home via a tube station full of Guns 'n' Roses fans who kept nearly stepping on my blistered feet, which were in flips flops by that point.
That made me feel a bit better about the whole 50km thing. Not much though.
Aside from the crucial shoe change, my plan is to definitely do a similar length of walk to that Crab and Winkle 18km on one of the two weekends before the Race to the Stones as well as three or four smaller walks somewhere hilly around London.
I'll pay attention to time, too, which I haven't been doing at all. To walk 50km in the allotted 12 hours for day two, I'd have to aim to walk 18km in around four hours 20 minutes.
That requires a marginal improvement in pace over my practice walk ŌĆō albeit over three times the distance and not including breaks. I'm praying that with shoes that don't make my feet bleed and a bit more training I can last the distance ŌĆō but divine intervention might be my only shot.
Catch up with our Race to the Stones diary
Week 1: Dixons Carphone Race to the Stones diary ŌĆō Meet the team
Week 2: Dixons Carphone Race to the Stones diary ŌĆō James' training
Week 3: Dixons Carphone Race to the Stones diary ŌĆō Conor steps up
Week 4: Dixons Carphone Race to the Stones diary ŌĆō Mike's training choices
Week 5: Dixons Carphone Race to the Stones diary ŌĆō Big run


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Phillips Mortgage Choice is proud to be a leading Mortgage Choice franchise since 2000. Managing Director Ben Phillips and his award-winning team are experts at helping home buyers achieve their dreams.
Our team specialises in home loans but also offers a debt consolidation consultation service and can assist with savings strategies to help people on their path to owning their own home sooner. Mortgage Choice is a long-established and respected financial services firm and offers client complete transparency with regard to costs and fees and we can't wait to help you get started on your home ownership journey.
Go direct to our Phillips Mortgage Choice website where we can help you get started on your home loan and financial planning journey.


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A software engineer pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of aiding the Taliban and agreed to testify against others in exchange for the dropping of other charges.
The engineer, Maher Hawash, will serve at least seven years in prison under the deal, which was approved by Attorney General John Ashcroft.
Mr. Hawash pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide services to the Taliban. Prosecutors agreed to drop charges of conspiring to levy war against the United States and conspiring to provide material support for terrorism. He was part of a group that traveled to China in an effort to enter Afghanistan and fight American troops there, prosecutors said.
''You and the others in the group were prepared to take up arms, and die as martyrs if necessary, to defend the Taliban. Is this true?'' Judge Robert E. Jones of Federal District Court asked Mr. Hawash.
''Yes, your honor,'' Mr. Hawash replied.
Mr. Hawash's lawyer, Steven Houze, said his client had decided to cooperate with the government, but declined to comment on details of the negotiations. Mr. Houze said Mr. Hawash had faced more than 20 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
In March, federal agents seized Mr. Hawash, 38, and searched his home. He was held as a material witness until charges were filed five weeks later. In what supporters called an abuse of civil rights, officials did not publicly confirm that he was being held in those five weeks.
A federal affidavit accused Mr. Hawash, a naturalized United States citizen of Palestinian descent, of growing angry with the United States after the Sept. 11 attacks, then conspiring to fight in Afghanistan.
Mr. Hawash accompanied the group as it tried and failed to enter Afghanistan from western China in the late fall of 2001, court documents said. The Taliban was the militant Muslim group that controlled most of Afghanistan until the American invasion after the terrorist attacks.
Five of the other six defendants in the case -- Jeffrey Battle; Mr. Battle's ex-wife, October Lewis; Patrice Lumumba Ford; and two brothers, Ahmed and Muhammad Bilal -- have pleaded not guilty. The sixth, Habis al Saoub, remains at large. They face charges of conspiracy, firearms and money laundering.


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Ingredients Edit
- 1¼ cups flour
- 3 tbsp sugar
- ½ cup butter
- ⅓ cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
Directions Edit
- Stir together flour and sugar in a mixing bowl.
- Using pastry blender, cut in butter till mixture resembles fine crumbs.
- Stir in chocolate pieces.
- Form into a ball; knead about 10 to 12 strokes.
- Divide dough into two equal portions.
- Pat each portion of dough into sheet.
- Press down with the tines of a fork around the edge to make indentations in the dough.
- Prick dough with fork using a sharp knife, cut each dough circle into six pie- shape wedges.
- Do not separate wedges.
- Bake in a 325°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till edges are lightly browned.
- Cool.
- Recut wedges.
- Remove wedges and cool on a wire rack.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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Travels in Hungary: With a Short Account of Vienna in the Year 1793
G.G. and J. Robinson, 1797 - 506 strįn (strany)
Čo hovoria ostatnķ - Napķsa» recenziu
Na obvyklżch miestach sme nena¹li ¾iadne recenzie.
Zvolené strany
Iné vydania - Zobrazi» v¹etky
Travels in Hungary, with a Short Account of Vienna in the Year 1793
Robert Townson
Śplné zobrazenie - 1797
Časté vżrazy a frįzy
Adularia Alps amongst appearance ascended Baron basalt blow-pipe Breccia Bude called Callid Caschau cavern CHAP chiefly collection colour common corn court covered creutzers Croatia Danube Debretzin deputy lieutenant Diet Elytra Erlau etiam fame favour fays Fichtel fossil four fragments Galicia German German language give grains granit half height hills horses hundred Hungarian Hungary inhabitants intumesce Joseph Joseph II journey Kesmark kind kingdom Krivan labour Lake land landlord Leutchau lieutenant likewise lime-stone lord miles mines morning mountains nature nigri nobility obliged observed Opal Opalus peasants pebbles petrifactions Porphyry pounds preli pretty protestants pumice quæ quantity quod received regni road rocks royal salt sand-stone schistus sent shew shillings side soon sovereign specimens stone thing toises Tokay Tophus town Transylvania traveller Tufa Vienna village volcanic weather whilst wine wood yards Zeolite
Populįrne pasį¾e
Strana 257 - of dog, Or vermin, or, at beft, of cock purloined From his accuftomed perch. Hard-faring race ! 'They pick their fuel out of every hedge, Which kindled with, dry leaves, juft faves
Strana 106 - being in truth bondmen at the beginning, but having obtained freedom of their perfons, and gained a cuftom by ufe of occupying their lands, they are now called copy-holders, and are fo privileged, that the lord cannot put them out, and all through cuftom"*.
Strana 105 - to the perfon of the lord, and transferable by deed from one owner to another. They could not leave their lord without his
Strana 394 - My ear is pain'd ; My foul is fick with ev'ry day's report Of wrong and outrage with which earth is fill'd.
Strana 105 - lord without his permiffion, but, if they ran away, or were purloined from him, might be claimed and recovered by
Strana 105 - that is, to carry out dung, to hedge and ditch the lord's demefnes, and any other the meaneft offices; and thefe
Strana 105 - could acquire no property either in land or goods: but if he purchafed either, the lord might enter upon them, ouft the
Strana 79 - continued for a minute or two. In this manner the Oxen are killed by the butchers at Gibraltar, who, I am told, have learned it from their African neighbours. Might not the
Strana 174 - poor, cannot be taken from them under any pretext, nor yet the care of them : but rather the unimpeded
Strana 12 - are large holes, four or five feet deep, dug in the ground, the mouth of which is covered with a board, and with


