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Freedom in the World
You are here
2012 Scores
Freedom Rating (1 = best, 7 = worst)
Civil Liberties (1 = best, 7 = worst)
Political Rights (1 = best, 7 = worst)
Violence between security forces and organized criminal groups, and among the criminal groups themselves, continued to increase in 2011. Over 16,000 people were killed as the crime syndicates fought over territory and control of various illicit activities. The government maintained troop deployments in the regions most affected by violence, but a series of massacres and the discovery of mass graves belied official claims of progress. Civil society groups took a more vocal role in demanding changes in the government's approach. Some improved human rights standards were incorporated into the constitution, even as allegations of severe rights abuses continued to plague the security forces.
Mexico achieved independence from Spain in 1810 and became a republic in 1822. Seven years after the Revolution of 1910, a new constitution established the United Mexican States as a federal republic. From its founding in 1929 until 2000, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) dominated the country through patronage, corruption, and repression. The formal business of government often took place in secret, and the rule of law was frequently compromised by arbitrary power.
In the landmark 2000 presidential election, Vicente Fox Quesada of the National Action Party (PAN) defeated the candidates of the PRI and the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), capturing 42.5 percent of the vote. Fox presided over the provision of more open and accountable government and the arrests of some leaders of the country's vicious drug-trafficking groups. However, solutions to the problems of poverty, corruption, crime, and unemployment proved elusive. Elections held in July 2003 confirmed the PRI as the most powerful party in Congress and in many state governments.
In the 2006 presidential election, PAN candidate Felipe Calderón defeated Mexico City mayor Andrés Manuel López Obrador of the PRD by a mere 244,000 votes in the initial count. López Obrador rejected the result and for several months led protests that paralyzed parts of Mexico City, but many Mexicans—and most international observers—were not convinced by the PRD's evidence of fraud. In September, after a partial recount, the Federal Electoral Tribunal formally declared Calderón the winner. Though the PAN won the most seats in the concurrent congressional elections, the PRD's share of deputies exceeded the PRI's for the first time.
In 2007, Calderón managed to forge coalitions with opposition lawmakers to pass modest pension, tax, electoral, and judicial reforms, but the PRI emerged from the July 2009 congressional elections with control of the Chamber of Deputies, taking 237 seats and forming a majority with the 21 seats of the allied Green Party. The PAN's share fell to 143 seats, and the PRD declined to a distant third, with 71.
The PRI continued its comeback in 2009 by again outperforming its rivals in state and local elections, which were held in six states. Balloting was held in nine states in 2010, with PRI candidates winning the gubernatorial contests in six. Nonetheless, alliances between the PAN and the PRD led to the election of non-PRI governors in Oaxaca, Sinaloa, and Puebla. Although 2011 opened with wins for the PRD and PAN in Guerrero and Baja California Sur, respectively, the PRI swept the year's four subsequent elections, including in the populous and important state of Mexico.
Intermittent legislative actions and talks among the three major parties failed to yield concrete gains on a major political reform proposed by Calderón in December 2009. The package would, among other changes, allow limited reelection for many elected officials, permit candidates to run as independents, provide for a second round of voting in presidential elections, and reduce the size of Congress. Although the Senate approved a version of the reform in April 2011, the bill remained under consideration in the Chamber of Deputies at year's end.
Also in 2011, over 16,000 people were killed in violence associated with organized crime syndicates, which had increased each year since 2006 and become the dominant concern in Mexican politics. The violence had claimed approximately 50,000 lives during Calderón's presidency, despite—or to some observers, because of—his decision to deploy the military to the worst-affected areas soon after taking office. While a majority of Mexicans continued to support the government's offensive against organized crime, opinion polls also registered skepticism about official claims that the campaign was making progress, as well as a strong and increasing perception of generalized insecurity. In addition, mounting allegations of severe human rights violations have surrounded the security operations conducted by more than 45,000 soldiers in various parts of Mexico. While the rate of increase in the annual death toll declined in 2011, and there was an absolute fall in homicides in the notoriously violent Ciudad Juárez, other cities—notably Monterrey, the country's second most important economic center—experienced a sharp increase in violence. Moreover, the discovery of mass graves holding over 200 people in both Durango and Tamaulipas, and a series of massacres punctuated by an intentionally set fire that killed 52 people at a Monterrey casino in August, kept violence on the front pages throughout the year.
As a reaction to the onslaught, a new civil society initiative, the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity (MPJD), coalesced around Javier Sicilia, a well-known poet whose son was murdered in March in Cuernavaca. Sicilia and other prominent activists embarked on bus caravans in June and September, leading rallies along the way to demand a halt to the violence. Despite several meetings with Calderón, the MPJD's call for a "truce" between the government and the criminal groups went unheeded.
Mexico is an electoral democracy. The president is elected to a six-year term and cannot be reelected. The bicameral Congress consists of the 128-member Senate, elected for six years through a mix of direct voting and proportional representation, with at least two parties represented in each state's delegation, and the 500-member Chamber of Deputies, with 300 elected directly and 200 through proportional representation, all for three-year terms. Members of Congress are also barred from reelection. Each state has an elected governor and legislature.
