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clean slate
It all started with the great Roxy bedding that Alex's mom got her for her birthday. The entire room stems from the awesome fun colors: pink, brown, orange, tan and white is the color scheme. It has a beachy, Hawaiian-y feel to it, complete with hibiscus flowers. We painted teh walls - I believe the color is Tropic orange...not peach! Please don't call it peach. I think it is the color of a push-up. No, not a bra, the ice cream! The other color is a rich, deep brown. The plan is to paint a large pink hibiscus flower in the center of the brown wall. I think it looks really great. She is using some of the wicker furniture that came from her Nana and Papa's house. I love that she wants to use. It's really pretty. We stripped carpet and rubber backing that been glued to the floor and we left the bare hardwood and added a chocolate brown area rug.
Anyway, Alex now has a clean slate for her room in fun, funky colors that definitely suit her personality. Now, she has to keep it clean (yeah right!). She is really growing up and I think getting rid of all her "kid-stuff" is a true sign of that.
Did I say how sore my body is from painting? OMG!!! I ache all over! I think that is a sign of my "maturity" level! ;) wink*wink!
lots of 5's
Honestly, I don't know, but I was in my first year of working at Ozarka so the semester was winding down and we were gearign up for graduation and Summer semesters; and was probably doing something to prepare for horse shows! Pretty much the same thing I have been doing every year for the last five.
cooked supper
endow a scholarship
chew my cuticles...gross, I know.
Legal Secretary
I did try though...of course!
I scrapped!
I also finished part of the SIStv March Style Phyle - "Go Green" that I've been wanting to do. I plan to send this cute "think green" bag to Brooke. She is very conscientious about recycling and not using the plastic shopping bags when grocery shopping, so I thought she would appreciate it.I also did a couple more of the challenges from Elsie's 52 Week Challenge. I'm not completely caught up, but I'm closer.
This one is Week 11, SCRAPLIFT A COLOR COMBINATION
Here is the description from the site:
I loved the blues, browns and oranges on Mellette's layout, so I decided to scraplift her color combination for my pages at the right. For this challenge, you can scraplift me or Mellette - or open up this book to any page and challenge yourself to scraplift the color scheme!Ok since everyone doesn't have the book, I'm gonna say that you should scraplift from any place that you want. A magazine, SIS, a challenge blog, whatever. Just scraplift a color combo from any layout that you like!Have fun!
I also did this one for week 13 - SCRAPLIFT A LAYOUT SHAPE, here is the description:
Danielle wanted this sun-shaped page to have an artsy, vibrant, funky feel to it. I love the high energy of her layout and decided to scraplift it. My layout isn't an exact sun shape, but look how I've started with a circle shape and then added ribbons and different patterns around the perimeter of my circle. For this challenge, look for a layout with a shap you love and challenge yourself to scraplift it.I realize that you can't see what she's talking about without the photos but I am including all of the prompts so you can get more of an idea. Have fun! GO!
I used a snowflake for my shape. Yes, it is a little lame-o, but I got it done and I love that picture of Alex from our big snow awhile back.
Wow! I did get something accomplished!
I also took several pictures today of the dogwoods that are in full bloom right now. My absolute favorites trees in the world. More later.
Finally Friday!
Tonight was Walker's 9th Bday and they held a typical Pizza Hut Birthday party for him and several of his closest friends. Then Jennifer and Tony were brave enough to have all those little guys to their house for a sleepover.
Of course Alex was there and helping her "BFF Jennifer". Notice, there is no possible way to scoop neopolitan ice cream unless your tongue is slightly sticking out of your mouth. It's just one of those strange phenomenons that no one can explain. Seriously, Alex, you can try to play this off all cool and stuff, but we know you just cannot scoop neopolitan - or any flavor - ice cream, for that matter without the tongue...it's just not possible, even if you had a Pampered Chef scoop and not this cheapy one. Good try though, trying to play it off. You're real cute and all, but we see the proof up in that other photo.
WARNING - Major cuteness in this post
Was it cold?
Was Taco (the horse) totally behaving?
Did they win?
Well, no, but they got fourth. :)
Were they darn cute?
HEEEELLLOOOOOO!!!! Definitely!
Were the pinpricked fingers and lack of sleep and raging fits worth it?
I suppose when I look at these pictures, it was every bit worth it!
Here is them actually coming in the arena at Searcy, White County Fairgrounds. Molly was so BiG acting! I thought Mom and Dad (Brandi & Marcus) were going to fall out, but she handled it well! Check out the little boy behind her with his pacifier! It was blue to match his shirt!!! :D
Now, I have to get a start on the other outfits...blah!
Vegas Project: COMPLETE (well, almost!)
I'm just praying everythings fits and works right now -since I didn't get to do a "final fitting" on Molly last night. We still have to add the bling to the collars and cuffs, but didn't get the crystals ordered in time and they won't be here till next week.
Another cute Prom pic
"We're so into each other!"
I actually did some scrapbooking last night before the big results show on Idol and it felt good just to cut & glue some stuff. I really didn't think much about it. I will post pictures later. Speaking of Idol...darn glad Ramielle finally left but was a little disappointed that Brooke was in the bottom 3! :(
Speaking of Brooke. It is my Brooke's 23rd birthday today! I say "my Brooke" not meaning she is really mine, just figuratively- she is my stepdaughter. Just wanted to clear that up. So proud of Brooke these days. She will be coming up tomorrow to help Alex get ready for Highland Prom. Still need shoes and hem in a dress - we're so with it! Found this pic from Brooke & Rob's wedding shower. Happy Birthday B! Heart you bunches! :)
I'm sure I'll have new photos to post after tomorrow.
I really want to thank those three of my readers/friends...(I have such a huge blog following, you know?) who left comments of encouragement. I realize: This too shall pass! Sometimes, though it helps to hear others who have the same lack of energy/mojo/creativity/etc., so I really appreciate it. :D


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In 1993 Ferrari offered a track-day 348 that was converted into a racecar by Michelotto. To transform the car, several major modifications were completed that limited the car to the race track. Of the 11 cars produced, only two raced professionally and one with great success in the 1993 Italian Supercar GT Championship.
Michelotto was no stranger to Ferrari competition cars, they had already worked on other Ferrari racecars including the second series of Ferrari's 333SP sports prototype. To transform the 348 many systems were replaced including the suspension which had new geometery and fully adjustable Koni dampers. These attached to 18-inch Speedline wheels with 15-inch ventilated Brembo discs. At the rear, F40 halfshafts were fitted.
The body used several new panels made in carbon fiber including the doors, bumpers and undertray. The engine cover and front lid were also modified to save weight.
Inside, the interior was stripped and an FIA roll cage was installed. Racing seats, belts, pedals and a alcantara steering wheel was fitted. All the upholstery was also replaced by lightweight fabric. Furthermore the side and rear windows were replaced by Lexan counterparts.
Only 11 GT Competiziones were built and of these only two were raced professionally. One was raced in the 1993 Italian Supercar GT series by Jolly Club and driven by Oscar Larrauri who placed first in Group 2. Another contested the 1994 Daytona 24 hours under the Shelton brothers Ferrari dealership. It was driven by Steve Shelton, Tom Shelton, Didier Theys and Art Coia to 16th overall and 8th in the GTU class.

subset: commoncrawl


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Online business is a never ending process; people create online products every day. But not everyone takes the maximum out of it and becomes a millionaire. As a matter of fact the main thing which is needed to become a successful online entrepreneur is the product you make – it all circulates around your product's quality and marketing strategy. So the thing which you need to aim first before marketing an online product is to make it good. Well in case you are also thinking of starting your own online business and selling your own product, then here is a brief guide to make it successful.
Decide What You Have to Build
1. Do the Paper Work to Clear Things Up
The first thing you need to do is to decide what you need to build. In fact, you need to plan the product and write down the planning somewhere on a piece of paper, what this will do is that it will let you study your product more efficiently and will clear everything up. For example, you will be able to judge a lot of flaws in the product yourself.
2. Choosing the Niche
It is a fact that it is always a wider range of profit if your products targets at high demanding niche. But let me tell you, even if you target at a smaller market, even then you will get a lot of profit. As a matter of fact, there is one advantage and one disadvantage on both of these options, in case you aim your product at a high demand market; in that case you will have to do more competent marketing. And in case you create a product which aims at a smaller niche, in that case you will not have to spend some extra bucks on hiring marketers to market you product. In fact, the market in that case will be to brief and obvious and will be easier to target at.
3. Deciding the Price Factor
Now after deciding what product you are going to make, you will now have to decide its price, remember; decide a price which satisfies your profit as well as the costumers range. Always think of a price while assuming yourself as a costumer, this will not only let you decide a good price but will also let you know the worth of the product because it is obvious that a costumer first thinks regarding the pros of the product before buying it.
Build Efficiently and Test the Prototypes
4. Hire a few Professionals With You
As I said before that one of the most important thing in order to be successful is to build a good product, therefore, it is now your job to hire a few professionals and force them to make a product at their best level. Try to hire experienced and passionate people who have interest in the field of your product.
5. Build Prototypes First
In addition to this, another thing in order to maintain your products market is to have least number of cons in the product. So always remember to build prototypes first; give them to a few costumers and get their feedback.
6. Never Be Late in Fixing the Bad Part
Now after collecting every bit of feedback from the costumer, don't get late in fixing all these issues and when you are done, only then release your final build of the product.
7. Set Up a Proficient Costumer Management System
Now even after releasing your final build of the product, don't get eased. Make sure that you set up an efficient customer management system so that your costumers stay satisfied. Or in other words, always give an ear to the people; don't just rely on your own judgement.
These were almost all the important tips which you need in order to crease a successful product. So what are you waiting for now, go ahead and start your own online business right now without hesitating.
Raj is a freelance tech blogger who has written articles for several tech blogs include Techie Mode.


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I've sat down to write this post about nine thousand times.
<I wrote that three days ago.>
As I was saying, I've sat down numerous times [I've lost count by now but am pretty sure I started this blog post a few months ago] to confess, share, and muse about my experiences as a new mother.
It wasn't until reading Nancy's post about breaking our silence as women that I finally said enough is enough – I need to get this blog beast out of my system.
Initially, I started writing to confess things about motherhood that my alter ego Miss Independent is not fond of: a screaming baby, vomit caked on my Seven jeans…[read the rest here at Live.Breathe.Grow.]