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In 2016, Jason Wingard (Dean and professor at Columbia University) spent a few months working closely with several top tech firms to find inventive ways to support talent in the technology industry. He quickly realised there was one pressing issue to be solved if technology was to accurately portray the future of our society: the representation of women and their position in the industry.
Women are still the minority in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and since there is very little exposure for female role models in the industry in the media, it seems important, today more than ever, that we remind women everywhere that it is never too late to consider a career in STEM. Here is some advice to help you and those around you bridge the gap between technology and gender.
1- Plant the seed
Younger brains learn faster than the adult brain, and in today's society programming is rapidly becoming as essential as literacy. Plant the seed in young peoples' minds by letting them try a tech camp: all the social benefits of a summer camp with the added extras of programming courses and fun hackathons. There is no better way for your kid (girl or boy) to know whether they have a passion for STEM than to get them to try it out early on.
Today's society is working hard to finally knock down gender stereotypes, and given the opportunity as many girls as boys would play with video games, robotic kits and science labs. By allowing them to develop their curiosity in the sciences you will pave the way to a world where there are as many women as there are men in STEM. Women and men are too often pitted against each other when there is so much more to gain from working together.
2- Allow yourself to try, regardless of the results
There is no need to overthink a position in STEM if you feel passionate about the industry. Although you may make mistakes and face some failures, you are not alone. Give yourself permission to fail, dust yourself off, learn from it and try again.
Men and women are both equally capable of learning how to program and code. There are so many transferable skills to be learnt from STEM classes and courses: Logic, data structures, database queries and manipulations, API connections, plugins configuration, etc. – all of these can take your professional life to the next level and are easily within your grasp nowadays.
3- Get involved and make friends
There are so many communities striving to encourage women to develop computer skills and pursue technology jobs and careers. Some of my favourite places in London are the following: Campus London where you can make meaningful connections with industry experts and General assembly where you can find free coding, data analysis and security classes. Some groups that also have a lot to offer are WomenWhoCode and Women Techmakers. Do not feel intimidated by the technical stack; investing time in getting extra skills is more than worth it and rewarding.
4- Strength is in unity
Improving gender balance in technology is beneficial not only to the tech industry as a whole but women can also help to reduce the digital skills crisis and enhance our work environment.
There are so many communities, podcasts and books that can keep us updated in our tech skills and network with other women with similar interests. We joined the industry because we are passionate about what we do and we should carry on improving our skills and work hard to climb the ladder (if that is part of your goals) or undertake a project we are passionate about. A good piece of advice that has always stuck with me is from Sheryl Sandberg (COO of Facebook) and can be found in her book Lean in in which she suggests to "step up and sit at the table". What she means is carry on building your confidence and never be afraid of expressing yourself.
Some good organisations to network with are the National Center for Women in Technology, Women in Technology, Women Hack for Non-Profits and so many others meetups where you can find mentors or help others. Some of my favourite general tech podcasts are Software Engineering Daily Podcast and Programming Throwdown; however, there are so many other specific ones based on you tech stack.
To conclude, in order to bridge the gender gap in technology it is important not only for women to help each other through dedicated networks, but also (and above all) for everyone to help each other out regardless of gender. The more we label or create communities solely based on gender the wider the gap will become. So let us all take action, lose the fear attached to new technologies and push ourselves to learn to reach the next level!
Here are links to the great organisations and podcasts mentioned in the article:
Campus London
General assembly
Women Techmakers
Lean in
National Center for Women in Technology
Women in Technology
Women Hack for Non-Profit
Software Engineering Daily Podcast
Programming Throwdown
Would you like to start a career in Finance Technology or take your career to the next level? Why not check our open positions and help us make a difference!


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Unable to login/browse sites on my Sony laptop
Hi friends,
I am using a new Sony VAIO Fit Series SVF14212CXB last 6 months onwards. Before that it worked very well.
But 1 week onwards when I am trying to browse or log in to email some pop up or survey links are coming. They are blocking the whole screen. Has this issue been due to Virus? I scanned the whole system, but no virus detected. I deleted browsing history and cookies. But nothing worked still same. I can't access anything on my computer.
Any idea what's going wrong here? Please let me know if anyone encountered this issue. Thanks a lot!


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When you leave a comment on THIS post by 6 p.m. CT Tuesday, August 5, 2014 you'll be entered in the DRAWING for a copy of the book below. If you mention in your comment that you're a follower (see in the left column "Join This Site" and "Follow by Email"), I'll add your name a second time in the drawing. You must have a U.S. mailing address to receive a paper book. You can read details about my book giveaways at Disclaimers.
Death Takes a Ride by Lorena McCourtney
Lorena McCourtney is the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of dozens of novels, including Invisible (which won a Daphne du Maurier Award from Romance Writers of America), Dying to Read, and Dolled Up to Die. She resides in Oregon. Learn more at www.lorenamccourtney.com.
From the book's back cover
Cate Kinkaid arrives at H&B Vintage Auto Restorations to give a friend a ride. But, as usual, trouble finds Cate even there—this time in the form of one dead man, one wounded man, and what appears to be a pretty obvious case of self-defense.
Despite having been merely an unfortunate bystander, Cate finds herself sucked into the case. And the deeper she gets, the more she begins to suspect that the shooting in the H&B office may not have been as cut-and-dried as it appeared.
Bestselling and award-winning author Lorena McCourtney takes you on a wild ride in this clever cozy mystery that will keep you guessing.
From Jo
Cate Kincaid, Assistant Private Investigator, steps into a crime scene when she goes to H&B Vintage Auto Restorations to give someone a ride. This crime scene involves murder, which Cate hasn't investigated before. She works for her uncle who has assigned her cases of mundane things like serving papers and doing background checks. Not believing this is a cut-and-dried shooting, Cate begins snooping around and follows the clues. McCourtney writes a fast-paced story laced with humor and tension to keep you turning pages.
Remember: leave a comment on THIS post by 6 p.m. CT Tuesday, August 5, 2014 and you'll be entered in the drawing for a copy of Death Takes a Ride by Lorena Courtney. Please, please remember to leave your email address. I'll need your email address so that should you be the winner I can get in touch with you. I'll announce the winner in next Thursday's blog.
The winner of last Thursday's blog post for a copy of A Mother's Secret by Amy Clipson is Karen G. I'll email you. Thanks all for commenting. Watch for more book giveaways.
Till next time … keep on smiling.