The Federal Electoral Institute (IFE), which supervises elections and enforces political party laws, has come to be viewed as a model for other countries. The 2006 elections were considered generally free and fair, but there were many complaints, especially by the opposition PRD, concerning negative advertising and the use of administrative resources on behalf of the presidential victor, Felipe Calderón of the ruling PAN. In response, an electoral reform was passed in 2007 to strictly regulate campaign financing and the content of political advertising. Opinion has been mixed regarding the efficacy and fairness of the reform. At the state level, allegations of abuse of public resources to favor specific gubernatorial candidates have increased in recent years, and the closely fought November 2011 race for the mayoralty of Morelia, the capital of Michoacán, was invalidated after the electoral tribunal determined that the PRI had violated the law through unauthorized promotions of the party and its candidate.
Signs of the vulnerability of politicians and municipal governments to pressure from organized crime have increased in recent years. Thirteen small-town mayors and the PRI candidate for governor of Tamaulipas were murdered in 2010, while in 2011 President Calderón decried the suspected influence of drug traffickers on the elections in Michoacán—where his sister narrowly lost the gubernatorial race—after several dozen candidates dropped out and one mayor was assassinated in the run-up to the balloting. In the most violence-plagued regions, provision of public services has become more difficult, and public-sector employees such as teachers are subject to extortion. A federal lawmaker was killed in Guerrero in September, and no suspected organizer of the crime had been captured by year's end.
Official corruption remains a serious problem. Billions of dollars in illegal drug money is believed to enter the country each year from the United States, and there is a perception that such funds affect politics, particularly on the state and local levels. However, attempts to prosecute officials for alleged involvement in corrupt or criminal activity have generally failed due to the weakness of the state's cases. Although no senior politicians have been convicted of corruption in recent years, many officials have been dismissed or charged with links to drug traffickers. Two major arson incidents, a 2009 fire in a Sonora daycare center and the 2011 casino blaze in Monterrey, have drawn attention to corruption among permit issuers and safety inspectors, but punishment has been limited. Mexico was ranked 100 out of 183 countries surveyed in Transparency International's 2011 Corruption Perceptions Index. A 2002 freedom of information law, despite some limitations, has been considered successful at strengthening transparency at the federal level, though momentum has slowed and many states lag far behind.
Legal and constitutional guarantees of free speech have been gradually improving, but the security environment for journalists has deteriorated markedly. Some major media outlets are no longer dependent on the government for advertising and subsidies, and the competitive press has taken the lead in denouncing official corruption, though serious investigative reporting is scarce, particularly at the local level. Broadcast media are dominated by two corporations that control over 90 percent of the market.
Since a sharp increase in violence in 2006, reporters probing police issues, drug trafficking, and official corruption have faced a high risk of physical harm. The press freedom organization Article 19 reported nine journalists killed in 2011, making Mexico one of the world's most dangerous countries for media workers. Self-censorship has increased, and many newspapers in high-violence zones no longer publish stories involving in-depth reporting on organized crime. A special prosecutor's office devoted to investigating crimes against journalists has made only slow progress since opening in 2006, and a bill sought by journalists that would federalize crimes against reporters stalled in 2011.
The government does not restrict internet access, but criminals have extended their reach to citizens attempting to report on crime via online outlets. Three individuals killed in Nuevo Laredo in September 2011 were found with notes from the Zetas gang that tied their deaths to their online crime-reporting activities, though only one victim's involvement with such reporting was confirmed. Authorities in Veracruz jailed two citizens in August on terrorism charges for using the Twitter microblogging platform to issue an alert about a possible attack at a school. They were released in September, but the state passed a law criminalizing the "perturbation of public order" through the use of any medium. In October the Mexican Supreme Court agreed to evaluate the law's constitutionality.
Religious freedom is constitutionally protected and generally respected in practice. However, it is limited in some regions. Political battles over issues such as abortion and homosexual rights have led to an increase in religious discourse in the public sphere in recent years. The government does not restrict academic freedom.
Constitutional guarantees regarding free assembly and association are largely upheld, but political and civic expression is restricted in some regions. In December 2011, two student protesters were shot dead by police in Guerrero; the incident remained under investigation by the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) at year's end. Nongovernmental organizations, though highly active, sometimes face violent resistance, including threats and murders. Three activists associated with the MPJD were killed in the last few months of 2011 and two more disappeared, leading to demands for greater protection by the authorities.
Although trade unions' role as a pillar of the PRI has diminished significantly, independent unions have long faced government and management interference. Informal, nontransparent negotiations between employers and politically connected union leaders often result in "protection contracts" that govern employee rights but are never seen by workers. Those attempting to form independent unions are frequently fired. Several large unions, particularly the teachers' union, are considered by many observers and citizens to pose obstacles to necessary policy reforms.