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Adam5582 needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 93 designs submitted by 24 freelance designers.
Vintage Lightworks
Established retailer of antique and vintage lighting with an existing website looking to expand into a segmented website featuring only reproduction antique and vintage lighting utilizing a shopping cart for immediate purchases. Most lighting fixtures are hand crafted in-house.
Middle to high end buyers of lighting in North America for homes and commercial properties including home owners, interior designers and architects. Most buyers represent the top 5% income bracket. Most commercial projects include restaurants, boutique hotels, spas, etc. Buyers are often attracted to our authentic hand finishing and overall design style.
The term "Lightworks" is supposed to conjour a turn of the century hand crafted manufacturing facility where the process is not overly mechanized and attention is placed on detail.
Please no light fixture or light bulb imagery, or whimsical themes. Design should convey hand crafted quality.
Dark browns and grays are appropriate. Other colors are of course welcome and preferred, but not too bright in keeping with a look a manufacturer may have had 100 years ago.
A horizontal logo to run accross the top of the website is necessary. The logo will also be used in magazine and direct mail advertising.
A competitor - http://www.rejuvenation.com/ - captures the look well with a simple type treatment which may be OK for us, but something slightly more elaborate might be preferrred.
A look at our existing website will give you an idea of the style and quality of our current offerings:http://www.pwvintagelighting.com You can see our logo is a type treatment with a small amount of styling. Would prefer this new logo to be slightly more advanced to convey a slightly more elegant feeling (emphasis on slightly).
A logo giving some style to the V and/or the L may be a good direction as a way to introduce more of the feel we're after, but without overly complicating the look.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Welcome to One Stop Website Solution
Deciding to design a website that will fulfill one's goal involves different factors such as audience attraction, easy to use & responsive across various platforms, customizable and so on. In today's era it has become important that the website functions as desired, in tune with new trends & achieves the goal with which it is made.Built up in the year 2016 with the plan to give top of the line web outline and showcasing arrangements in universe of Web and Innovation. OneStop Website Solution is situated at Kolkata, known for its Inventive, Aesthetic and Creative Legacy.You can be rest guaranteed that your work is in expert hands. We provide php web development, wordpress development,real estate website design, medical website design services at attractive price.
The various types of Web Design services we provide include –
- Creation of Simple, Easily navigable websites which take lesser time to load.
- Static & Dynamic Website Designs & Developments.
- Responsive sites easily viewable and usable in different devices.
- SEO Optimized sites for better ranking in Search Engines.
- Different types of sites based on different criteria ranging from Educational, News, Forums, Portfolio, NGO, Events, Business, E-Commerce and so on.
Our main objective is to develop a site that merges aesthetics with functionality which will satisfy a client and make the client come to us for more. Have a look at our Portfolio, discuss a project with us and allow our team to provide you the best possible solutions to your website design and development.


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Towing How to Videos
How to Buy a Used Car? When buying a used car you should make sure to be the one in control of the whole process. Since you'll probably be spending a substantial amount of money here are 3 steps that … Read more
How to Change a Flat Tire? Knowing how to change a flat tire is a skill every driver should possess. Follow these simple steps in our video and learn how to change a flat tire?
How to Decide: Lease or Buy a Car? Looking to buy a new car? With rising car prices, creative financing has come to the forefront. The question is, which financial approach best meets your needs? Watch our video and get … Read more
How To Read a Carfax? If you are looking to buy a car but you don't know how to read the car's history report – Here you can learn all about it!


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Event Planning
Contact Us
Paul Giroux Entertainment has a professional staff of disc jockeys and MC's, all trained and hand selected by Paul to represent the company and lead your special event. We are the top vendor for more than ten entertainment agencies throughout New England.
Ray Assanti
Jason Cledes
Michael Conrad
Peter Hallisey
George Knipfing
Rick Koontz
Nick Lamberti
Erick Manfredonia
Erick Munroe
Ralph Phillips
Erick Poss
Mike Rice
Kelly Simpson
Ken Stott
Mark Sudalter


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Craig briefs: Craig Daily Press, KRAI host forum Thursday
The Craig Daily Press and KRAI will host a Moffat County candidates' forum at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Centennial Mall. Currently, the Moffat County Commissioner District 3 race is the only contested race. Best Western Plus Deer Park Inn & Suites owner Frank Moe and Moffat County Emergency Manager Coordinator Tom Soos are running against each other for the commissioner seat, which currently is occupied by Tom Mathers. Colorado's primary election will take place June 24, when voters will decide which of the two Republican candidates will make it onto the November ballot. Other uncontested candidates also will have an opportunity to speak about why they're running for elected office.
Moffat County mail-in ballots were mailed to registered voters Monday, Moffat County Clerk and Recorder Lila Herod said.
Owners reminded to test cattle for trich
The Colorado Department of Agriculture reminds cattle owners to test their herd for bovine trichomoniasis. As of Saturday, there are six positive trich locations in Park and Huerfano counties. A map detailing trichomoniasis sample submissions by county and the prevalence for trichomoniasis-positive counties can be found at http://www.colorado.gov/ag.
"Testing and monitoring herds for trichomoniasis is the best method of controlling this infection," state veterinarian Dr. Keith Roehr said. "Cattle owners should talk to their veterinarian to determine the best management practices for their herd."
Trich is a costly yet preventable infection that can affect dairy and beef cattle. If bulls become infected, the percentage of open cows can increase from 5 to 30 percent.
Trich is a venereal disease of cattle caused by Trichomonas foetus (T. foetus). The T. foetus infection causes fertility problems, such as early embryonic death or abortion of the calf, and is asymptomatic in bulls.
Colorado trich regulations require all non-virgin bulls changing ownership or being transported into Colorado be tested for T. foetus unless the animal is going to slaughter. Bulls on public land grazing permits or with grazing associations must also be tested before turnout.
Several diagnostic laboratories across the state offer trich testing; samples must be taken by an accredited veterinarian, and results will be available between four and six days. For testing locations, visit http://www.colorado.gov/ag/animals and click on "Livestock Health."


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Tim DeChristopher Calls for More Civil Disobedience in Climate Fight (Video)
Tim DeChristopher committed one of the most famous acts of climate activism in the nation: by bidding on a parcel of land that oil and gas companies were keen to snap up during a midnight hour auction put on by the Bush administration (and of course, being entirely unable to pay for it), he inspired the fledgling, next generation green movement to fight back. DeChristopher gave the final keynote speech at Powershift, an event that draws 10,000 green activists from across the nation to Washington DC. In his speech, DeChristopher implored the attendees, mostly young students and organizers, to move beyond campus activism and to engage in more direct civil disobedience. Listen to a snippet of his speech above.DeChristopher is absolutely right: we're going to need to see more direct action from young, engaged people if we hope to see serious progress in arenas like halting mountaintop removal mining, shuttering dirty old coal plants, and making significant inroads towards climate mitigation in general.
And his plan is certainly a bold one -- to send waves of activists to mountaintop removal mines, day after day, in order to shut down their operations and force the government's hand on the issue -- and it very well may appeal to an anxious group of students who are growing frustrated with the inert political climate in Washington. Hell, I'd go. Judging by the thunderous response from the revved up Powershift attendees, a few thousand others would, too.
More on Tim DeChristopher
Bill McKibben: Tim DeChristopher "Should be Getting a Medal, Not a Sentence
Climate Activist Tim DeChristopher Convicted on Two Felony Counts


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Yosemite is full of unmistakable grandeur. From the initial views of El Capitan to the iconic Half Dome, as soon as you enter the valley, one cannot help but look up in awe. Photographers love drama, too, and that often is accompanied by storms. Unfortunately, a storm blew through before our 2015 Fall Yosemite workshop which closed the high country passes, and left us with nothing but clear skies. Of course, another storm passed through the day after we left. But so it goes! But we made the most of the crisp, clear air and skies as we visited both the iconic locations as well as some more intimate scenes. Because Yosemite is more than just the iconic views, and one must look down and around to fully experience the myriad of photographic opportunities that surround.
Our workshop started Thursday evening at Artist's Point above the classic Tunnel View parking area and overlook for a pleasant sunset. Our first full day, we got up early and up to higher elevation to look for any clouds (spoiler, there weren't any) at a spot further up the road from Tunnel View giving a compressed view of El Capitan and Half Dome. Afterwards, we took a stroll along the Merced River near the El Capitan bridge for reflections and frosty forest forays. After lunch, we photographed the newly invigorated cascades of the Merced River. The recent storm brought enough rain to bring the normally quiet (at this time of year) river back to life. Sunset found our group along a gentle bend of the Merced with reflected view of Half Dome near Curry Village. After dinner, we battled buses and cars…well, their head and taillights at least, as we tried some night photography over Half Dome near Curry Meadow. Saturday, we headed out to Cook Meadow for first light on Upper Yosemite Falls and the sun rising behind Half Dome. The sun bursting through was quite dramatic, but the icy ferns were a favorite of mine. After sunrise, it was back to the lodge for breakfast since our afternoon was action packed with
a trip to the seasonal changing colors in a dogwood grove near Crane Flat. Sunset followed at iconic Valley View and we headed out once more for night photos in El Capitan Meadow. Sunday, we saw our fun come to a close with sunrise at Lower Yosemite Falls with some surprise rainbow action on the falls. There was a brief window of golden light and rainbow that was simply magical! Afterwards, we headed back to the glassy reflections of the Merced near Cathedral beach with stunning views in almost every direction.
Thank you so much to Janice, Lori, Melissa, Cynthia, Michael, Ken, Don, and Gus! You folks were a pleasure to be with and made for a wonderful workshop for both Josh and me. Hope to see you all again soon!


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Nataliya Gumenyuk, 2010 Fellow
Independent Journalist
Nataliya is an independent journalist specialising in foreign news and events. She is a regular contributor to the BBC Ukrainian Service and the Ukrainian weekly magazine PROFIL. In addition, Nataliya works with a number of Ukrainian and foreign media agencies.
She teaches the 'War and Peace Reporting' course as a guest lecturer at the School of Journalism (National Kyiv Mohyla Academy) and Institute of Journalism (Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University). Until 2010, Natalia was a Head of the Foreign News Department of the Ukrainian TV channel INTER. As a foreign news correspondent she reported on many major political and social events in 30 countries including Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Balkans, Africa, Middle East, Iran, China, India, East Asia, Cuba, and the USA.
She is a participant of the civil campaign "New Citizen" which aims to strengthen the public's influence on, and involvement in, the political process in Ukraine.