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(Company's representative)
(Company's Name)
(Company's Address)
(Company's phone #)
RE: (home address)
Dear (Ms/Mr. Brown:)
I am, like millions of Americans, a victim of the current economic situation our country is going through.
Due to the recession that has started in December 2007, my employer had no choice but (reduce my salary, laid me off, cut back my hours). Consequently, my income has been drastically reduced.
Additionally, a (death in the family, unexpected medical expense, natural disaster, car accident, urgent property repairs, bad self-employment year, repossession, serious illness...) has contribute to our family's financial collapse.
At this time, I am writing this letter to ask for the terms of my loan to be renegotiated. I want to take advantage of your loan modification program, so I can lower my mortgage payments and avoid the foreclosure of our family home.
I am enclosing additional documentation that will substantiate my present financial situation. [Include: your most recent income tax return, information about the gross monthly income of all borrowers, including your most recent pay stubs if you receive them or documentation of income you receive from other sources, 2 most recent bank statements (all pages), information about any second mortgage on the house, payments on other loans such as student loans and car loans, hardship letter along with any documentation to support your story (notice of lay off, hospital bills, etc), payments on each of your credit cards if you are carrying balances from month to month.]
My family deeply appreciates your cooperation in this matter. If you have any questions please contact me at (your daytime phone number including area code).
I, (your name), state that the information provided above is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
(Home Owner Name)
Loans are evaluated for modification on a case-by-case basis. The criteria for eligibility will include:
Your mortgage lender will determine final eligibility based on your current financial situation. Call your lender for more information on eligibility.
You don't need to be behind on your mortgage to get a loan modification.
If you are struggling to stay current and are at risk of default due to a significant increase in expenses, loss of income, or an interest rate that will reset to an unaffordable level, you can also take advantage of the program.
There is no cost to borrowers for a modification under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan.
Be aware of organizations attempting to charge a fee for housing counseling or modification of a delinquent loan, especially if a fee in advance is required.
Unfortunately, many borrowers are drowning in other types of debt beyond the mortgage, like credit card debt and unexpected medical expenses, what makes just adjusting their first mortgage or lien, is not going to be enough.
Pacific States: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington
South Central States: Arkansas, Lousiana, Oklahoma, Texas
Southwest Desert States: Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico
South Central States: Arkansas, Lousiana, Oklahoma, Texas
Plains States: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota
Mountain States: Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming
Southeast and Gulf States: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina
Atlantic Coast and Appalachian States: Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennesse, Virginia, West Virginia
Middle Atlantic States: Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
Great Lakes States: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin
New England Region: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
How to write a Hardship Letter
Sample Mortgage Hardship Letter
Return from Loan Modification to Home page.
DISCLAIMER: The law will vary depending on your state and the specifics of your case. The information provided by USAttorneyLegalServices.com is intended for educational purposes only. All the content on this website should NOT be considered professional legal advice or a substitute for professional legal advice. For such services, we recommend getting a free initial consultation by a licensed Attorney in your State.


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LSEEK(2) Linux Programmer's Manual LSEEK(2) NAME lseek - reposition read/write file offset SYNOPSIS #include <sys/types.h> #include <unistd.h> off_t lseek(int fd, off_t offset, int whence); DESCRIPTION The lseek() function repositions the offset of the open file associated with the file descriptor fd to the argument offset according to the directive whence as follows: SEEK_SET The offset is set to offset bytes. SEEK_CUR The offset is set to its current location plus offset bytes. SEEK_END The offset is set to the size of the file plus offset bytes. The lseek() function allows the file offset to be set beyond the end of the file (but this does not change the size of the file). If data is later written at this point, subsequent reads of the data in the gap (a "hole") return null bytes ('\0') until data is actually written into the gap. RETURN VALUE Upon successful completion, lseek() returns the resulting offset loca‐ tion as measured in bytes from the beginning of the file. Otherwise, a value of (off_t) -1 is returned and errno is set to indicate the error. ERRORS EBADF fd is not an open file descriptor. EINVAL whence is not one of SEEK_SET, SEEK_CUR, SEEK_END; or the resulting file offset would be negative, or beyond the end of a seekable device. EOVERFLOW The resulting file offset cannot be represented in an off_t. ESPIPE fd is associated with a pipe, socket, or FIFO. CONFORMING TO SVr4, 4.3BSD, POSIX.1-2001. NOTES This document's use of whence is incorrect English, but maintained for historical reasons. Some devices are incapable of seeking and POSIX does not specify which devices must support lseek(). On Linux, using lseek() on a tty device returns ESPIPE. When converting old code, substitute values for whence with the follow‐ ing macros: old new 0 SEEK_SET 1 SEEK_CUR 2 SEEK_END L_SET SEEK_SET L_INCR SEEK_CUR L_XTND SEEK_END SVr1-3 returns long instead of off_t, BSD returns int. Note that file descriptors created by dup(2) or fork(2) share the cur‐ rent file position pointer, so seeking on such files may be subject to race conditions. SEE ALSO dup(2), fork(2), open(2), fseek(3), lseek64(3), posix_fallocate(3) COLOPHON This page is part of release 3.22 of the Linux man-pages project. A description of the project, and information about reporting bugs, can be found at http://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/. Linux 2001-09-24 LSEEK(2)[top]
Vote for polarhome


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B&B Portable Toilets
150 Taylor Way Blue Lake, Ca 95525
(707) 445-0830
(707) 839-8809 (Fax)
(800) 481-2326
May 1st - October 31st
Open Monday - Friday 8-5
November 1st - April 30th
Open Monday - Friday 8-4
Website by David Hamilton Design
New Products
Concrete Wash Outs
Multiple units available.
Click for details.
Frac Tanks
Click here for more information.
Potable Water
We now haul potable water in our 5800 gallon tanker
Tanker Trucks
We provide contaminated
water hauling.
Welcome to B&B Portable Toilets
We've been serving Humboldt County for over four decades, and supply equipment for events from Mendocino to Trinity and Del Norte counties. Our service record speaks for itself. Regular customers include Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service, and we are the service provider for most major Humboldt County events.
"Wherever you need to go, we'll be there."


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2013 was the most challenging year of my life. It was also a very good year in that I learned a lot about myself. As 2013, is about to end, I want to say how grateful I am for all the support I have received from friends and family. This year I learned about forgiveness, acceptance, awareness, and how important it is to live each day and not dwell on the past or fear the future. I live in the present, plan for the future, and forgive the past.
I begin 2014 as a divorced father of two, and look forward to working with my ex in order to raise our girls with love. I am so fortunate that we ended our marriage in a fair and friendly manner, which will serve us both well as we move forward in our lives. I wish every success in her career and happiness in her life.
I plan to continue writing this blog with the desire to be of service to other people and to share my insight, stories, and thoughts about life, love, and living in peace.
Happy new year everyone!


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1 way you can fight variety anxiety is by possessing your batteries one hundred% charged just before you leave the garage. Though the rechargeable electric automobiles and gear can be recharged from a domestic wall socket , a charging station is typically accessible to a number of electric automobiles and has additional existing or connection sensing mechanisms to disconnect the power when the EV is not charging. Something lacking is that the trip planner (as far as I've observed) doesn't tell you how several miles it is from a single charging station (or address) to the subsequent.
Correct now, there are only about 36 public charging stations for them in the Jacksonville location, ranging from Woodbine, Ga. south to St. Augustine, according to Some charge a fee, although 1 at 2700 Florida 16 in St. Augustine is a Tesla-certain Supercharger station. Not sure if its a error but on the web site, the Schneider Electric 30 amp deLuxe EV Link is now $199. Industrial gear such as forklifts have used electric charging technology for some time.
Since the Electric Circuit was inaugurated in March 2012, 108 private-sector and institutional partners have joined the network. The energy efficiency of the electric car excels above gasoline cars, which are nicely identified to pump carbon emissions into the atmosphere from their tail pipes. They have acted in many methods as lobbyists for legislation and incentives that favor electric vehicle owners. There are about one hundred public charging stations, some with quickly-charging technologies, in the Las Vegas Valley according to the internet site. You will discover the charging infrastructure that suits you no matter whether you are a private user or a professional.
Upgrading to a Level 2 (220 V , 30 amps ) station, connected to the very same type of plug you need to have for a dryer or stove, will let you charge your vehicle more rapidly. An analysis of commercial electric billing showed that a 5,220 volt electric car charger connected to a city constructing could raise the building's power bill by as a lot as $750 a month. A rapid charger will charge your electric car to 80 % capacity in significantly less than 30 minutes.
Control charging expenses and bring net carbon emissions near zero by installing photovoltaic solar panels (PV) with your EV charging equipment. You will hear a bit of an electric motor sound which is type of cool (sort of mimics the sound of a jet engine), but gone will be the days of the rumbling roar of a V8 if you acquire an electric automobile. In addition to Tesla, Chevy (Volt), Mitsubishi, Nissan, Honda (hydrogen fuel cell technologies) and Toyota, we can appear for electric autos from Believe (Norway), Sensible EV (Mercedes) and Zenn (Toronto).