The justice system remains plagued by delays and unpredictability. A 2008 constitutional reform replaced the civil-inquisitorial trial system with an oral-adversarial one. An explicit presumption of innocence and stricter rules regarding evidence were also introduced, and the overhaul was widely expected to strengthen due process and increase efficiency and fairness. Nonetheless, human rights groups raised concerns about the vague definition of organized crime and weaker protections afforded to organized crime suspects. Implementation of the new system was expected to take eight years, and application of the reformed procedures continued slowly in 2011.
In many areas, coordination between federal authorities and the state and local police is problematic. In crime-plagued zones, local police have been purged and temporarily replaced by federal troops. A 2009 law requires all members of the police to be vetted, but the process moved slowly at the state and municipal levels in 2011, leading to tension between Calderón and some state governors. A bill sent to Congress in 2010 that mandates the merger of state and municipal police forces again failed to pass in 2011.
Lower courts and law enforcement in general are undermined by widespread bribery. A significant majority of crimes go unreported because the underpaid police are viewed as either inept or in league with criminals, and conviction rates are less than 10 percent even when investigations are opened. In 2011, new attorney general Marisela Morales initiated a purge of the prosecutorial service, with hundreds of officials dismissed on suspicions of corruption. Prisons are violent and overcrowded, and several prison riots in 2011 resulted in the deaths of scores of prisoners, while scores of others escaped during the year.
Presidential authority over the armed forces is extensive, but the military has historically operated beyond public scrutiny, and human rights advocates have warned that its strengthened counternarcotics role has not been accompanied by increased oversight of its conduct. Complaints of abuse have risen dramatically in recent years, and a November 2011 Human Rights Watch report alleged violations including torture, forced disappearances, and extrajudicial executions. Military personnel are generally tried in military courts, but in July the Supreme Court ruled that Mexico must comply with a series of Inter-American Court of Human Rights decisions obliging the country to try cases of human rights violations in civilian courts. The ruling was facilitated by the June entry into force of constitutional amendments that granted new powers to the CNDH and explicitly incorporated international treaty obligations into the charter.
The number of deaths attributed to organized crime has risen sharply each year since 2007. An official figure of over 12,900 deaths in the first nine months of 2011 signaled deceleration in the pace of increase, but expert extrapolations indicated over 16,000 deaths for the year, a rise of roughly 10 percent from 2010. The carnage remained most acute in northern Mexico, although homicides declined by roughly one-third in the previous epicenter of violence, Ciudad Juárez. Nonetheless, Juárez remained one of the world's deadliest cities, and violence spiked in several other key cities, including Acapulco, Veracruz, and Monterrey. The murders often featured extreme brutality designed to maximize the psychological impact on civilians, authorities, and rival groups. The number, severity, and geographic range of massacres also rose, including two massacres of over 30 people in Veracruz in September and October and the public dumping of 26 bodies in Guadalajara in November.
In addition to homicides, organized criminals have increased kidnappings, extortion, oil theft, and other offenses. The government has taken a number of steps in recent years to curb the violence and ease popular frustration, including consultations with civic leaders, the signing of a $1.5 billion counternarcotics aid agreement with the United States, the continued deployment of troops, the reformation of the federal police, and the decriminalization of possession of small quantities of drugs. The government has pointed to the killing or arrest of several dozen criminal kingpins in recent years and the decline of violence in hotspots such as Tijuana and Ciudad Juárez as evidence of increased pressure on the syndicates, although few top criminal figures were arrested in 2011.
Mexican law bans all forms of discrimination, including those based on ethnic origin, gender, age, and religion. Nevertheless, social and economic discrimination has marginalized indigenous peoples, with many relegated to extreme poverty in rural villages that lack essential services. The government has attempted to improve indigenous-language services in the justice system, an area of major concern. Indigenous groups, particularly in Chihuahua and southern states, have been harmed by the criminal violence in recent years. In addition, disputes over land issues within indigenous groups at times become violent.
Rights groups frequently detail the persecution and criminal predation faced by migrants from Central America, many of whom are bound for the United States. Mass graves containing hundreds of bodies found in Tamaulipas in 2011 included many migrants. In October Calderón stated that 200 officials in the National Migration Institute had been removed for corruption or arbitrary conduct.
In several states in 2011, criminals impeded free movement by blocking major roads, and particularly in Tamaulipas, by boarding buses and removing passengers, who often disappeared or were later found dead.
Domestic violence and sexual abuse are common, and perpetrators are rarely punished. Implementation of a 2007 law designed to protect women from such crimes remains halting, particularly at the state level, and impunity is the norm for the hundreds of women killed each year. Mexico is both a major source and a transit country for trafficked persons. Abortion has been a contentious issue in recent years, with many states reacting to Mexico City's 2007 liberalization of abortion laws by strengthening their own criminal bans on the procedure. Such bans in two states were upheld by Supreme Court rulings in September 2011; although a majority of justices voted to overturn the laws, the bloc fell shy of the supermajority needed to do so.


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|Block 1
133 - Construction update week 4912.12.14: Construction of Yard no. 133 is proceeding well.
Both main engines are mounted into the engine room located on deck two in Block 3. Also, outfitting work has been proceeding well the last few weeks.
Yard no. 133 will be delivered to Fletcher Shipping Ltd. in April 2015.