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|Truly Magical heels: Irregular Choice
|Dress: Handmade (Bette pattern) // Cardigan: H+M
|Tights: Primark // Bag: Miss KG
Since buying this bag, with the sole purpose of matching it with the heels it was made for, I've used it loads on it's own. Ho hum. I can confirm it's the perfect size for phone, door key, lipgloss and a theatre ticket, which is what I usually carry in it.
Anyhow, what's even more crazy is how long it's taken me to get around to wearing these heels, which I received for Christmas. And this dress, which I made shortly after visiting the Hobbycraft show in November.
I decided that making it to the end of a trying week deserved some colourful recognition and really like the effect of these shoes with the coloured tights underneath.


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Marriott Rewards Premier Business Card Reviews
The Marriot Rewards Premier Business Visa Signature is a business rewards card with a special focus on earning points in the Marriott Rewards program, a program that can earn you 20 free nights.
About Marriott Rewards Premier Business Card
Business owners and employees who travel often know how valuable a card like the Marriott Rewards Premier Business can be.
This hotel rewards credit card offered by Marriott presents you with some pretty strong benefits and points earning potential.
Whether you know what those terms mean or not isn't important—it's the research you do before you choose a hotel rewards business credit card that counts.
We've crafted this Marriott Rewards Premier Business review to meet that research need. We've gone into the fine print of the card, read up on the rewards advantages and crunched the numbers ourselves so that you don't have to.
Over the course of the next few minutes we have together, we're going to give you a step-by-step analysis of how this card may or may not benefit you.
Along the way, we'll give you some clear, simple examples of what the card's points are worth and how you can maximize your membership in order to get free nights and other perks that come with this card.
The review will work through the following topics:
- The Hotel-Specific Benefits
- How to Maximize Your Points
- The Non-Hotel Benefits
- Rates and Fees
The Marriot Rewards Premier Business Card's Hotel-Specific Benefits
Take a minute to think about what matters most to you when you're staying at a hotel. Is it spacious accommodations you want? Or do you prefer excellent service no matter how big or small the room is? Or maybe you want the little things like a welcome gift, free internet and free meals.
Keep those preferences in mind as we work through the Rewards Premier's business benefits because they'll factor into your decision about whether or not this card is good for you.
15 Free Elite Nights
The Marriott Rewards loyalty program has four tiers: Member, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
Assuming you'll get this card when you apply for it, Marriott will give you 15 free Elite nights, which is an industry way of saying "experience points". You get one Elite night for every night you stay at a Marriott property.
Those Elite nights are useful because you can use them to level up to Silver, Gold and Platinum levels in the Marriott rewards program.
Silver status requires 10 stays per year, Gold requires 50 and you'll have to stay at least 75 nights. Marriott's fine print says that your rewards stays count toward these thresholds, which is important to keep in mind when we talk about the free nights you can get with your points.
You've probably already deduced that your 15 free Elite nights get you automatic Silver status.
The only benefit Silver status gives you above what a regular member gets is a 20% bonus on the points you use to book your room. So, if you spend 10,000 for a rewards night, you'll get 2,000 deposited back to your account after you book.
To put it simply, you won't get any extra white-glove treatment or upgrades with Silver status. Our recommendation is to set your sights on Gold status because the benefits are exponentially better:
- 25% points bonus
- Guaranteed room type
- Complimentary room upgrade
- Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout
- Complimentary breakfast for two and lounge access
80,000 Introductory Bonus Points
While the 15 free Elite nights help you get a better guest experience, it's the 80,000 bonus points that will get you the bulk of your free stays the first year you own this card.
Exactly how many stays those bonus points get you is up for interpretation. Marriott's redemption rates for their various hotels are split up into nine different categories. Here's the chart we pulled straight from the Marriott site:
Marriot Rewards Chart
The points totals on the left are the regular rates and the totals on the right are the "sale" rates that occasionally happen but are limited to just a few properties.
As you can see, how many nights you get out of your intro rewards depends on the hotel at which you decide to stay.
There are more than 100 Category 1 hotels in the United States, but most of those properties are Marriott's low-end brands like Fairfield Inn & Suites, SpringHill Suites, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites and Residence Inn.
Now, when we say "low-end", we mean the hotels in Category 1 aren't considered luxury properties. They're very functional, though, if you're looking for a simple, big room when you travel.
You'll find the same style of properties in Categories 2 and 3, which means you literally have hundreds of options in cities all across the country for suite-style rewards nights.
It's in Category 3 that you start to see some mid-level properties trickle into the mix: Tempe's MOXY, Tucson's AC Hotel and the Bakersfield Marriott are examples of this.
Category 4 hotels are still flooded with Fairfield, SpringHill, Courtyard, TownePlace and Residence properties.
In fact, it's not until Category 6 that you see more mid-range and upscale properties. Of course, the relevance of these properties depends on your travel needs. If you're bouncing from city to city and need simple accommodations, luxury isn't really a factor.
However, if you want nice accommodations no matter where you're at, then take what we've showed you into consideration. You may not find a suitable property until you hit the 30,000-point range, and even then, the selection is limited.
Bonus Point Structure: 5x, 2x 1x
The moment you start using your Marriot Rewards Premier card for purchases, you'll earn rewards points you can redeem for free nights.
You'll get five points for every dollar you spend at Marriott/Starwood properties. Marriott and Starwood are in the process of merging, which is why you'll get bonuses for Starwood purchases.
Chase will give you two points for every dollar you spend in the following areas:
- Airline tickets bought from the airline
- Car rentals from car rental agencies
- Restaurants
- Office supply stores
- Internet service purchases
- Cable service purchases
- Phone service purchases
All other purchases will get one point per dollar. Exclusions include money-based purchases like pre-loaded cards, casino chips, gambling deposits and traveler's checks.
Based on statistics we gathered up from CreditCards.com, we estimate that the average Marriot Rewards Premier Business cardholder will spend about $30,000 on his or her card.
Assuming that average spend is business-related, you might be able to get 2x bonuses on about $15K, which is 30,000 rewards points. The remaining $15,000 in purchases will be 1:1, so your total rewards each year could be around 45,000 points.
Marriott will also give you a free night on your anniversary, as well as a free fifth night when you book four nights with cash or points.
Another perk? Marriott will give you 1 Elite night for every $3,000 you spend. So, if you spend $30,000 a year on your Marriot Rewards Premier, you'll have 10 Elite nights through spending and the complimentary 15 you get on your cardmember anniversary.
An Overview of What Your First-Year Rewards Will Look Like
We're going to start out this section by saying it can be confusing to understand the full value of the Rewards Premier card from Marriott, but we're going to make it easy:
- Total bonus/spend points the first year: 125,000 points
- 20% bonus for Silver status: 25,000 points
- Total points: 150,000
Elite nights
- Yearly Elite nights: 15
- Spending Elite nights: 10
- Total Elite nights: 25
If you stay at Category 1 properties, you'll pay 7,500 points a night. Based on our calculations of 150,000 first-year points, you can get 20 free nights. The implications here are huge.
Gold Elite Status
If you book Cat. 1 hotel stays and get those 20 nights, then you could conceivably have 45 Elite nights the first year without spending a dime: 15 from the bonus, 10 from spending and 20 from stays.
That means you'll only need five extra nights to hit Gold status.
Fifth Night Free
We framed your points value in terms of how many free nights you could get: 20 if you're counting rewards nights.
However, Marriott's fifth-night-free perk makes those points even more valuable. If you stick with Category 1 hotels, then your 20 free nights are good for five stays of four nights.
Marriott will tack on an extra night for free since you're booking four, which means those 20 first year nights are actually worth 25.
However, you only get 25 nights if you do four-night stays. If you're just hopping across the country on weekend trips, then this perk will be irrelevant.
An Overview of Your Second-Year Rewards
Once the second-year hits, you won't have the 80,000 points and the Elite-night credit you'd get from the rewards nights you cash in because of that 80K bonus are gone, too.
Your rewards will be confined to the 15 Elite nights you get every year, your free anniversary night and your 45,000 rewards points from your spending. Throw in your 20% bonus on points redemptions and you're looking at 54,000 total, which is seven free Category 1 nights and eight if you take advantage of the fifth-night free perk.
The Marriott Rewards Premier Business Card's Non-Hotel Perks
Chase is going to give you a series of standard travel card rewards that include free employee cards.
Basically, you won't have to pay a foreign transaction fee and you get a series of shopping and travel protections that comes standard with a Visa Signature card.
Those benefits include reimbursements for lost or delayed luggage on flights you purchase with your Marriot Rewards Premier card.
You'll also get extended warranties, price protection, rental car insurance and zero-liability on fraudulent purchases. Consult your benefits guide to get the details on restrictions and limitations related to these benefits.
The Marriott Rewards Premier Business Card's Rates and Fees
According to CreditCards.com, the average balance on business credit cards is around $3,600. If you anticipate carrying a balance, keep the following interest rates and fees in mind:
- APR: 16.99% to 23.99%, based on creditworthiness
- Penalty APR: Up to 29.99%
- Annual fee: $99
- Foreign transaction fee: None
- Late/returned payment: Up to $39
- Balance transfer fee: 5%
The number you really need to keep in mind here is the penalty APR. Chase says this APR will kick in if you don't pay your minimum payment on time or you make a payment that's returned. According to the fine print, that penalty APR could apply to your account indefinitely.
The Pros of the Marriot Rewards Premier Business Card
We see the Marriot Rewards Premier's greatest strength being the first-year rewards. Savvy cardholders can leverage the points to get at least 20 free nights, then use those free nights and other perks to get within 5 nights of Gold Elite status.
The Cons of the Marriott Rewards Premier Business Card
Based on our research, we'd say the biggest drawback of this card is the fact that your complimentary Silver Elite status is paltry and the card has a penalty APR that kicks in the moment you make a late payment.
Who's a Good Fit for The Marriot Rewards Premier Business Card?
We see this card being a good fit for a business owner who travels often and is more concerned about getting free nights rather than luxury. The Marriott Rewards Premier card has hundreds of Category 1 and 2 hotels that offer good value.
If you're uncertain about getting this card, take a look at our article on the best business rewards credit cards of 2017. We break down some of the leading business rewards credit cards and help you see how each one can benefit you.
The American Express Business Gold and the Chase Ink Business Preferred are two of the cards we reviewed and both have substantial travel rewards bonuses and points opportunities.