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Council Criticised Over 'Stinking' Drain In Weymouth
Calls cost 7p per minute plus your standard network charge.
Please ensure you have the bill payers permission before contacting a company on our website.
This website provides hard to find phone numbers as a call connection service, and is not associated with the companies listed.
Local council bosses have been condemned for not acting quickly enough after foul water caused part of a car park in Weymouth to be blocked off. The problem in Melcombe Regis car park was first reported to the Weymouth and Portland Borough Council at the end of June, but was not fixed until a week later. This left holidaymakers and business owners in the area to navigate around a pool of dirty water. The pool in the car park left residue in the area that required specialist cleaning – from somewhere similar to FSDrainage – but this was not carried out until a week after the problem was first reported.
Nigel Duff who runs the Palm House Café which backs onto the car park said that at one point the pool was up to his boundary and he believes it was putting people off his business. He said that if the incident had occurred outside the council offices they would have acted much faster. The problem was first brought to the attention of Mr.Duff when a customer came in saying that a drain was leaking into the nearby car park. Mr.Duff then called the council who passed him on to their waste management division, followed by environmental health. Over the weekend, Mr.Duff made further calls to an out of office number and eventually, Dorset County Council got utility company Wessex Water to come out to have a look at the problem. It transpired that as the problem was on council private land, it was not the responsibility of the water company to fix.
Following this, a drainage company attempted to clear the pool but needed a bigger tanker in order to be successful. The issue was finally resolved, however Mr.Duff has hit out at the borough council for not being pro-active enough. He said the smell put people off coming to his business, as it was 'incredible' how bad it smelt. The Transport and Infrastructure spokesman for Weymouth and Portland Borough council apologised for any inconvenience caused, explaining that the need for specialist cleaning is what caused the delay.
A spokesman for Wessex Water commented on the incident, saying:


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This question is related to my previous question How to draw a Catalan number diagram on TikZ
I would like to be able to draw generalized Catalan number diagrams using Tikz. More concretely, I would like a 3 dimensional version of the previous 2 dimensional one. Three dimensional Catalan numbers are defined as 3-dimensional lattice paths using steps (1,0,0),(0,1,0) and (0,0,1) from the origin to the point (n,n,n), the points in the path satisfy 0 ≤ x_1 ≤ x_2 ≤ x_3.


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Added: 01/07/2014 by Da_ChiiNk
- Instant Download: No Waiting!
The "All Hustle No Luck" rapper Easy Lantana drops his new mixtape "Live From Lantana" with features from Yo Gotti, Bun B, Pusha T and Pitbull. Follow him @LantanaEasy
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Fallout from Sony's hacking is widening, a published report suggested on Saturday, with the movie giant reportedly shutting down production on several films amid an inability to process payments.
The massive breach that has disclosed sensitive information, and exposed a number of embarrassing high-level conversations, has forced Sony to halt production on several films, according to a report in The Times of London. The publication cited an unnamed source saying that the studio has cancelled shoots because the hack has made it unable to process payments.
Read MoreHollywood in crisis mode over Sony scandal
North Korean hackers are widely suspected to be the source of the breach, which exposed executive and actors' salaries, production budgets for upcoming movies, and even damaging email exchanges between top Sony executives.
Read MoreOne possible reason Sony's Rudin ragged on Jolie in email
The studio was forced into damage control after leaks revealed disparaging remarks made about a host of boldfaced names such as Angelina Jolie, Kevin Hart, and even President Barack Obama. A draft script for the latest installment of the James Bond 007 series was also leaked, along with the figure of the movie's budget: $300 million.
A full report can be found at The Times of London's website (subscription required).


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All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.
6-7 When we suffer for Jesus, it works out for your healing and salvation. If we are treated well, given a helping hand and encouraging word, that also works to your benefit, spurring you on, face forward, unflinching. Your hard times are also our hard times. When we see that you're just as willing to endure the hard times as to enjoy the good times, we know you're going to make it, no doubt about it.
8-11 We don't want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when all this came down on us in Asia province. It was so bad we didn't think we were going to make it. We felt like we'd been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he's the God who raises the dead! And he did it, rescued us from certain doom. And he'll do it again, rescuing us as many times as we need rescuing. You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation—I don't want you in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God's deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played such a crucial part.
2 Corinthians 1:3-11
As I have watched my friends and family struggle through this unthinkable storm named Harvey, I have also been encouraged by the ferocity of their faith. Thank you, Houston for showing our nation how to work together. Thank you for giving God glory in the midst of the storm. Thank you for showing us that God can (and will) carry you through.
I have seen Christ in you this past week…and I just want to say Thank You!
You are loved.
You are cherished.
You are being prayed for.


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Ajax Messages
Assessment Center:
· Control the promotions and recruitment through managing the Assessment Center Calendar –including promotions and recruitment- through reviewing the Assessment Center Logistics, communication, tools availability…etc. to ensure smooth operations of the Assessment Center and to enhance the quality of selection.
· Design the Assessment Center exercises and tools through matching the competency level of the candidates with the exercises to ensure the fairness of the assessment process and outcomes and in order to maintain the consistency and effectiveness of the assessment process.
· Conduct feedback sessions pre the Assessment Center to the candidates in order to deliver the development plans and actions required –based on the competencies development areas- in collaboration with the Human Capital Development Department.
· Ensure proper maintenance of the organization structures through conducting system review to ensure the accuracy, accessibility and availability of the Divisions' organization.
· Provide the business departments with the best fit organization structures through the alignment with the best practices and the collaboration with the business departments in order to support the achievement of the business objectives.
· Ensure the availability of updated Job Profiles for all the organization's positions through the validation of the developed Job Profiles and drafting the Job Profiles of the critical positions to ensure the reflection of the current/accurate job scope for the organization's positions.
· Develop and maintain the Career Path of the Organization's divisions through the collaboration with the concerned departments and the HR Business Partners, identifying the positions criteria, designing career ladder, talent pool operations…etc. to ensure business sustainability and career growth.
· Manage the Organization Design projects and initiatives as Massar, Talent Pool….etc. to ensure the delivery of the projects as per the set project plan.
· Manage the Job Evaluation exercise for the organizations' positions -as Job Evaluation Committee member- to ensure the validity of the organization's grading structure.
Department Management:
· Validate the drafted Standard Operations Procedures (SOPs) and policies of the organization's divisions through the alignment with the designed standards and templates to ensure the documentation of the departments' processes.
· Manage the performance of the assigned team through monitoring the KPIs achievement, coaching, following up any obstacles, provide performance feedback and conversations, coaching…etc. to ensure the achievement of the set objectives.
· Manage the relationship with the consultancy firms and service providers in regards to the Assessment Center, certifications required, trainings…etc. in order to maintain the quality of the Organization Design deliverables and outcomes.
From modest beginning 33 years ago, Nahdi Medical Company has grown dramatically to become the largest retail pharmacy chain in the Middle East and North Africa. Starting with two small pharmacies in Jeddah was the foundation for what has since become a nation-wide network of more than 1100 branc ...
From modest beginning 33 years ago, Nahdi Medical Company has grown dramatically to become the largest retail pharmacy chain in the Middle East and North Africa. Starting with two small pharmacies in Jeddah was the foundation for what has since become a nation-wide network of more than 1100 branc ...قراءة المزيد