--12.12.14: Arbeidet med bygg nr. 133 er i rute.

subset: commoncrawl


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Welcome to The Holy Tabernacle
Sunday School Adult Bible Study Outline
Before we venture into The Word of God, it behooves us to inquire about state of your soul. If you are already a son or daughter of The Living God, then join us as we go deeper into God's Holy Word. Our outline has been designed to :
"As iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friends." (Proverbs 27:17) Now being friends of ours, please proceed to page two of this text.
If you are not a son or daughter of Christ, and you are desirous to know The Lord as your personal savior; then [We] you "can have forgiveness through Jesus, who died for [our] your sins on The Cross…" (1 Peter 2:24). "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth The Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9). If these first two qualifications have been met in your heart, repeat this very simple prayer. "Jesus, I accept you as my Lord and Savior. God, in Jesus name, please forgive me of all my sin." And that's it! You are now a child of God: Forgiven and cleansed from all your sins, by The Blood of Jesus-The Christ. As such, God has another work of His grace that He would bestow upon you! And that is the baptism of The Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7). In relation to receiving the baptism of The Holy Spirit , please either contact The Pastor, Ministerial Staff, or Sunday School Superintendent of Holy Tabernacle Church of God In Christ, by using the information provided on this website. Now having thus been made a new creature in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17), come and go with us as we go deeper into The Word of God. ) Now being friends of ours, please continue on to page two of this text.
Adult Sunday Teachers:
Pastor Moye, Mother Moye, Mother Jacky Love, Minister Hines.
DATE: 11/2/2014 - Lesson attached below;
A) Explain the parallels found in our lesson text with of the first and second chapters of The Book of Joel?
B) In preparation for classroom participation, write an summary that correlates our lesson text, and lesson outline with other biblical texts, and life experiences that The Holy Spirit brought to you remembrance about our lesson topic.
We pray that you would join us this Sunday. Even so, "the workman is worth his labor." If you have been, or are being, blessed by our Bible Study Outline, we pray that you would sow into our ministry. Your generosity helps us provide programs designed to engage, teach and equip our youth and adults for Christian service. Your love offering also helps us meet the needs of our community!
Please mail your financial blessings to:
ATTN: Superintendent Shelia Boone
Holy Tabernacle Sunday School Department
2271 North Avenue
Bridgeport Connecticut, 06604
If God has blessed you and your family through us, tell us! Then tell your neighbors about us! We'd love to hear from you!
--God loves you and so do we.
Sunday School at 10:00 AM
Continental Breakfast at 10:30 AM
Morning Worship at 11:30 AM
YPWW at 6:30 PM
Hour of Power at 8:00 PM
Weekly Prayer:
Thursday at 12:00 PM
Prayer and Bible Band at 7:00 PM
Foreign Mission Study at 8:00 PM
Every Other 1st Sunday:
Women's Day Service at 11:30 AM
Every 5th Sunday
Youth Day Service at 11:30 AM
Holy Tabernacle COGIC
2271 North Ave
Bridgeport, CT 06604
Phone: 1. 203. 367.8518


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At Home With: The Aztecs Paperback / softback
by Tim Cooke
Part of the At Home with series
Life in the past was in many ways very different from life today, but in one way it was very similar. There were always some people who were wealthier, more powerful or more famous than everyone else- and it was those early celebrities who set the fashions of the age and who got tongues wagging withearly celebrity gossip.
At Home With... uses a magazine approach to reveal what fashionable life was like in various societies. Each book in the series focuses on a highly popular and widely studied period of history.
The subjects include famous individuals and their homes, fashions, pastimes, food and drink, ways of getting around - and the must-have possessions of the day.
- Format: Paperback / softback
- Pages: 32 pages
- Publisher: Hachette Children's Group
- Publication Date: 08/06/2017
- Category: History & the past: general interest (Children's/YA)
Other Formats
- Hardback from £11.45
Free Home Delivery
on all orders
Pick up orders
from local bookshops


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Documents: Leaked Industry E-Mails and Reports
Documents: Industry Privately Skeptical of Shale Gas
Over the past six months, The New York Times reviewed thousands of pages of documents related to shale gas, including hundreds of industry e-mails, internal agency documents and reports by analysts. A selection of these documents is included here; names and identifying information have been redacted to protect the confidentiality of sources, many of whom were not authorized by their employers to communicate with The Times.
Signs of Trouble
- Shale Gas Called a "Ponzi Scheme"
- Where is the S.E.C.?
- Drill Fast, Con Wall Street
- "Always a Greater Sucker…"
- "Corporate Hubris and Bad Science" May Lead to "Enron Moment"
- Drilling for Press Release Purposes
Stoking Excitement About Shale Gas
Industry Doubts on Shale Gas Economics
- "World's Largest Uneconomic Field"
- "A Herd Mentality" on Shale Gas
- Shale Gas Inherently Unprofitable, Official Says
- Shale Wells Not Economic, Chesapeake Geologist Says
- Media Is Ignoring Costs, Investment Analyst Says
- Financial Hype on Shale Gas Is Difficult to Understand


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The Dance of Love
February 26th, 2015
There's a fine line between self-confidence and pride,
but there's also a thin ribbon between humility and low self-esteem.