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CBD rich hemp oil
How to Take a Dab
- Make sure that you have fully charged your new dab pen with the USB charger that is provided in the box
- Once fully charged, screw off the top of the dab pen to get access to the coil.
- Apply a rice grain sized dab directly on to the coil and screw the dab pen back together.
- Now, simply click the button, inhale and feel the difference!
Our CBDfx RAW dabs are nothing but pure organically grown hemp extract which makes them suitable for oral consumption. Absorbing CBD through your mouth and cheeks is a safe and healthy alternative to dabbing.
- For oral use, scoop out a small amount of wax and place it under your tongue. Hold it for at least 30 seconds before swallowing for ideal absorption. It's recommended to start out with just a rice grain sized portion.
Does this product have a high CBD concentration level?
These raw dabs contain 300mg of full-spectrum CBD per gram of wax. That's a fairly high concentration, which is why we recommend starting with a very small (rice-sized) amount until you know exactly how you react to dabbing CBD. This product absolutely would be considered to have a high CBD concentration, so start off slow!
Does this product come with a CBD wax dab pen?
This product is just the raw dabs (CBD wax) alone. However, you can add our CBD Wax Mini Pen to your order so that you have everything you need to start dabbing as soon as your package arrives in the mail! Or, if you prefer to use your own dab pen, that works too.
Is it OK to use CBD dab wax sublingually (under the tongue)?
Absolutely! If you prefer to use these raw CBD dabs under your tongue, simply start with a small (rice-sized) portion of wax. Allow the piece of CBD wax to rest under your tongue for about 90 seconds, and then swallow.
CBD Wax: A Natural Way To Dose Cannabidiol –
Pure CBD hemp oil concentrate, in wax form. That's what you'll get with our Raw Dabs, one of the cleanest and purest CBD dosing options out there. Simply add a tiny bit of wax to a dab pen and inhale all the goodness that comes with our organic wax CBD concentrate. Best of all, these natural raw dabs are totally safe to be ingested and taken orally, if you prefer. If you're looking to buy concentrated CBD, you've got several options for dosing. One of the most popular ways to dose CBD these days is dabbing — heating raw wax concentrate and inhaling the vapors, causing immediate absorption. Why is dabbing so popular?
One of the reasons is that it's so easy to see exactly what you're putting into your body. When you buy CBD Wax – Raw Dabs from CBDfx, you're actually getting CBD in its most natural form. It's 1 gram of concentrated CBD rich hemp oil with essential amino acids and fatty acids and 300mg of pure CBD. That's it. Whether you dab it or use it under your tongue, you can feel good about ordering CBD wax that's organically and ethically sourced, with no harmful additives.


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Over one-third of American adults suffer from high blood pressure and not all of them have it under control.
Many cases of high blood pressure can be fixed or managed by changing diet, exercising more, or taking supplements that contain l-citrulline or l-arginine.
L-citrulline and l-arginine work together to increase the production of nitric oxide in the blood and reduce blood pressure naturally.
What Are the Benefits of Taking L-Arginine and L-Citrulline Together?
L-citrulline and l-arginine are both non-essential amino acids created naturally by the body and found in foods like walnuts and turkey.
As noted previously, both of these amino acids lead to the formation of nitric oxide. When combined together in one product, the nitric oxide boost increases even more.
Nitric oxide production decreases naturally with age, causing an increased risk of high blood pressure. With less NO, blood vessels can constrict more and reduce the amount of blood flow throughout the body, especially to the heart.
Nitric oxide formation begins with l-citrulline which is the precursor to l-arginine, which in turn creates nitric oxide. Therefore, when the two amino acids are combined, the formula has a greater response in the body to produce more NO.
Having both of these ingredients in a supplement can ensure the reduction of high blood pressure and that your body will receive nutrients and oxygen quickly and efficiently.
Discover the #1 Supplement with L-arginine and L-citrulline
How Do L-Arginine and L-Citrulline Work Together?
Older aged people generally have a more difficult time creating nitric oxide on their own and need supplements to aid them. Since l-citrulline and l-arginine both lead to the production of nitric oxide, getting an abundant amount of both will help create enough nitric oxide to get your heart healthy.
Increased blood flow is one of the key benefits of taking l-arginine and l-citrulline together. Blood vessels and arteries dilate with more NO and allow blood to flow less obstructed to the heart. More blood flow means less risk of stroke, heart disease, or heart failure.
High blood pressure is caused by plaque buildup along the arterial walls from sodium or cholesterol. Nitric oxide not only opens up tight blood vessels, but it also removes plaque buildup.
L-arginine alone can work to lower blood pressure, but with l-citrulline in the combination, a supplement is far more powerful and effective in producing results.
Why Take L-Arginine and L-Citrulline Supplements?
The most common reason people take supplements that create nitric oxide is to lower blood pressure naturally.
About 1 in 4 people in the United States dies from heart disease. Many of those cases arise from high blood pressure that went unmanaged and ignored.
L-arginine and l-citrulline supplements are easy to use, mildly inexpensive, effective, and are not prescribed. They do not have the same list of negative side effects that blood pressure medication can.
Supplements are also natural and only increase what your body already makes. Therefore, it uses what it needs and will eliminate the rest naturally.
One of the benefits of taking l-arginine and l-citrulline together is also the positive effect it has on muscle endurance and performance.
Nitric oxide provides muscles with oxygen and nutrients that are necessary for performing at an optimal level. Athletes get a boost and pump from nitric oxide supplements that they wouldn't get without taking it.
Not only does NO help you push through a couple more reps at the gym, it helps to recover your muscles more quickly. That means less time being sore and more time gaining lean muscle mass.
The benefits of taking l-arginine and l-citrulline together don't end there. It also helps with your immune system, energy increase, and sexual performance.
Get the Best L-arginine and L-citrulline Supplement
If you want a top quality product that will produce the results you desire, L-Arginine Plus is the product for you. With 5,110 mg of l-arginine and 1,010 mg of l-citrulline in each serving, L-Arginine Plus will deliver the benefits to your heart and body you need. If you don't love it, you'll get your money back–100% guaranteed.


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Macclesfield Gymophobics first opened its doors on 01/10/2016 and since then has worked with ladies of all ages from Teens to seventy plus. The Macclesfield franchise is owned by Tracey and Clive.
The first step to changing your life for the better is to pay us a visit. A Guest Visit is free and there is absolutely no obligation to enrol. On arrival we will show you around before discussing what you would like to achieve. For most ladies this is likely to be a weight and inch loss goal. Our ladies come in all shapes and sizes, from some who want to lose a few pounds to those needing to shed many stones. Nothing phases our staff of course as they have worked with so many ladies before.Click here to Read More
Our Details
Opening Times
Monday – Thursday: 9am – 8pm
Friday: 9am – 7pm
Saturday: 9am – 1pm
Sunday: Closed
76-80 Sunderland Street, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 6HN
01625 400280
Find us on Facebook


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April 22, 2009 Update:
Pizza Snobz moved
308 Old Mill Rd
Forks Twp PA 18040
Free Delivery!
You can follow him on Twitter too.
Who knew that people would come from Doylestown and Philadelphia just to eat David Barker's deep fried pizza?
David is a client of mine, and a really great guy - check out the story and video that appeared in the Morning Call.


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Show Your Support for Recovery in Action!
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Certification Board of Georgia
Georgia Addiction Counselors Association
Georgia Association of Community Service Boards
Georgia Association of Recovery Residences
Georgia Association of Recovery Residences
Georgia Association of Recovery Residences
Georgia Association of Recovery Residences
Invite you to attend
Addiction Recovery Awareness Day 2014
Monday, January 13th at the Georgia State Capitol Monday
Invited Speakers include:
- The Honorable Nathan Deal, Governor
- Legislative Leadership
- DBHDD Commissioner
- Cassandra Price, DBHDD Executive Director
- State Representative Jay Neal
- Other Recovery Allies and Advocates!
- 8:15-9:45 Registration at Central Presbyterian Church –
Required before breakfast because space is limited!
- 8:15 1st breakfast seating
- 9:15 2nd breakfast seating
Recovery Messaging Training & Networking to
Expand Opportunities for Recovery
- 10: 00 2014 Legislative session & Networking
- 11:15 Recovery Rally on Washington Street Steps at the Capitol
Addiction is a chronic health condition of epidemic proportions with physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual elements that costs our society over $400 billion each year. Over 22 million Americans and their families have yet to receive the continuing and holistic care they need to recover and become productive members of society.
There is Hope…
Join us as we celebrate the lives of Georgians in recovery and our allies including family members and professional helpers, and
Help us spread the message of HOPEl
Questions? Please contact:


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Low Pro Tire Shine
Our Low Pro Tire Shine has a custom spray pattern that is perfect for narrow or low profile tires allowing you to spray and go - no wiping required! A quick and easy to use high-gloss tire shine gives your tires a long lasting "wet-look," enhancing the overall appearance of your vehicle. Low Pro Tire Shine...Learn More & See Price »
Super Blue Tire & Rubber Shine
This product is long lasting and yields a superior shine and finish. Super Blue is detergent resistant and non flammable. This product will leave a "wet look" shine when applied to tires and vinyl or rubber trim. Has a pleasant watermelon scent, is environmentally friendly and 100% biodegradable.Learn More & See Price »
Black Out Tire, Rubber & Wheel Well Dressing
If you are looking for the best tire dressing that is also very economical and will fit within your budget, Detail King's Black Out Tire & Rubber Dressing is right for you! This is a economical high gloss, water based, silicone dressing. An innovative water-based dressing that produces the high gloss and...Learn More & See Price »
Laguna Beach Best Tire Dressing - Gallon
Laguna Beach is an excellent SUPER THICK sponge-on best tire dressing. Will not sling, outlasts most other sponge-on dressings on the market! This product lasts a long, long time on tires and trim. Laguna Beach can be applied to tires that are even still a little wet. Very high-shine look that so many of...Learn More & See Price »
TNT Tire Gel
TNT Tire Gel is an innovative water-based, silicone tire shine gel that produces the high gloss finish previously found only in solvent-based dressings. TNT Tire Gel tire shine must set-up for at least 30 minutes before driving vehicle to avoid splatter. Bubble gum scented.Learn More & See Price »
Non Silicone Engine & Tire Dressing
Non Silicone Engine & Tire Dressing is specially formulated for use in paint and body shops where the use of silicone can create problems. This product contains no silicone, petroleum distillates or toxins, eliminating fish-eyes, fire and hazardous problems. Our Non Silicone Engine Dressing is the perfect...Learn More & See Price »
Shine On Car Interior Non Silicone Dressing
Detail Kings new Shine On Non Silicone Vinyl and Rubber Dressing is glossy and specially formulated for use in paint and body shops where the use of silicone can create issues. This non silicone interior dressing contains no silicone, petroleum distillates or toxins, eliminating fish-eyes, fire and hazardous...Learn More & See Price »
REVIVAL Bumper & Trim Restorer For Cars
REVIVAL Bumper & Trim Restorer for cars is an advanced cream reconditioning product that produces a high gloss and WASH-OFF resistant finish. Easily applied to trim, bumpers, vinyl and plastic. Long lasting, wash after wash. Restores a like-new appearance to faded plastic items; body side moldings, plastic...Learn More & See Price »
Pearl Gloss Automotive Dilutable Interior Dressing
Pearl Gloss Dressing is a premium, emulsion based car interior vinyl dressing that can be diluted to achieve a lower gloss and an excellent conditioned look. This product can be used to dress interior components like dash boards, consoles, door panels and virtually all soft or hard vinyl car interior components....Learn More & See Price »
Detail King Leather Magic - Cleaner & Conditioner
Detail King's Leather Magic Cleaner & Conditioner For Cars works excellent for cleaning and conditioning leather all in one step and is one of the best leather cleaner and conditioner products on the market! Contains no harsh chemicals or abrasives that could damage fine leather. For use in home, auto or...Learn More & See Price »
Naked Leather For King Ranch Leather 16 oz.
Detail King's Leather Magic Cleaner & Conditioner For Cars works excellent for cleaning and conditioning leather all in one step and is one of the best leather cleaner and conditioner products on the market! Contains no harsh chemicals or abrasives that could damage fine leather. For use in home, auto or...Learn More & See Price »
Instant Spray Magic
Trim Shine Instant Spray Magic is a quick auto dressing spray and excellent trim shine product to use on interior & exterior plastic and vinyl components. Works great for hard to apply dressing areas such as behind door handles, in between seats & console, ac vents, door panel pockets, etc.Learn More & See Price »
Tire dressing, engine dressing and auto interior dressings available from Detail King include premium tire dressings and tire shines, rubber dressings, water-based silicone dressings, vinyl interior dressings, leather conditioners, aerosol trim dressings, non-silicone dressings, and engine dressings for automotive detailing. Like our other auto detailing chemicals, our car dressing products are made to Detail King's highest specifications. We offer many premium tire dressings and tire shines for both sponge on and spray on applications. Our auto detailing dressings are designed to last even after driving on wet roads. Our non-silicone dressing is perfect for automobile engines and running board inserts.
Our car interior dressings include an emulsion-based high-gloss dressing for automotive vinyl and leather. We also offer an aerosol dressing for plastic trim, air-conditioning vents, shifter boots and hard to reach areas such as car seat pockets and in between consoles and seats. Our auto interior dressing (Pearl Gloss) can actually be cut with water so you can offer your customers a high-sheen or low-sheen dressing on interior components. You will love the way our auto-detailing dressings "set-up" and dry to an even sheen.


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Seneca, the western-most member of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, played a major role in the dispersal of the Huron-Wendat, Petun and Chonnonton in the mid-17th century. Much of southern Ontario then became Seneca hunting territory, until Ojibwa expansion into this region confined Seneca influence to south of the Great Lakes. Periodically at war with New France, all Seneca villages were burned by Governor Denonville in 1687. Revenge was extracted through the destruction of Lachine, outside Montréal, two years later (see Lachine Raid). After construction of the French fort at Niagara in the 1720s, the western Seneca frequently sided with the French in conflicts with the English. These same western Seneca in 1763 joined Obwandiyag and his followers against the English, who had taken possession of former French posts in the Great Lakes.
During the American Revolution, the full Seneca supported the royal cause, but only a small segment chose to follow Joseph Brant after the war to the Six Nations Reserve in Canada. Most of the Seneca negotiated peace with the Americans, and still reside on reservations in the US guaranteed at that time. In 1799 the Seneca Chief, Handsome Lake, experienced a vision which still influences the practice of traditional Iroquois religion in both Canada and the US.
See also Aboriginal People: Eastern Woodlands and general articles under Aboriginal People.


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Ford shuns Paris Motor Show 2016
Ford will not attend this year's Paris Motor Show, citing a lack of new models for its non-appearance at the huge French biannual motor show.
"The news Ford will be making in the autumn does not coincide with Paris show timings," Motoring Research was told.
That's despite the show (being one of several) claiming to be the largest motor show in the world, with 1.2 million visitors (and over 10,000 journalists) attending in 2014.
A spokesman added to Automotive News the October show "didn't hit the sweet spot – it's about picking the right place and right way to deliver your news".
Ford is instead turning to alternatives to the traditional motor show, as it targets a new and more tech-savvy audience. It will be a key exhibitor at this month's World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, for example, with president and CEO Mark Fields delivering a keynote speech at the tech event.
The blue oval will also reveal a new car, new in-car infotainment technology and deliver the latest on its smart mobility solutions.
It's all about focusing on "a more targeted marketing spend," the spokesman said.
The news Ford will not be at the Paris Motor Show comes as the firm unveils a voluntary redundancy programme in Europe and vows to cull slow-selling, unprofitable models.
This is part of its accelerated efforts to improve profitability in Europe: after years of big losses, Ford posted a $259 million profit in Europe for 2015.
The firm will, however, be at the Geneva Motor Show 2016, which opens its doors at the end of the month.