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Speeding Up Your Engineering Org, Part I: Beyond the Cost Center Mentality🔒 blog.hut8labs.com
This is a very good reminder of the importance of speed in tech teams. I've seen and continue to see "ROI thinking" as the only validation of projects. Considering latency and speed is often not considered. The "How to" and "How not to" section at the end of this is really good too.Posted on August 5, 2018 →


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Cadbury Bubbly Cows go global
Cadbury Dairy Milk is promoting the new-look Cadbury Bubbly range with a global advertising campaign featuring floating cows. First introduced in South Africa in 2012, the campaign is centred on television commercials taking viewers behind the scenes at a magical Joyville dairy farm to reveal where Cadbury Dairy Milk BUBBLY comes from. The product launch in South Africa included the floating cows on a specially designed web site, cadbury.co.za/bubbly and in teaser photographs on the Cadbury SA Facebook page. Cadbury Australia is promoting the Mint and Strawberry flavours with a local adaptation of the South African material.
Bubbly Cows Credits
The Bubbly Cows campaign was developed at Ogilvy South Africa, Johannesburg, by creative director Bridget Johnson, art director Alexa Craner and copywriter Irene Styger (TV), art director Alex van Rensburg and copywriter Michelle Do Santos (digital), digital creative director Dylan Mclean, front end developer Willem Labuschagne, technical producer Richard Knowler, business director Candice Shortt, account director (TV) Cathy Nilsen, account manager (TV) Siya Mbalo, TV agency producer Debbie Dannheisser, group account director Nimay Parekh, account director (digital) Georgia Matthews and account manager (digital) Tash Edmondson.
Filming for Cadbury Floating Cows was shot by director Michael Middleton via Jump, Cape Town. Visual effects were produced at Sinister Studio. Editing was done at Orchestra Blue Post Production.
Filming for the Joyville floating Cow with a mint twist was shot by director Jonathan Hall via Bouffant.
The campaign was recut for Australia by Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney. Media was handled by Carat. PR was by Royce Communications.
Filed under: Cadbury, Commercials, Interactive
Tagged: Alex van Rensburg, Alexa Craner, Bouffant, Bridget Johnson, Carat, Dylan Mclean, Irene Styger, Jonathan Hall, jumP, Michael Middleton, Michelle Do Santos, Ogilvy South Africa, Orchestra Blue Post Production, Royce, Saatchi & Saatchi Australia, Sinister Studio
Location: South Africa


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Blog Post
They're Compulsory Pensions not Auto Enrolment
What is in a name? Well, on 1 October 2012 the government's new compulsory pensions system went live. As you'll know from our briefing notes or the impressive volume of press coverage this week, it
Blog Post
Brighton ideas - The Regulator's stated approach to automatic enrolment
Automatic enrolment is a hot topic. Starting with the largest in October 2012, employers will be obliged to enrol most of their employees into a pension scheme and to pay money towards their pension
Blog Post
Government announces revised timetable
Today (29 November 2011) the Government has announced that the staging dates for many employers will be postponed. For employers with 3,000 or more employees, their staging dates will remain the same
Blog Post
Compulsory pensions - action planning for employers
Following our earlier post on compulsory pensions, we have now published a project planning guide. The guide sets out how far back in time an employer needs to start preparing for compulsory pensions.
Blog Post
2012 starts here - compulsory pensions
Some of you will have heard about Britain's new compulsory pension law coming in next year. The law comes in on a staged basis with the biggest employers affected first in October 2012 - and the


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@GeoffD , we've asked the Lithium team to look into the mentioned items. We will revert back as soon as we have feedback :-)
Why can't we globally and permanently set these values? Each and every post we make has to be individually adjusted from the defaults. I notice also that the changes we make are always done AFTER the post first displays at the default values as well if one does make changes to these settings.
No need to explain this. Also, only one language setting is available.
The Community software does not adhere to the html5 standard and regularly decides that some code we enter is invalid, yet the code added complies with the html5 standard.
The "Numbered lists" code is clumsy and inefficient and does not work to standard.
Threaded post displays do not work as they should. Threads display the same regardless of the display option selected.
Octo LNB; 2 by 2x4 MS; 2 by ES 5-2; Dedicated PSU for LNB, ES's, MS's; HD PVR 4P x 2; Explora 1; DSD 660; FSM
© MultiChoice Support Services (Pty) Ltd


text: This week's Monday Piece is on bomber jackets, tee's and trainers! I'm all up for a bit of casual style, especially when it looks this good. I wore a bomber jacket in my previous post and mentioned how you can't really escape them at the moment - so i've been browsing my favourite online sites and selected a few that have really caught my eye! The two on the left are both from Boohoo.com, i especially love the camo jacket as it would go with all of my favourite black and grey pieces, and can really make an outfit 'pop'. The other two are also high street and available from Topshop who always get it bang on with their latest styles, the satin styles are proving popular with hipsters and i love the embroidered versions too - check out the full Topshop bomber jacket collection here! The ace thing about bomber jackets is that you can throw them on with pretty much anything, come rain or shine they look cool and are easy to wear - i've picked some casual tees an trainers to go with them, the 'In Fries We Trust' is so much fun! I'm also a sucker for some retro trainers, the Vans and Converse are super classics whereas the new style chunky Reebok's are just as awesome!


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Termite Control
Pest Control of Carlsbad offers termite control solutions to the Carlsbad area. There are several different kinds of termites that live within Carlsbad, California. The kind of termite will define what kind of danger is posed to your home.
Each kind of termite will attack your house in a different way. We tailor our termite exterminator treatment to the kind of termite in your property. If you believe you have a termite problem then you should contact our Carlsbad termite control experts at (760) 452-8596 today!.
Carlsbad Termite Exterminators
The most common types of termites located in and around Carlsbad are:
- Formosan Termites
- Subterranean Termites
- Drywood Termites
The most common kinds of termites that live in Carlsbad are drywood, subterranean and formosan termites. We will diagnose which type of termites in your home when our termite control specialists visit your home.
How to Find Termites
One traditional way to detect termites is to smell their fecal matter. This method is similar to the detection method for many pests and rodents.The fecal matter of termites is usually in thin, small strips.
If you notice this type of fecal matter in your property, particularly around food, then you probably have a termite issue. People will also often realize they have termites from the tunnels the termites build.
If you find sawdust by your wooden structure or if you locate mud tubes then you should call our Carlsbad termite control professionals as soon as you can. If you suspect termites in your home or business for any reason, you should call a Carlsbad termite professional at (760) 452-8596 immediately. Each day you delay is more damage that these termites are causing.
Termite extermination isn't something you're going to want to try to do yourself. There are some simple pest problems that can be done by yourself at home, but termites are not one of them. Contact one of our Carlsbad termite specialists as soon as possible to get rid of your problem!