As a person who works with teenagers in schools and at church,
I see the dance between these very real and oh-so-human emotions up-close and personal almost daily.
The stepping back and forth between a feeling of being qualified to a feeling of being the most qualified.
The tiptoeing across the line of not wanting too much recognition to a feeling of unworthiness for any recognition.
These character traits run right up against each other like water lapping on a shore…………….
one constantly trying to overpower the other,
pulling grains of sand back into the ocean with every crashing wave.
Erosion of the soul happens when pride wins or low self-esteem is the victor.
Think too highly of yourself and you lose friends, lose the need for a Savior.
Tear yourself down enough and you push friends away, declare that the Creator must have messed up when He made you.
How do we step through life in such a way that the crossing of these lines becomes less tricky?
How do we keep dancing without falling on the side of arrogance or the side of worthlessness?
As a mom, how do I help my own kids learn to walk this thread-like line?
I'm not sure the answer is an easy one.
But I do know this.
It all starts with love.
Loving others and loving ourselves.
When we fall short on either side of love,
we fall.
And in falling we cross the line every single time.
So, today, open your eyes.
Who needs your love?
Is it that kid in class that no one talks to?
Is it that teacher that seems tired?
Is it your mom? your dad?
Is it you?
Pride will keep you from loving others.
Low self-esteem will keep you from loving yourself.
What's it going to take for us to truly walk in every kind of love?
When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He replied,
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your mind and with all your strength.'
The second is this:
'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
There is no commandment greater than these."
See the dance?
We have to love God with every inch of our soul……..
Yet we can only love others as much as we love ourselves.
There's no room for self-love and yet there's no way to love others without first loving ourselves.
Can you grasp how much God loves you?
Be amazed.
Feel confident.
Can you understand how much He loves you?
Be amazed.
Feel humbled.
This is the mystery of love and at the same time the secret.
Love God.
Love Him with every single breath as if nothing else matters and suddenly you won't matter.
But at the very same time,
love yourself because He loves you.
In this acceptance of His affection you will find yourself so full of love that everything you do will be filled with both self-confidence and humility.
There's the dance,
the stepping of a life filled with love can waltz right up to the line with no fear of falling.
Because when we love God we suddenly love life.
And when we love life, we love everyone around us with that very same depth….even our own self.
It's the dance of life.
The beautiful dance.
("Dancing Feet" painting by Sara Young)
Oh, Proverbs 31 Woman, I Have a Few Questions For You………………
February 18th, 2015
A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
I know there's a debate about whether or not you really existed.
Some say you were just a symbol for all that is good and right in a wife.
Either way, I really need to talk.
Can you sit right here in this chair for just a few minutes please and give me a tiny portion of your time?
First, I need to tell you something.
Something that makes me a little ashamed.
In so many ways, I am not like you,
and there are moments when it really gets the best of me.
So I have a few questions if that's okay.
Just a few things I really need to know.
Did you ever walk into a room and sigh?
Did your eager hands ever shake from weariness?
When you stayed up late sewing a new bedspread or scarlet clothes for your children, did you ever hope they would tell you just much they loved them?
Did you ever long for a hug?
As you laughed at the days to come, did your eyes ever fill with tears at the exact same time?
Did you ever, even for one minute, eat the bread of idleness and enjoy it just a bit?
Even though you knew deep in your heart that your beauty was fleeting, did you ever look in a mirror, see signs of aging, and feel a little less as good about yourself as you did the day before?
Did you have a dog? Or two dogs? And was one of them very old and having accidents on your floors more quickly than you could wash towels?
Did your children ever arise and ask for chocolate chip pancakes instead of calling you "blessed"?
When you extended your hand to the needy, did you ever feel a little needy yourself?
Did your chin ever have hives from stress, and did you wear a hormone patch to keep you somewhat sane?
I really need to know, because lately I've felt a lot more like a Proverbs 32 woman;
and she seems to have been conveniently left out of the Bible.
Honestly, if your profile status on Facebook read like your description in Proverbs 31, I'm not sure I could be your friend.
I'm afraid I would find your life more than I could bear…………………..
I want so desperately to sit and have coffee with you though.
I want to see the expression in your eyes as you speak.
I want to take a close look at the movement of your hands as you share about your life.
I want to know you.
I really want to know you.
Because I think there's a side of you that is just like a side of me………………….
a side that feels inadequate even as you strive so hard.
a side that wishes everyone would slow down,
quit competing,
stop comparing,
and just take care of their home.
I have to believe (or at least hope) that sometimes you messed up.
Let someone down.
Lost your cool.
Felt like a failure.
Reached your limit.
Thought wrong thoughts.
Chose wrong words.
I'm a happy mom and a thankful wife,
but today, I just need to know……………………..
In the midst of all you did right, did you ever do anything wrong?
The Ebb and Flow of Motherhood
February 13th, 2015
High tide
Low tide
Calm seas
Turbulent waves
The ocean has nothing on motherhood.