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Motorcycling around the world - 50.000km across Africa
It was a sunny winter day in 2015. I was sitting comfortably at the breakfast table while I was reading the headlines of a motorcycle magazine. Slowly, I stirred my coffee. Suddenly, an article drew my attention. Someone has started with his 30 years old Simson Schwalbe to ride through Africa all by himself.
Since a friend of mine travelled through Africa in his Unimog and had shown me some great pictures of his trip, I was dreaming of a Trans Africa trip as well. When I grow up. At this time I was about 16 years old. Now, years later, I decided that the right time has come to make my dream come true. With these words i quit my job. Life has so much more to offer. My budget was 5000 Euro for two years. 700 Euro of this i spend to buy the perfect bike: a Honda XL 600V Transalp.
21.000 views
Dont chose a unreliable computer on wheels such as BMW 1250 GS see 1, 2, 3. . Although someone had even crossed Africa using a Harley Davidson, the price of a new 18.000 Dollar bike will fource you to waste a year working instead of traveling the world.
The theoretical argument to just order parts from home will not work, as your visa will run out before they arrive. Not talking about the very high import tax.
Used 700 Euro bikes can be sold for the same price after the trip. While the loss of value per km is smaller, old bikes are also much easyer to repair and if you dont look like money on legs, you wond be treeted as an ATM and begged less.
here to view the route in Google Earth or here to open the map in a new tab. Here you can download my GPS way points from the trip as *.xls document and here as a *.gpi file to copy directly on to a Garmin GPS navigationssystem and here as a *.gpx file for further processing with Garmin MapSource.
After a few days of intensive research, I sent my passport, two photos and a stamped return envelope to the Syrian embassy in Berlin to apply for a transit visa.
I took as many memory cards as possible and decided to use a fast SLR camera not the newest model with high loss of value but an older one, wich made nice pictures as well.
To transport spare tires I extended the back of the bike. Looking back now, this was not neccecary. Not riding fast with heavy luggage on the back, the Mitas E07 tires o took lasted all the way to Southafrica.
In place of the Topcase I installed two jerry cans each with 5 litres capacity.
When it went dark, I decided to stealth camp / wild camp nearby the coast. I had to help other travellers to build up their tent. They had never done this before ;-) To travel using a tent is cheaper then to rent a flat in Europa. Adventure trips dont have to be expensive.
The snow became stronger. Even the road was completely white, when suddenly my front wheel slipped away. I crashed to the side, turned around and slipped on the overhauling trace, where the motorcycle finally stopped. I jumped in to the ditches. Then I stood up and ran toward the approaching trucks, to warn them and get them to the other trace. It lasted eternally, until finally there was a gap which left me enough time to drag my motorcycle, which was still lying on the road, in to the ditches.
In the morning, I wakened by the noise of a machine gun in the distance. After a bath in the sea I was invited to a delicious breakfast in one of the trucks.
On my way, the annoying police kept following me constantly. The driver gesticulated wildly. He tried to direct me to the next bigger city. The police told me in the dark that I have to ride 100km more to the next city.
At 6 clock I was wakened up again by the police and off we went at temperatures around freezing point.
When we arrived, there was no one knowing anything about free camping. I was passed around from one patrol to the other and finally offloaded in front of an expensive hotel. At least, I could eat in town and go to an internet cafe to skype and to backup my photos. Because most computers here were infected with viruses, I was glad to be able to have written a protection program for my SD card and had a Linux boot CD.
The ferry left Aswan the next day with 6 hours delay. In Europe people have a watch, in Africa they have time. The vehicles of the passengers were followed on a separate boat.
After arriving in Wadi Halfar, Magda Mahier picked me and other tourists up at the port (like agreed by telephone (+2499-18335149, +249-122380740 email@example.com www.tour-sudan.com bzw. 01217308855 oder 0122262060 firstname.lastname@example.com) and took us to his house (GPS N21°47'46.9" E031°22'50.7"). We tourists from the ferry got nice food and were allowed to camp in his yard, while we had to wait 18 hours until the ferry with the vehicles arrived.
When the second ferry had finally arrived, we had great difficulty getting our vehicles along a narrow plank off the ship. The captain had extra parked very bad so that it was impossible to get off the cars. This way he probably wanted to get more money to repark the ferry.
The entry procedure within the heat of the day took ages but was rather unspectacular. Finally, I could leave.
The perfect asphalt surface of the newly built road stopped after a few meters. Then I had to follow one of the many alternate tracks that ran partially in soft sand, but itsuddenly stopped or disapered. It was very hard to ride with all our water and spare petrol in soft sand. By now, the new tar road is finished. At night me and another biker camped in the desert under one million stars. While traveling you allways meet people here and there and can travel parts together. Ali prepared delicious noodle soup with corned beef and pita bread.
After some searching in the workshop mile (GPS N15°33'41.3" E032°31'56.4"), I found a bearing with 25 mm size, that fited into the bearing shell of my broken bike. I could get it changed to the required 26 mm (GPS N15°34'14.6" E032°31'33.3"). While I was taking photograph's of someone who removed the broken bearing with a flex of the steering head, my camera was suddenly taken by a police in civilian clothes. Since photography is generally not allowed in Sudan, I had to follow to the police station and was arrested.
The track up to the highlands to Gondar was quite bumpy, with Fech Fech extremely dusty and a little rain suddenly made it very slippery. Everywhere people were walking by foot. To protect against the sun, many women used an umbrella. Most of the men were dressed in beautiful red or blue cloth and carried a long stick across the shoulders.
flying stones. Save...
Because I did not find a place to sleep, I camped in the courtyard of a hotel (GPS N12°36'37.9" E037°28'19.5"). On the way to Lake Tana and Blue Nile, I found a gas station every 200 km which was able to Sell some gas to me.
I went to Langano Lake (Camping GPS N07°32'54.5" E038°41'03.0") and to the Ziway lake. Here I saw many great Marabu birds, who life on the wastes of the fishermen. Of course, I was begged massively.
In Kenya I had to ride on the left side of the road. For the 30-day visa at the border I had to pay $ 50 U.S. The price has now been reduced to alleged U.S. $ 25. The 250 km track to Marsabit was hell and took a whole day.
rainy season it is impossible to cross The Chinese people are bussy building a new road. 2016 it should be finished. Then it is possible to cross Africa on tarmac only. Several times brand-new Toyota Landcruisers with big Unicef logos and fat, greasy drivers, who seem to life well from the money donated for starving children, dangerously raced past me. Again and again, my loaded bike almost sank in the sand or has been shaken hard by big rocks. Then my front wheel slipped and the whole load tipped over. Then all my luggage and especially the jerrycans has to be offloaded to be able to pick up the the heavy motorcycle from the ground. My travel companion was nowhere to be seen.
Still this part of the road is dangerous.
I survived the following very hard 260 km to Isiolo the next day as well. Camping in Isiolo: GPS N00°17'30.9" E037°33'26.1").
Kenya made a much more civilized impression than Ethiopia. There were large shopping centers and many private cars. People were less interested in us. They were friendly but not bothersome.
After a refreshing dip in the pool, I watched some antelopes and birds at the waterhole. Unfortunately I saw no more elephants. Due to the heavy rains of recent days, there was even enough water in the Savanna so they did not have to come to the drinkingwater spots.
On a small dirty road I drove around Mombasa towards the Twiga Lodge Campsite at the Tivi Beach (GPS S04°14'24.1" E039°36'03.8").
french family and another nice family with children from Switzerland, who had sold their house to travel with their children in a colorful Iveco base motor home through Africa, India and South America while searching for a new home.
Shortly before Easter we all went on.
I drove 80 km along the coast to the border of Tanzania. Then I followed a nice route to the campsite Peponi Gravel (GPS S05°17'14.4" E039°03'56.7"). Here I could use the pool during the low tide and filled my empty battery with distilled water, before I went on to Dar es Salaam.
For breakfast, they served sweet tea, pancakes and baked beans with sugar. At noon, we got ugali: corn flour with pieces of meat, In the evening, we ordered Chipsimaiei: potato pancakes with bits of egg. To find tasty food was really never a problem on this trip.
I met Avishai again on the roadside in Mbeya and again in Mzuzu in Malawi. We agreed to meet again in Nkhata Bay in Camp Butterfly (GPS S11°36'43.6" E034°18'17.0" www.butterfly-space.com) next to Mayoka Village (www.mayokavillage.com). But in sequence.
When it got dark, I went back to the lodge. As I arrived, a black man with a light machine gun came running and pointed it towards me. I did not understand what he said, stopped but stayed on the bike, because this way the front of the machine covered a large part of my body and I did not trust the guy to be able to shoot very good.
I laughed at him and lied that I did not have so much money. He then asked how much I have. I told him a much lower amount and asked how I should know that the road is not free, if there is no sign at all. While we were negotiating, it was getting dark. Slowly I pushed my bike forward, I approached the barrier and opened the chain.
I drove the 10 kilometers almost in total darkness back to the main road and left the park on the way I had come. Since it was too dark around the wooded area to search for a hidden place to camp, I asked the oldest man in a small village, if I could set up my tent next to his mud hut. To thank him for his permission, he got paid by me with a baseballcap. The next day very early in the morning I followed the main road through the Mikumi National Park.
Behind Iringa I pitched my tent at dusk hidden in a dense forest. Two cyclists from the United States had told me about the forest 50 km before. The exit and entry from Tanzania to Malawi the next day was free and lasted less than 5 minutes. I ignored the numerous illegal money changer.
In the steep and therefore not suitable for cars Camp Butterfly, we spent some wonderful days at the lake. In the nearby village, we got delicious food. I snorkeled while Avishai practiced driving in the canoe. The canoe I had already tried a few days before, when I camped near Karonga in a small fishing village on the lake under the prying eyes of many children. The fishermen treated me very kindly and respectfully.
As it had rained heavily at night, some rivers were overflooded. In such a place, children were waiting and showed me the way I should go. However, I was already long enough on the road not to trust them. The water at the place they showed me was much quieter than anywhere else .
When I stopped at a beautiful location to oil my chain, the son of a large local family invited me to camp on their ground (GPS S12°08'18.5" E034°02'08.7"). I was well fed with Nsima, grilled corn and freshly baked bread. When I left towards Cool Runnings at Senga Bay they were happy because I had given them a new mosquito net.
In the Camp Cool Runnings, there was a well-filled book swap, a shelf of books, of which you're allowed to take one if you bring one in exchange. In this way, one always has something new to read even without much luggage (GPS S13°43'50.6 E034°37'08.3").
I pitched my tent on the Camp Fat Monkey, after I had met Robert, the new owner (GPS S14°01'25 email@example.com" E034°50'29.5"). Here I left my black box with the reserve fuel canisters, because I no longer needed them.
I swam 1.9 km (GPS) to the offshore Lissard Iceland and back, Then I was pretty hungry. I cooked pasta with tuna sauce when Petra arrived. Petra is leading a project in Luchenza and traveled 300 km squeezed in between 22 people in a minibus. Spontaneously, I invited her for dinner. Together, it just tastes better.
Later on, we had a common boat tour to Otter Point and a barbecue while we planed our further trip. I decided to give Petra a lift back to Luchenza and to stay there for several days. Continue to next page.


text: \nNantucket Insider welcomes guest blogger Craig Hanna, Cellar Master of TOPPER'S at The Wauwinet as we dream of warm mulled drinks for the holidays...\n\nSomething that I have not made in years, but certainly ties in to the holidays and Nantucket is a mulled drink. These are generally made similar to hot cider drinks, and were more prevalent many years ago. They are also delicious, simple, and can be made both with or without alcohol. \n\nHeat one can cranberry juice on low heat (about 6 oz)\nAdd Orange slices studded with cloves\n3 Cinnamon sticks\nSprinkle Nutmeg\nIf quite tart add either a few teaspoons maple syrup, or a cup pineapple juice\nServe with Rum or Vodka in a mug\nGarnish with Cinnamon Stick and Orange Slice\n\nCraig Hanna, Cellar Master, TOPPER'S at The Wauwinet


text:
Novavax: A risky but potentially lucrative vaccine play
Novavax says its proprietary virus-like particle technology can slash weeks off the time needed to produce vaccine, and it's moving closer to commercializing its flu vaccines.
Positive results from several clinical trials that showed better response than current vaccine, as well as support from the National Institutes of Health and an agreement in Spain regarding the technology, rocketed the share price up some 250% from June through to September, from just under $2 to about $6.5. That cooled many investors because of the possible high valuation. However, shares have since dropped about 43% and closed at $3.21 on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, shares jumped 6.85% to $3.43 after Novavax announced its H1N1 flu vaccine showed positive results in the first phase of a two-part, mid-stage study, in Mexico. The vaccine was well tolerated at all three dosage levels tested and exhibited no systemic side effects.
Beyond the Flu
The question is whether Novavax can soon successfully commercialize its manufacturing methodology, especially in time to take advantage of the (fading) pandemic scare. And whether it can do so without getting too strapped for cash despite its Nov. 20 offering. The company continues to lose money, posting a third-quarter net loss of $7.5 million, or 8 cents per share.
Novavax is also trying to apply its methodology to vaccines other than those aimed at influenza varities (seasonal, H1N1 and H5N1 or "bird flu"). The Rockville, Md., company is also working on HIV, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and varicella zoster virus (VZV) vaccines. HIV causes AIDS, RSV is the primary cause of serious respiratory disease in infants and young children worldwide, and VZV is responsible for over 1 million cases of herpes zoster (shingles) in the U.S. each year. Each of these, if successful, could have considerable markets, but they're in early stages, making an investment that much riskier.
Since Novavax isn't profitable, many of the measures are inapplicable. But the company managed to increase cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities to $34.4 million by the end of the last quarter from $33.9 million at December 31, 2008. It also managed to reduce debt.
Got the Stomach for a Wild Ride?
Analysts' average price target is $4.50 -- about 30% higher than the current price. The average recommendation according to Thomson Reuters is outperform, but according to First Call it's hold. Regardless, this is a small company, making investment that much riskier. In addition, it's not profitable and everything hinges on its ability to commercialize its vaccine methodology. However, for those who can stomach a roller-coaster ride -- not unusual with small-cap companies -- it might be worthwhile.
As a Piper Jaffray analyst, who initiated NVAX at overweight, says: "Seasonal flu vaccines represent a $6 billion and growing annual market.... Perhaps even more topical, Novavax has developed pandemic flu vaccines against H5N1 and H1N1 strains that could generate sales in 2010," long before the cash from the recent offering runs out.