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The Fabulous Alexis recently wrote in yet another must-read article on Josette's Music Box at http://josettesmusicbox.wordpress.com/2013/02/06/wednesday-whatnot/
This time, it concerned the 'why' behind her Dark Shadows ardor, and why — for some of us — it outshines other fan staples such as STAR TREK and THE PRISONER.
Her words:
Perhaps it's because, for all its flaws, Dark Shadows has everything. It's a tragic romance, it's a horror story, it's a Bildungsroman, it's a family saga. It's a story about second chances and redemption. It's a story about people who try and fail and sometimes even succeed. It's both very human and something else entirely.
It's also where I began. Collinsport is the first fictional world I really explored. It influenced the way I think about stories and, to a lesser extent, the way I tell them. It was the jumping off point for me as A Fan. And perhaps, at the end of the day, like all origins it's simply the place to which I will always return. Like Modernism. Like Brideshead Revisited. Like home.
That's certainly what I found. She also asked for why others felt similarly. I've written on the subject before, but there's always more to say. Perhaps that fact says it all. But I'm paying the rent, you're still reading, and away we go.
January 1982. I'm watching KELLY'S HEROES, desperately hoping that it's a HOGAN'S HEROES movie that a station manager mistitled, but finding to my dread that it's Some Boring Clint Eastwood Movie (its own genre). It's late at night, and I'm with my mother, a teaching colleague of hers, and the colleague's daughter. A promo for an unknown show came on, announcing that DARK SHADOWS would soon begin in the afternoon. Interesting title. Why had I never heard of it? I was a seasoned man of eleven, after all, a bon vivant, fully able to tie an ascot or select the pithiest Gene Coon zinger as an after dinner bon mot. I then heard great news. "It's a vampire show."
And then the worst news that could have followed, "And a soap opera."
It was like getting a Mr. Spock towel for the holidays. On the plus side, it's Mr. Spock. On the minus side, it's just, you know, a towel.
But I was then promised Kate Jackson. Even at that tender age, I knew that she was the Thinking Man's Angel, so I decided to pry myself away from the homework I wasn't doing and appreciate Ms. Jackson's earlier contribution to television. They neglected to tell me that she was hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of episodes away.
So, I tuned in. It was, um, not what I expected. Constipated WASPS sorta vaguely threatened by a sleazy Irishman while a sleazier Southern Wastrel via Queens kept staring at some portrait. Bad news.
But all was well when he went to rob a grave, a hand shot out, and he promptly… strangled? It stopped just when it got good.
I won't say that I was hooked. In fact, I think I went back and had to get reassurances that things would pick up. Like many, I expected Barnabas to get staked and the story to move on. Like many, I couldn't help but see Jason as the real bad guy. At least Barnabas was motivated by love.
And so was I. For the show. And I'll say this for DARK SHADOWS; we've never had any arguments or ugly break-ups.
But like many great loves, you're not aware of it at first. It's more alien than anything else. But we had patience in those days. No real cable. No home video. No remotes. An eleven year-old kid back then understood the diligent commitment that went into watching an entire half-hour of TV, commercials and all.
Immediately, the show was permeated by references to a larger mythos. I was reminded of that last night, as I watched NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS. This house, like those in so many parts of the country with older neighborhoods, had history. It had hidden stories. It was like a Civil War battlefield. Oddly peaceful, but you knew that intricate battles between Herculean opponents had happened right here. And worse, these threatened to break through into Now. The visitation by Barnabas, and his subsequent haunting by Sarah, made it clear that nothing is over on this show. The pedestrian present was just waiting for forces and foes to extend their battles through time for love, glory, evil, power, and valor into… well, you were always left hoping that it would happen tomorrow.
I had very little interest in much of the present when I was a kid. The future? Of course I loved its promise, but it was taking too long to show up. But the past? Ahhhh! The Ink Spots held dominion over all. Music I could understand. Bad guys who dressed like bad guys and had no moral relativism to shield them. Spiffy clothes. And secrets. Kids spend all their time knowing that a whole, other world exists on the other side of being an adult. You knew that the lives of adults were directly shaped by figures and events that all happened well before you were born. DARK SHADOWS showed me a world where people openly talked about that preexisting time. On DARK SHADOWS, I saw the secrets. I went behind the closed doors. I was obsessed by the unknowable and lost figures with the names of Josette, Jeremiah, and especially, Angelique. A name of delicacy and cut glass, sumptuous and brittle all at once. How could she be the cause of such pain?
And seeing a powerful male figure driven by pain and loss — but not descending into the numb stoicism of a Lucas McCain — was liberating. I was born of that "modern man of the 70's" model. My heroes were guys like Alan Alda and Phil Donahue. That stereotype was very real. Let's face it; sports was boring compared to Hawkeye menacing Frank and romancing nurses… while making moving speeches on the futility of fighting. Sign me up for that non-fight. Phil's on, and he's gettin' real with Ayn Rand one day and Gene Siskel the next. Sometimes in a dress. And not at all threatened by that. You want a real man? There ya go. He's man enough to say that William wants a doll, and that's okay.
But where was the genre hero in that mold? Enter Barnabas. Years ahead of his time. Pining for girls who are generations away.
Kind of like being eleven.
Then, DARK SHADOWS disappears one week. They kill Mr. Spock the next. Don Rosa gets fed up and quits doing Captain Kentucky a month or so after that.
And they wondered why I flunked the sixth grade the next year. Your honor, I had no other choice. It was a conscientious objection to a System That Allows Such Atrocities.
But 1985 came along about thirty kid-years later, and with it came DARK SHADOWS 2.0… its rerelease on the local, PBS affiliate.
Life after death, after all.
1,225 episodes later, that house still has its secrets. As an adult, you find that the secrets that grownups were keeping hold no glamor or intrigue. But the ones in DARK SHADOWS still do. As a child, it made me feel like and adult, and as an adult, it makes me feel…
And I have to go there and say it…
That there are always possibilities.