Uncharted waters with the rising of every sun.
We wake up never knowing………………..
Never knowing exactly what the day will hold for ourselves or our kids.
Maybe we tucked them into bed the night before
maybe we only prayed for them not sure where their head was laying.
Either way, the sun rises…………………..
and we set sail on a new day.
New water that holds no promises and definitely no guarantees.
Sunshine and peace may fill the day, but
storm clouds may also quickly rise.
Moms have to be ready to brace themselves………………
for whatever comes next.
Motherhood is a dance……………
in the midst of the coming and the going of the tide.
We collect memories in pails as time washes over our feet,
and we hold some memories close to our heart………….listening for sounds of laughter from days gone by.
The beauty comes from learning to embrace every moment in this dance –
the moments of sunshine, the moments of rain,
the moments of gentle waters,
and the moments when we can barely keep standing.
I've been told that once you hold your baby in your arms your heart is never quite the same.
I now know this is true.
I've been told that once you've heard the word, "mom," you're a mom for life…………….
even if you child goes to Heaven before you.
Motherhood is like the the ocean tide.
In and out.
Day after day.
Always different and yet in some magical way……………..
always the same.
With every ebb and every flow.
Talking to God
February 11th, 2015
…one of His disciples said to Him,
"Lord, teach us to pray…"
Luke 11:1
Have you ever had to approach someone who intimidated you?
Sweaty hands, racing heart, hoping for the right words in the right order.
Like Dorothy as she approached the Wizard of Oz,
fear can easily grip us when we walk into the presence of someone who seems to be more powerful and more knowing.
I think the disciples understood the great honor and privilege of being able to have a personal conversation with God,
and they wanted to get it right.
For many generations, only the priests could approach the presence of God.
This shift in thinking about how He could be reached must have been hard to swallow.
Everyday fishermen at the foot of a throne?
The picture itself makes me smile.
And yet, they watched Jesus pray and they wanted to know.
They wanted to know the right way to pray.
They wanted to know the secret to talking to God.
Don't we all want to know?
Don't we all want to believe that when we talk to God He hears us?
Don't we all want to grasp the truth that somehow our little words become big messages as they leave our lips and travel out of us toward Heaven?
I know I want to know.
I know I want to believe that the burdens on my heart are His burdens too, and when I bring them to Him, He responds.
I want to know that the tiniest details of my life are in His hands and He is working.
It's not that I want my prayer to have power over anything or anyone in this world,
but I do want my words to matter.
And I want to know that the things in my heart match up with the things on God's heart.
So, today, I have the same request,
"Lord, teach me to pray."
I just have to remember I have an enemy who loves to whisper, "Don't waste your time."
He loves to remind me of the things that have not turned out so well even as I have stormed the Heavens day in and day out.
He whispers in my ear often, reminding me of the tombstones not far from my house and how my heart's desire did not change the course of life and death.
He whispers loudly of all I have lost in spite of my prayers; and if I don't keep looking up, I can easily find myself disillusioned, dismayed, and disappointed time and time again.
I've learned, though, that the louder the whisper of the enemy, the more I want to pray.
His desire to pull me away actually pushes me closer to Him who loves me most.
So, today, if you're feeling discouraged or overwhelmed, lean closer to God.
He is there.
I really believe it's not about a right way to pray as much as it is about our desire to want to know He really hears us.
Do you have that desire?
Just tell Him.
Prayer is simply talking to God even when His answers don't make sense.
I don't think there's anything on this planet that means more to Him today.
Perfect Peace????
February 9th, 2015
In spite of all the chapters of my life that have been anything but easy,
there's still a lot about my journey that has been very good.
However, I can't think of any area of my life I would describe using the word "perfect."
"Perfect" carries with it the idea of "needing no improvement."
"Perfect" carries with it the idea of "flawless" or "lacking nothing."
If you spend just one day with me and we're able to have a heart-to-heart conversation,
you'll walk away with many words but one of them will not be "perfect."
So this morning as I read Isaiah 26:3,
my tongue stumbled as I read this phrase –
You will keep in perfect peace.
God longs to keep me in perfect peace?
A peace that is completely free of imperfections???
I want this peace.
I need it.
How can I have this gift He longs to give?
I keep stumbling through His Word and I find the answer.
You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
Isaiah 26:3
If I want perfect peace, my mind is going to have to be steadfast…………………
resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering."steadfast loyalty"synonyms: loyal, faithful, committed, devoted, dedicated, dependable, reliable, steady, true, constant, solidA loyal mindA faithful mindA devoted mindA dedicated mindA dependable mindA reliable mindA steady mindA true mindA constant mindA solid mindNo waffling in my thought process about who God isNo doubting, questioning, wondering………………If I want perfect peace, I've got to remember all the time that is……………
That means that He can take everything else about my not-so-perfect life and He can bring good.
He loves me more that I could ever love myself, and so today I can walk in confidence and have perfect peace.
In spite of my tears,
in spite of my struggles,
in spite of all the things that could easily consume my thought process,
So, today, I want to accept His perfect peace.