text:
The readings for this Sunday are all about humility, a virtue that doesn't seem to be valued that much in our world. These days, it's all about how many "friends" we have on Facebook, how many followers we have on Twitter. But for all of today's technology we can still pick up on someone whose humility is done for show, whose humbleness is not the real thing and there are people like that around and about. Humility is about: being real, being grounded. Accepting and sharing our gifts without fanfare; acknowledging and accepting our own faults without undue self-recrimination. If we live a virtually unrecognized life of goodness and quiet service, sooner or later someone will praise us in some way. We thank God for all the things that come to us and humbly acknowledge that we were using the gifts of God for the good of all. It is his grace that has produced the right attitude within us to live in a humble way. To me, generosity involves the giving of one's time, talent, or money for the common good without thought of personal recompense and without thought of scrutinizing the recipients. For people who want to seek a more human and fraternal world, Jesus says that welcoming the poor and needy must rank before all other relationships or social conventions.
Many people do this quite effectively and seem to match Jesus's expectation perfectly. Some people, however, widen their giving to include the less fortunate but maintain a certain level of superiority to the recipients which is wrong. Jesus's message in this Gospel Reading is unconditional giving of oneself and one's resources and it needs to be done willingly according to Jesus's direction rather than to further one's own motives as those who were seeking the best seats in the Gospel were trying to do. Being humble is something we are, something we learn through living fully with our successes and our failures, and never forgetting our dependence on God our merciful Father. St. Augustine once said, "Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues; hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance." Without humility, our compassion is meager; our mercy, condescending. Real humility takes awareness and acceptance of our real selves which is why it is so hard for us to achieve. May we be the Humble people that we are called to be in the Gospel of this Sunday accepting our real selves so that that we may use our God given gifts wisely in the service of others.


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News briefs: Sidelining rivalry, Microsoft and Oracle partner in cloud
In this week's news briefs, Microsoft and Oracle partner in the cloud, Heroku gets a CEO from a rival, and a new Microsoft data center comes to Iowa.
Microsoft and Oracle partner in the cloud
Two of the cloud space's biggest competitors laid down their arms this week, with Microsoft announcing its decision to run Oracle apps on Windows Azure. Oracle's databases and middleware, including Java, will expand from their spot on Windows Server to join Microsoft's apps on the Azure cloud. Oracle will also make Oracle Linux -- Oracle's own distribution of the open source operating system -- available to Azure customers. Pressure from emerging competitors prompted the former adversaries' decision to partner, Reuters reported, as the two companies struggle to stay competitive on pricing and features. By supporting Oracle Linux and Java software on Azure, Microsoft is effectively promoting the rival to its own Windows platform, though it will still pull in revenue from customers using its cloud services, regardless of the software underneath. As SearchWindowsServer noted, the partnership boosts Hyper-V's competitiveness with VMware's vSphere platform, given the added support for major enterprises in Oracle's customer base. The news comes alongside Oracle's announcements of a nine-year partnership with customer-relationship management specialist Salesforce.com, which will integrate the two companies' clouds and its move to ally with Software as a Service provider Netsuite to deliver cloud services to midsize businesses.
Microsoft expands data center operations in Iowa
In a move it has dubbed "Project Mountain," Microsoft is funneling $678 million into a new data center in West Des Moines, Iowa. As the Des Moines Register pointed out, the IT giant already has around 50 employees and 40 acres of land in the Des Moines area where it plans to expand its data center operations for supporting cloud services such as Office 365 and Xbox Live. Other tech companies, including Google and Facebook, have also built data centers in Iowa, where the risk of natural disasters is low, hydroelectric power is cheap and sustainable, and tax incentives are generous. Microsoft will net $20 million in tax credits for the move, as approved by the state's Economic Development Authority Board, and as much as $6 million in a five-year rebate from the West Des Moines City Council.
VMware leader steps in as Heroku CEO
VMware vet Tod Nielsen is switching things up with a move to become CEO of Heroku, a Platform as a Service (PaaS) provider Salesforce acquired in late 2010. After more than a decade at Microsoft and stints at BEA Systems, Oracle and Borland Software, Nielsen spent years in the upper echelons of VMware as chief operating officer and co-president of the company's application platform group. Most recently, he helped run the VMware and EMC spin-off known as the Pivotal Initiative, a PaaS offering built on Cloud Foundry, open source PaaS software developed by VMware. Pivotal took fellow open source-based Heroku head-on when the spin-off's formation was announced last December. Part of Nielsen's focus at Heroku, according to GigaOM, will be to play up the distinct, complementary and ultimately non-competitive nature of the offerings from Heroku and Salesforce's Force.com development platform.
Too much confidence in cloud? Security survey shows immaturity
Confidence in cloud security appears to be expanding, despite a lack of understanding of how providers keep information secure. A global survey of more than 4,000 business professionals by information security vendor Thales e-Security and the Ponemon Institute revealed that 53% of respondents are moving confidential or sensitive data into the cloud, but just 30% said they know how their provider protects the data. Some 56% of respondents indicated confidence in their cloud providers' security measures -- up from 41% last year. But as Thales' Vice President of Product Strategy Richard Moulds told Computer Weekly, that confidence indicates an underlying naiveté. "The results are indicative of an immature state, and immaturity gives rise to wishful thinking," he said. Moulds highlighted the fact that 33% of respondents believed the onus was on the provider to keep organizational data secure, when that responsibility actually falls on the consumer.
Avaya offers consulting for cloud-based UCC
Capitalizing on a movement toward deploying cloud-based unified communications and collaboration (UCC), Avaya debuted consulting services to ease the adoption of UCC tools in the cloud. According to a press release, Avaya plans to focus on network security and self-service automation technology, and to cut complexity and minimize the risk involved with cloud-based collaboration tools. The offering is two-pronged: Cloud Transformation Services will give companies customizable frameworks for adopting cloud communications strategies, while the subscription-based Continuous Performance Services will provide technology-specific consulting for enterprises. Since 47% of the surveyed Avaya users are evaluating cloud communication strategies or already working on their deployment, Avaya said the consulting options will benefit large enterprises as well as cloud service providers.


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So here we go again.
My band, Juke, was asked to play the Wanee Festival for the third year in a row. We made the seven-hour trek to the 580-acre Spirit of Suwannee Music Park, and I was stoked.
This year was to be the Allman Brothers last show. Also on the bill: Chris Robinson, Ziggy Marley, Derek Trucks, tons of music royalty ... And 25,000 people in the middle of nowhere can't be wrong, can they?
See also: Allman Brothers on Final Tour: "We Don't Want to Turn Into a Nostalgia Act"
My band never really fit in Miami. I know that.
I still wasn't quite sure if we fit at Wanee either. We were in strong company. But I was damn sure to give it another nice run in the land that time forgot.
First stop, however, was tradition. Waffle House.
This breakfast cheap-whore of the South might have skipped mention if it wasn't for our waitress Taelor, who gave us her life story before my hash browns had a chance to make it off the grill.
Taelor told us that her father was a Puerto Rican who abandoned her mother when she was born. She went on to explain that the spelling of "Tae" in her name was because "tae" means "love" in Spanish. (Ummm... what?)
Her stepfather is a 23-year, true-blue, Army man who just got back from Afghanistan where his job was to guard the life of the "Big Pancho over there."
People, these things are not made up.
See also: Miami's Ten Best Live Music Venues
Back at the fest ... There was a strong musical presence from Miami.
Other than Juke, the Politix were on the bill.
Local musician, Rodrigo Zambrano (AKA "The Spy") had also been recruited to play bass with guitar superpower Bobby Lee Rodgers.
Resale Concert Tickets
Piano Battle
Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020 / 6:00pm @ Amaturo Theater at Broward Ctr For The Perf Arts 201 Sw 5th Avenue Fort Lauderdale FL 33312201 Sw 5th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale FL 33312
Steve Martin and Martin Short
Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020 / 7:00pm @ King Center For The Performing Arts 3865 N Wickham Road Melbourne FL 329353865 N Wickham Road, Melbourne FL 32935
Roosevelt Collier, the sacred steel phenom who's best known outside his hometown of Miami, played the Allman Brothers' set, which also featured the addition of John Popper, Warren Haynes, and a laundry list of heavies that barely anyone south of Fort Lauderdale has even heard of.
As for me and Juke, I've got to give it to Live Nation.
They gave us individual trailers with our names on them and we're nobody. The crew was the same as every year and they greeted us with open arms.
All we had to do now was play.
See also: Five Signs You Might Be a Shitty Guitarist
In Miami, you need a carrot in your ass with the ruffage hanging out and two flare guns to get a crowd's attention.
So I felt myself trying and then realized that I didn't have to. The songs were solid, honest, and my musicians are badass ... That's all that mattered.
Everyone ate up our set on the opening night.
We made our way to the impromptu late-night jams in the beautiful, hippie Road Warrior vibe campgrounds.
I wanna say it was great, but it was a smiley-blur and we had several days to go on our little tour.
The next day playing the Traveling Stage again was a real treat.
They basically roll you around on a flatbed trailer at 5 mph through the campgrounds for two hours with a sound system and your entire band jamming.
It is definitely a parade for the weird.
People handed us moonshine, weed, even a cold bottle of champagne while waving at us like we just came home from winning the big one.
In the days ahead, we had shows scheduled around Florida that definitely brought us back to reality. But we had tons of wild, strange, and fun times at the 10th annual Wanee Festival.
There are no people going on the "Coachella Diet" there. They come for the old bands and new bands, and they actually know who the fuck they all are.
It's worth the damn drive, Miami.
And now for some final post-Wanee tips:
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1. Soulive crushes it. Check them out if they come down.
2. If somebody hands you moonshine, don't ask what flavor it is. Just drink it, goddammit.
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This year's birthday is certainly one to remember! What with it being celebrated every other day BUT my actual birthday, that makes it all the more special! To me, at least :)
Will blog a little more on how turning 27 feels, but BEFORE THAT!
I gotta share these pictures of sweet surprises given by girlfriends. I'm not like..obsessed with flowers but i love fresh flowers just like every other girl. Especially if its in pretty wraps. I mean, who doesn't like pretty things right? :)
Admittedly the bouquets that came were a little smaller than i expected, but still pretty nevertheless! The fact that they came in burlap or hessian cloth as some call them makes them all the more unique. I've been calling it 'guni-wrapping' but that's just me. Heh.
I don't know the ladies behind this brilliant idea but i thought they deserved a plug. Plus, i'm very happy with the flowers i received and i've sent some happiness over to different ones on random days! Excited to see their responses! You can check them out here: http://www.happybunch.com.my/happybunch/
RM30 for a happy bunch with free delivery around KL and PJ! An extra RM5 delivery charge for anywhere outside areas stated. NOT BAD RIGHT??!
Wished i came up with the idea first! Lol. So, go out there and make someone's day! :)


text:
New Delhi [India], Dec 28 (ANI): As the cold wave continues to intensify across India, the national capital woke up to witness a dense layer of fog, once again causing disruption to normal life.
The maximum temperature in the region is projected to be 23 degrees Celsius, with lows of 9 degrees Celsius and dense fog.
Meanwhile, 26 trains have been delayed, seven rescheduled and 19 cancelled due to decreased visibility, as well as other operational reasons. (ANI)