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SOLD! 3 bedroom 2 bathroom Ranch with a split floor plan that is convenient to Ft. Gordon, schools, and shopping! New carpet, fireplace, fenced backyard with a screened-in patio, porch, and ready for you to move in. Lovely Owner's suite with garden tub. Plenty of natural light and storage throughout.
Text or call Brittany Thomas @ 703.232.2874 or call Bridges Realty @ 706.922.6390 to schedule a showing.
Address: 650 Ventana Drive
City: Evans
State: Georgia
Square Feet: 1654
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Neighborhood: Summerlin
Schools: Parkway, Greenbrier, Greenbrier


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There are times when configuring some Citrix products (Secure Gateway, Access Gateway, Web Interface) where you are presented with the option of using an IP address or FQDN for the Secure Ticket Authority. Most of us will pause for a moment and think about the ramifications, pros and cons, of using either of those options. Citrix's view on this is straight forward and as a best practice recommend using the IP address. You can see why this would be the case if you spend a fair amount of your time troubleshooting issues on a daily basis regardless of whether or not you are working on a Citrix, Microsoft or an application issue. The key word is variable. When going through your normal troubleshooting process you try to remove as many variables as possible from the equation. When you use the IP address you eliminate the name resolution aspect from the process.
Now I know you FQDN evangelists are out there and I prefer to use names where ever possible myself, but if you properly document your network, systems and their interactions with each other, then you don't have anything to worry about. When it comes time to make an IP address change, with the proper documentation you will be able to make a detailed work plan which will incorporate all of the systems and the changes needing to be completed.
As a side note I am a consultant and what I find out in the field is a mixture of both IP addresses and FQDNs being used for the STAs. Either way there are a number of times I find where previous admins/engineers/consultants are not maintaining the STA lists, regardless if they used the IP address or FQDN. If you don't maintain these lists they will cause issues relating to logins or erratic behavior when launching Published Apps.


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We're thrilled to be part of the team helping iwi register their interest in Crown land.
We've been working with Toitū te Whenua, Land Information New Zealand, on the Crown Property Disposals Portal. The portal is an online service that makes the process of registering interest, easy.
The portal is built using Drupal and hosted on the Catalyst Cloud.
Iwi who want to use the service can sign up at https://crownpropertydisposals.linz.govt.nz/ and start registering their interest straight away.
It's a great privilege to contribute to this project. Our hope is that it helps with the kaitiakitanga o ngā whenua.


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I cannot get the 'referencing user' things to work. I just want to do the icons and username(linked) D; this is reeaallllyyy confusing :/
EDIT: I figured it out now, but the ![] (user) part confused me because of the spaces between them in the guide, I didn't know what it meant, nevermind. Still a lil complicated blaagh :/


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In this article, I am going to take you through the 6 easy steps you need to go through to setup Skype for Business call forwarding to landlines or mobiles.
We often have the experience where a customer has an existing Skype for business number that they'd like to port to our services. We'll explain below why (in most cases) this simply isn't possible – but we'll also give you a way around it by forwarding all of your Skype for business calls to your chosen mobile or landline number.
Is my Skype For Business Number portable?
Skype numbers are, typically, not portable. That's because the local numbers that are supplied are owned by Skype and not the user, who is technically renting access to the number. Under ACMA (The Australian Communications and Media Authority) and TIO (Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman), Skype clients do not own any numbers that they have been issued by the company. Therefore, under LNP rules, Skype cannot legally put through port requests for any of the numbers that they supply.
What if I had a number ported into Skype originally?
If you had an existing local number ported into Skype, then you should be able to have it ported back out again to another provider.
But I want to keep my Skype for business number for use on a landline or mobile!
Many clients are frustrated by the news that they can't simply move their existing phone number from Skype to our services, like they would be able to from any other telco provided number. But, like most things these days, there are some actions you can take to get around this problem. The answer is Call forwarding, and there's only a few steps you need to take to make it happen.
How to set up a permanent forward from your Skype for business number to your landline or mobile
If you want to keep your Skype Number and use it on your landline or mobile phone, the only realistic option is to permanently forward your Skype Number using an unlimited landline phone plan.
First, you will need to make changes to your Skype subscription as follows:
Step 1: Change your Skype account to the 'Australia unlimited mins landlines plan AU$5.00/month'.
If you pay annually, you will save an additional 15%
Next, follow these steps to forward all Skype calls to your chosen destination:
Step 2: Sign in to your skype account
Step 3: Go to the Manage Features section, and select Call Forwarding
Step 4: Select the button to enable call forwarding, so that it appears green. Once you've enabled the feature, select how many seconds you would like your calls to ring before they are forwarded (If you want ALL calls to be forwarded at all times, select a minimum number of seconds).
Step 5: Next, select the destination of your forwarded calls. In this case, you will most likely be allocating a landline or mobile number. Make sure you select the correct country or region when entering the phone number.
You can forward your Skype calls to up to three mobile or landline phone numbers worldwide by selecting Add Number and entering the details as above.
Step 6: Confirm the changes you have made.
Once you have followed these steps, every call received will be forwarded to your chosen phone number, even if you aren't actually signed into your Skype account.
To turn off Skype for Business Call Forwarding, simply sign in to your account, go to Call Forwarding in the Manage Features section, and select the green button to disable the feature.


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Seems like a good time to remember to change your perspective regularly.
I accomplish this by going up on my roof. But you can also just get upside down in your living room or stand backwards in the elevator. Whatever works. Just make sure you don't look at everything the same way, all day, every day. Your Beast will thank you.


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Artist: Sarah P.
Title: Dirty Sunday
Release: April 15, 2015
Buy: iTunes | Amazon
Stream: Spotify | Apple Music | Deezer | YouTube
Artist Links: Homepage | Facebook | Twitter
"Little Soul" is taken from Sarah P.'s solo debut EP Free.
Along the release, Sarah P. stated: "Three years before the actual release of "Free", in 2012, I got trapped in a loop of bad decisions. I wanted to take risks, I said I wanted to live. For whatever stupid, childish, immature reasons, I found myself in a situation that still gives me nightmares and keeps me awake thinking about "what ifs". And despite the physical pain and the emotional hurting and all the shit that comes with one being violated as a person, despite the unanswered questions and my inability to understand how did I find myself involved in such things, I decided to move on, but I took the wrong direction.…" (Read the full article here)
Press Quotes
- "Dialogues and monologues spill from the inner mental spaces to the outwardly illustrations of desires like on 'Little Soul' to the wanderlust urges and inspirations that unveil on the alluring beckon of 'I'd Go' that break free from the chains that repress artistic inception and fully realized conceptions of creative manifestation." – Impose
- "In fact, your little soul is way bigger than you think it is. In fact, you're way braver than you think you are. Hang on there but don't lay back. Work on recovering – not for anybody but for yourself. Fill your life with people and things that you want and love and get rid of the toxic ones. That's the only way that you can move forward. The only way to break from the past is to envision the future." – NBHAP


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What is it?
All the recent headlines on the Ford Focus ST have gone to the new diesel model, an addition to the hot hatch's line-up as part of some comprehensive mid-life changes. But the staple petrol model has been revised, too, and this is our first chance to drive it on UK roads, albeit in European left-hand drive spec.
The powertrain is the same as before, meaning a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit with 247bhp and a hefty 266lb ft (on overboost), hooked up to a short-throw six-speed manual gearbox. An automatic engine stop-start system is a new addition, though. This reduces CO2 emissions to 159g/km and improves combined fuel economy to a claimed 41.5mpg.
Elsewhere, the changes are more significant. You can spot the visual alterations inside and out, including more aggressive exterior styling and bodykit, optional new 19in alloy wheels and a (thankfully) simplified interior that sheds a load of buttons in favour of a new infotainment system called Sync2 and adopts a handsome-looking new steering wheel.
The really interesting changes, though, are to the car's dynamics. The chap who led the development of the car at Ford reckons the changes should make the car "more enjoyable and rewarding to drive" and "more responsive, balanced and refined".