I want to rise and face another Monday with Him……………….and I want to face it with a solid mind.
I'm so glad that a perfect Father chose to offer us one perfect thing while we walk on this planet, and I'm so glad that one perfect thing can change everything about today and tomorrow.
A peace that is………………………
Needing no improvement
Lacking nothing
It really is an option for all of us today!
Warning: Books Are Dangerous
February 4th, 2015
I stood with two teacher friends browsing a bookshelf as they eagerly shared reviews of each title.
I needed something new to read.
Something to draw me away from "real life" a bit.
"Fiction," I said.
Because honestly, life has enough drama to be its own book, and sometimes it just feels good to be drawn into someone else's highs and lows long enough to remember there's an awfully big world outside my own messy life.
Skimming the titles, examining the covers, I finally made my selection.
"Oh, you'll love that one," one friend said.
"That's a great one," the other chimed in.
I walked away, book in hand, totally unaware of the plot line tucked between my fingers.
I had no idea I was carrying more than words.
I was carrying a problem.
I was holding injustice.
I was gripping evil.
I'm just a few pages from finishing this book, and I desperately need a happy ending…………………..
but I'm not so sure there'll be one in this lifetime for Lakshmi
or any other girl who is living the life she's been forced to live.
What do I do with the images seared into my mind?
What do I do with the ache throbbing in my heart?
In just twenty-four hours, this book has changed the way I look at my own daughter.
She easily could have been Lakshmi.
In just twenty-four hours, this book has changed the way I glance out my window as I drive my car.
Why are some spared and some sold?
How can I do laundry and dishes while little girls all over the world are being forced to do so much more………………
How do I balance my thankfulness for what is not with my burden for what is?
"It's a girl," are the three most dangerous words in India,
and somehow our girl escaped the reality of many infant daughters born in this country who are either killed or sold.
Somehow being dropped from a bridge saved Olivia's life……………….
And the man who found her was a good man.
A man who named her,
"Pallavi" which means, "New leaves, new beginning."
So he took her tiny, injured body to a hospital where she stayed for six weeks before being placed in an orphanage.
And who knew that we were on the other side of the world aching from our own loss, hearts ready to pour love into one who needed it so much?
God knew.
Because of this I have to believe that for all the little girls who Lakshmi symbolizes, God knows too.
He is El-roi, The God Who Sees.
He sees all the little girls just like Lakshmi, and He certainly has a plan.
Somehow He will bring beauty from their pain.
Somehow He will bring justice.
So, today as I head to work, I wonder what I'm suppose to do with this unfinished story?
This story that won't end just because I turn the last page.
If you want to pretend life is pretty for children all over the world, don't read this book.
Praying for children just like Lakshmi and wondering what I'm suppose to do next?
I thought my life was messy……………..now I'm sure it's going to get even messier.
Three Challenges For Today
February 3rd, 2015
I have learned, often with much regret
Life is short.
Hugs are free.
Laughter is optional.
Listening is a gift.
All the while our children grow quickly,
and time just keeps marching on.
So, today,
whether you're a
or friend,
I challenge you to……………………………..
Hug tighter.
Laugh louder.
Listen more closely.
If I made a list of all the things I wish I would have done differently on any given day,
these three things would be at the top.
Every single time.
We only get one chance at today.
Ephesians 5:15-16a
Therefore be careful how you walk,
not as unwise men but as wise,
making the most of your time……………….
Your Life – His Symphony
February 2nd, 2015
The sharps.
The flats.
The minor chords.
Great pieces of music are filled with sounds that sooth and sounds that unsettle.
The clashing of notes and rhythms and beats.
The mixture of many melodies and many instruments.
Crescendos to build excitement.
Diminuendos to silent the room.
It takes all of this to create a symphony.
A classic.
A piece of music that transcends time takes a lifetime to write and often carries the composer's name……………..
Beethoven – Symphony No. 5
Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 6 in B minor
Mozart – Symphony No. 41
Do we think our life is any less complex than a symphony?
A clashing of chords, rhythms, and beats.
Made up of many melodies.
Many instruments.
A lifetime to write.
A conductor to lead.
We get stuck in the refrain.
The repetition of moments.
We don't see the chord progression coming………..
the transition to something new and different and beautiful.
We can't always know what's in the next stanza or on the next page.
So what do we do on Monday when it feels a lot like last Monday, but we're tired or we're scared or we're sad or we're confused?
Here's what we have to do……………………
We have to trust the composer.
We have to trust the conductor.
We have to step with the music even when what we hear hurts our ears or the melody make no sense,
because what we have to know for sure is that we're part of something bigger than this moment.
A classic.
A symphony.
A piece of art.
And the finale will make up for any part of our song that moves us to tears.
So dance to your music today even if you can't quite feel the rhythm.
Trust the one leading.
He's writing a classic with your life.
Your symphony carries His name.
And never fear,
You will not be an unfinished symphony.


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Decanter hosted its first consumer tasting in Japan yesterday (26 November) of DAWA medal winning wines, in partnership with Enoteca, the country's leading and best-known fine wine merchant.