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Buko pie is definitely one of the best desserts/snacks I really miss in the Philippines. Unfortunately, I rarely see a very good buko pie here in UAE and since coconut is not really native in this country, it is very often to find a good coconut with meat in any fruit shop. Luckily, my husband found some good fresh coconut just recently. Well, it was not really intended for my buko pie but I needed its juice to relieve my UTI. And not to waste its heavenly coconut meat, I decided to try my luck in baking my version of my favorite pie. Very easy and few ingredients, equals homemade delicious Buko Pie!
- 1 cup Coconut Meat - cut into about 2x2 inches
- 1 cup Coconut juice
- 1 can condensed milk
- 4 tablespoon cornstarch - diluted in 3 tablespoon water
- pastry puff dough
- 1 egg with 3 tablespoon water whisked
- butter for greasing
- flour
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Combine condensed milk, coconut juice and diluted cornstarch in a sauce pan.
- Let it simmer in a medium low heat for few minutes. Continue stirring until very thick. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Grease your round baking dish with butter.
- On a flat surface, sprinkle flour and using your rolling pin, flatten the pastry puff dough at least 6 inches more than the diameter of your round baking dish (I used 10 inches x 2 inches round baking dish) . It should not be more than about 1/2 cm thick.
- Mold your base pastry puff on the baking dish.
- Pour in half of the filling on the base of the pie.
- Put the coconut meat and pour again the remaining filling. Make sure your pie is not overfilled.
- With the remaining pastry puff dough flatten in again for at least 1/2 cm thick. 2 inches more than the diameter to cover your pie.
- Seal the edges of the pie by pinching the base and the cover of the pastry puff using your fingers.
- Create few holes on the pastry puff cover using a fork or toothpick. This will prevent the crust from deforming.
- Brush with egg wash.
- Bake it for 20 minutes or until golden brown in color.
- Let it cool for at least an hour for best serving.
- Enjoy!


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Brian Teare
, the recipient of Stegner, National Endowment for the Arts, and MacDowell Colony poetry fellowships, Brian Teare has published poetry in
Boston Review
Provincetown Arts
and The Gertrude Stein Awards in Innovative Poetry, among other publications. His first book,
The Room Where I Was Born
, was winner of the 2003 Brittingham Prize and the 2004 Triangle Award for Gay Poetry. Author of the recent chapbooks,
Pilgrim and Transcendental Grammar Crown
, he lives in Oakland, CA and is on the graduate writing faculties of the New College of California and California College of the Arts.
Three Poems by Brian Teare
It began like this: a radio
midday, heat—remember?—a shriek
on the highway, and in the yard
Stellerĺs jays chafing over haggle, nag, their claims
a lyric tableau—pretty for the eye—how
sun for months stuck aureoles
of chrome around everything, even
your poems, omens
so no other disaster would happen.
But that there was dust—
it had not been so before in June,
grass dead at edges
where a dirt spread had begun, feral
cats interring piss into nasturtiums.
His death had become
the dropped side of a song, melody
undone by damage
exactly the feel of teeth entering
an appleĺs bruise. The trellis kept
the jasmine rapt
as it collapsed in its own odor; so ardor also
trained the spine
of your weeping into a mind,
confluence of fumes and confusion. Over sills,
jambs, silt sent collusion: thistle, burr, mouse
turds, urineĺs lingering funk in rooms
where to write was a widow
alone with the last broom sheĺd bought. Heat,
with its missing finger
and nine filed nails, tuned all afternoon
its blue note: horizon a slack string tautening
against asphalt, whose sound
was drought, marsh departed
before August began, black-outs rolled
house to house, how perfect the fraud and emergencies.
So there were two songs
sung in counterpoint
to jays, argument about belonging to
a place,—remember—
prey and prayer, one struck
the other beneath the lyric image, playing flint
to tinder until on the radio
eastern hills caught fire: extremis,
excelsis, that is
how summer, all veils
and exhalations, courted the hills. How
already the church was burning
when your soul went out to meet him, to marry
his new weather—
[first published in
NO: a journal of the arts
Dead House Sonnet
house of each sentence endlessly hinged, house of each phrase
opened elegy
entirely latches, exactly latches, hasps, proliferant, endlessly opened, of
termini effigies, each noun in a house a nova of votives, wicks ashen,
them, syntax like bark that smoldered the garden in winter, nasturtiums
come summer undone verbs, burnt them, burnt tense, the presentĺs
past, burnt
that, house of ash, house a tinge, a reek of eucalyptus oil, burnt the wild,
burnt the intractable, weedy, deep-rooted tufts of thistleĺs purple furze,
house to come down, trashed, screens slashed, jambs unplumbed,
doors, made drained porcelain the old forms, gave chip, gave to stain
structure, made gone what touched him, stripped paint, grain of floor,
gauged the gouge of form, form the firmament fallen, made whiteness
a wall, made framed the fallen lavish tragedian shadow where a picture
made whatĺs left a nail, nib, of shadow, made it mine tongue unto
made it quite, it query, quisling, quietudeĺs quill, that silence : writing :
then sirens
[first published in
Two Elegies Containing Fear
Fragment 42
Not thought, fact
offers patterns : local, habit
of arrangement itself a pleasure
such as the woman each morning scatters
curb-side—crusts thrust in a fist
from a brown bag—gesture
a gist of description : Sapphic fragment, desireĺs biography
a long day of waiting
the color of pigeonĺs feathers—
ôtheir hearts grown cold, they slacken their wingsö—
and love they are yet
sun-soft asphalt
brushed with sand, each wing-
span unlatched demonstrating tin
chips of glint, the saturation
—like oil—
of plenty,
Coast woken to
unknown. To think
is verge, surf, shelf
edge. Interior
ocean, mind
a bright cry beached.
Worn porcelain eggshell
ivory and dry, in dilation,
porous, forged
open, the skullĺs shell
hell in which the sea kneels
and serenade—, curls
its wordsĺ pearlsĺ horde
of whorls. Listen—
waves turn
on their spit, burn
surf, sizzling, stir
the haphazard fat
foam. Listen—
it is certain
emergency. The waves
unravel burning
skeins, skin.
Fragment 51
Morning a form
so small
hours like bees house their mouths in darkening wax—amber fast
to umbra—, its way of being
to be smallest
in simile : ivy
weaving between slats
sleaves, sleak, of verdigris and deeper
green; just there in the window
the word lavation—slow
imitation of water (wash
and scour, wash
and scour), light lending the hour
density; ôI am in two mindsö
while reading—the mind
the bird outside the window;
each sentence
its shadow falling in the house—the page
and a voice breaking
above it, who is it
enters, who is it
[first published in
NO: a journal of the arts


text:
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In many ways, there are few pieces of personal information in your life that are more important than your ATM pin. This multi-digit code doesn't just let you withdrawal cash whenever you need – it's also the only thing keeping someone who happens to steal your debit card from also stealing your finances and possibly your identity.
[youtube httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMIyMJf61vw&w=560&h=315]
According to London police officers and a piece that originally ran at TheIndependent.co.uk, this battle for personal privacy just got a bit harder. Police in London discovered a series of tiny, hidden cameras fixed to ATM machines across the country. Virtually invisible to the naked eye, these cameras provide footage clear enough to allow thieves to steal someone's credit or debit card details – all without alerting them to the fact that they're being recorded at all.
In February, police were called to the scene of a cash machine outside St. Paul's Churchyard in London. A user had noticed a tiny pinhole located just above the keypad that, upon further examination, was revealed to include an incredibly powerful hidden camera. That camera was recording every second of every user interaction at the machine – capturing countless PIN codes in the process. In addition to that code, all someone would need was the associated debit or credit card (or a digital copy) to have access to every cent in a person's bank account.
To make matters worse, a similar device was found just two weeks later at another ATM located not far from St. Paul's. Two additional hidden cameras – both just as small and impossibly sophisticated – were discovered a few days later.
A representative for local law enforcement said that while they are investigating the matter, no arrests have been made. They said that the police regularly work with banks, financial institutions, and even cash machine vendors to help make sure this type of thing doesn't happen on a regular basis. However, thanks to the rate at which technology continues to advance, it's easy for things to slip through.
Police recommend that if you ever use a cash machine and spot anything unusual about it, or if you think that you've discovered signs of tampering, you should immediately stop what you're doing. Do not use the machine – the consequences are far too severe. Police also recommend using cash machines INSIDE bank branches as opposed to outside, as they're more carefully observed by bank officials and are, therefore, more difficult to compromise.
Again, a stolen ATM PIN code does more than just give a thief access to your money. With just a few taps of their finger, they have the ability to see virtually every piece of data associated with the same account. If they're willing to put in a bit of additional work, they have everything they need to steal a person's identity and do a potentially catastrophic amount of damage in the process.
This isn't a problem that is limited to the United Kingdom, either. According to the experts at IdentityTheft.info, approximately 15 million people are affected by identity theft in the United States each year. Total combined financial losses reach into the neighborhood of $50 billion dollars. Some studies estimate that roughly 7% of all adults in the country have had their identities "misused" at some point in their lives, with each specific instance being responsible for roughly $3,500 in personal losses.
According to the website, there have been over 4.2 million victims of identity theft so far in 2017. If things continue at this pace, that number could climb as high as 16 million by the end of the year.
All of this goes to underline the importance of always being aware of your surroundings – especially when incredibly valuable personal information is at stake. We've entered an age where hidden cameras are smaller, more powerful and more affordable than ever – which means that you should always be extra vigilant in terms of your public activities.