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What Do Skaters Wear Beneath Their Outfits?
6 Jan
By Adam Welsch
Cupid Intimates
January 6th is a day that will live in infamy in the world of women's figure skating. On this day in 1994, US figure skater, Nancy Kerrigan, was attacked during a practice session at the US Figure Skating Championships in Detroit, Michigan. The ex-husband and bodyguard of Kerrigan's rival, Tonya Harding, hired a third person to carry out the attack, which resulted in a baton blow and bruise to the thigh, and forced Kerrigan to withdraw from the competition. Despite admitting that she helped cover up the attack, Harding joined Kerrigan the following month to skate for the United States at the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Kerrigan won the silver medal, while Harding finished eighth. The seventeenth anniversary of this notorious event seems an appropriate time for this blog to discuss the kinds of intimate apparel worn by female figure skaters.
Before discussing what's worn underneath, it's helpful to get a sense of the outfits generally worn by female figure skaters. During practice sessions, where comfort and warmth are more important than fashion, skaters generally wear sweaters and sweatshirts on top, and either athletic leggings, yoga pants, or skating tights on the bottom. They may also wear dresses and skaters' tights closer to competitions to ensure that the types of outfits worn during the events work with their routines. Finally, most skaters wear gloves during practice.
During competitions, skaters wear form-fitting dresses that often have attached briefs. The dresses have very short skirts, so the attached briefs always become visible. Many observers often ask whether the short lengths of the skirts are necessary. Most skaters answer "yes," since longer skirts would inhibit jumps and leg extensions, and would become distractions to their required in-program concentration. Skating tights are generally worn under the attached briefs, though some skaters find that to be uncomfortable and prefer to wear them over the briefs. These special tights may be footless, footed, or capable of covering and protecting the boot portions of the skates. These tights are thicker and warmer than conventional, everyday tights, and are generally made with cotton gussets (like conventional pantyhose.)
So, what do these women wear under this attire? Interestingly, there's neither unanimity of opinion about the types of underwear that should be worn, nor agreement about whether conventional underwear should be worn at all. During practice, where comfort matters and appearance does not, the decision of whether or not to wear panties is usually dictated by the choice of outerwear worn over the legs. If skaters' tights are worn, their cotton gussets allow the skaters to choose whether or not to "go commando." Many skaters do so reasoning that, since the tights must be washed after each use anyway, little would be gained by wearing panties. When yoga pants or athletic leggings are worn, panties designed to prevent ride-up are usually chosen. Boy-short silhouettes or styles with silicone-finished edges are often the best selections here. During competition, concerns of appearance usually outweigh all others; many skaters choose not to wear panties of any silhouette underneath their tights and attached briefs for fear of creating VPLs or actual panty show-through. If they choose to wear panties, they often wear thongs and always select flesh-colored styles.
What about bras? As with panties, the types of bras worn, and the decision of whether to wear them or not, is left up to each skater. During practice, most women wear sports bras. They not only provide support, but added warmth for long hours of practice as well. During competition, some wear them and some do not. Skating outfits are quite form-fitting, so many smaller-busted skaters receive sufficient support from the costumes themselves and find bras unnecessary. Those women with larger busts do wear bras. As with everyday outfits, the styles of the skating costumes dictate the styles of the bras worn. Many outfits are backless, and so specially-strapped bra silhouettes have to be used. As with panties, skaters cannot afford to have any parts of their bras reveal themselves during competition. Some skaters who require added support wear custom-made outfits that incorporate built-in breast-support features. Others prefer to sew bra cups into the costumes themselves.
Though the choices of skaters' outfits and their intimate apparel involve a series of interconnected and personal considerations, the final figure-skating ensembles are usually quite beautiful and add to the broad appeal of the sport for much of the general public.
Here's Nancy Kerrigan skating in her long program during the 1994 Winter Olympics sporting a nice example of the overall, final look:CC Image courtesy cliff1066 on flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/nostri-imago// CC BY 2.0 CC Image courtesy zipckr on flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/zipckr// CC BY 2.0


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Geert wrote a post on how to invoke Belcanto on the Eigenharp with Python in the Eigenlabs Forum -> Software today (see here), so I had this fun little idea to control the metronome by using launchpad. I wrote 2 little python scripts (only works in 1.3.17 testing):
to start the metronome called met_start.py
import xmlrpclib
s.execBelcanto('metronome listen start')
and met_stop.py to stop the metronome
import xmlrpclib
s.execBelcanto('metronome listen stop')
Then I opened Osculator and wrote 2 little Applescripts to start the Python scripts :
do shell script "python ~/insert_dir_here/met_start.py"
do shell script "python ~/insert_dir_here/met_stop.py"
Then I had just to connect the Applescripts with 2 Midi buttons and now I can start and stop the metronome with a Novation Launchpad. So you can not only control Stage (via OSC) with a Launchpad, but also Belcanto directly. Not so important for Alpha users since they have lots of keys, but really cool for Pico users.


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view single item
Daffodil table lamp
Object Name: Lampshade
Related People:
Date: designed ca. 1900-1906
Medium: Leaded glass, bronze
Dimensions: Overall (height, diameter): 21 1/2 × 16 in. (54.6 × 40.6 cm)
Place made: North America, United States, New York
Description: Leaded glass and bronze Daffodil table lampshade; 16-inch diameter globe-shaped shade depicting yellow daffodils in three repeats; flowers rendered in orange-yellow, stems light green striated with yellow, segmented leaves dark green; background glass in lower part of shade green with yellow mottling, lightening to white in upper portion of shade. Shown on bronze Mud Turtle Cushion base (N84.81.2), with cap (N84.69.3).
Credit Line: Gift of Dr. Egon Neustadt
Send to a Friend
Object Number: N84.81.1
Margaret K. Hofer and Rebecca Klassen, The Lamps of Tiffany Studios: Nature Illuminated ( Skira Rizzoli Publications, Inc 2016),70.
"A New Light on Tiffany: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls," New-York Historical Society, February 23-May 28, 2007.
"The Lamps of Tiffany Studios: Nature Illuminated," Gallery of Tiffany Lamps, New-York Historical Society, April 28, 2017–ongoing.


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Exceptional one half acre lots for sale in the Augusta Commons site condo development in Augusta Township. Underground utilities already in place: electric, gas, public water and public sewer. Low Augusta Township taxes. Easy access to I-94. Minutes away from Detroit Metropolitan airport, Ann Arbor, Canton, & Detroit. Build your dream home.
Property Summary :
Located in Augusta Twp in the 48191 zip code, this home was built in Unknown and is Unknown square feet
with Unknown bedrooms and Unknown bathrooms on
0.56 acres. It has been on the market for 343 days with an original
listing price of $45,000. 10259 Sherman Cir is part of the
Lincoln Consolidated School District.
Property Location
IDX provided courtesy of Realcomp II Ltd., via Keller Williams Realty and ANN ARBOR, Copyright 2020 Realcomp II Ltd. Shareholders. IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers' personal, noncommercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. The accuracy of all information, regardless of source, is not guaranteed or warranted. All information should be independently verified.