More than 300 wine lovers attended the sell-out event hosted by Enoteca which took place at the prestigious Roppongi Hills Club in Tokyo. They were able to sample 80 medal winning wines from this year's Decanter Asia Wine Awards, including 15 of the top trophy winners.
Speaking at the event, Decanter publishing director Sarah Kemp told the audience how personally thrilled she was to be at this landmark tasting with its President Yasuhisa Hirose who founded the business in 1988.
Enoteca now has 40 stores in Japan and Hong Kong. Kemp also pointed out that, 'Japan is a country known for its wine connoisseurship and we are very proud indeed to co-host this tasting with Enoteca, a company I have admired from afar for many years.'
Also present were four of Japan's greatest tasters and wine experts, Hiroshi Ishida, Hayato Kojima and Hiroki Matsumoto.
All three judged at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards which is the region's largest wine competition and has become a guarantee of quality for Asia's wine consumers.
The impressive selection of wines, styles and categories came from France, Italy, China, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Spain and Japan.
Individual wines included the 2014 Jade Series Sauvignon Blanc Semillon which took the White Blend International Trophy; Piper Heidsieck's 2002 Rare Brut (Sparkling International Trophy) and La Rioja Alta's 2005 Rioja Gran Reserva 904 (Spanish Red Trophy). Only 1.5% of entries at the 2015 competition were awarded with trophies.


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It is time I revisit my 2014 writing challenge of engaging life with a wholeheart. This year the writing challenge for myself will foreground the theme of living consciously, and will inquire deeply with courage into all that this may ask of me. These monthly musings, posted the 14th of the month, will revolve around the themes of Angeles Arrien's book The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Paths of the Warrior, Teacher, Healer, and Visionary. To show up, be present, and inquire deeply into living consciously with vulnerability, and what this may mean to living a heart centered life. And in so doing fully step into everything that has been set into motion these past years, with kindness and compassion for all.
Follow my blog to receive these monthly posts, and other musings.
Wishing all a year of openhearted generosity and engaging life with humility and grace.


text:
To sustain and stand out in today's competition, software needs to be in continuous innovation mode. MSys offers Sustenance and Support functions for products across the gamut of Cloud, Storage, IoT and Analytics. This way, ISVs can divert their core engineering team to focus on product development while their existing products are being upgraded by us in real time, thus bringing down their overall cost of development.
Success Story
Build Operate Transfer model For Delivery And Support
Provided resources to deliver and support project/product work from a development and testing standpoint. This team supported IT operations like deployments, and desktop & server support.


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Gloves are our speciality. The knowledge and experience we have acquired during nearly 70 years of manufacture make us a benchmark in the sector. With our own designs, our carefully selected yarns and our total control over the manufacturing process, the finished product is of excellent quality.
We have gloves made of soft yarns which are available in various colours, fleeced on the inside for warmth, seamless and carefully finish. We also have plain gloves available in many colours, with or without fleece, depending on the style, which will give a touch of distinction to your winter wardrobe.
The seamless fit of the knitted glove on the hand is perfect, providing much comfort and maintaining sufficient sensitivity to perform normal activities without the need to remove the glove.


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The time-honored odd-couple pairing of predator and prey does a star turn in this sweet tale of friendship.
The protagonists here are Cat the cat and Bubble the goldfish. Cat knows he has a good life, as he can wander the big city whenever he pleases. His best friend Bubble, however, is confined to his little tank, swimming round and round and sighing. One day, Cat locates a transparent bucket and, after convincing his friend to jump in, shows him potential new homes: increasingly larger bodies of water in the form of ponds, rivers and the ocean. Offering the fish freedom, Cat is surprised when Bubble declines, pointing out that while there is a wide world out there, here he has a friend. The two then spend their days exploring their own little world, "From here… / ...to the rainbow's end." Foreman's singular watercolors give his images an inner glow that shines brightest in the artist's glorious two-page panoramas. In terms of the characters themselves, readers will have little difficulty believing in their friendship, food chain or no food chain. More to the point, here's a nice lesson of finding the wide world close to home.
A warm, welcoming book with a taste and tone of its very own. (Picture book. 4-8)


text: Today's theme was water and orientation. This is a photo taken of the wetlands and small lake located in our neighborhood. I like this photo because there are always white swans living on this lake. I enjoy walking/driving by this view everyday. Here is a cropped version of the same picture. Sincerely, Leslie


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Rashid Khan will now be available for Sussex Sharks' first ten group matches in this year's Vitality Blast - starting on Friday evening away to Hampshire.
The world's number one T20 bowler was initially signed for the Sharks' first seven matches of the tournament, but schedule changes mean he has been able to extend his stay with the team.
That means Sussex fans will have an extra chance to see the prodigal leg-spinner in action at the 1st Central County Ground this summer.
In addition to home games against Hampshire, Surrey, Kent Spitfires and Glamorgan, Rashid will now be available for the Friday night fixture against Middlesex at home on 9 August, and for the trips to Surrey and Kent on 15 and 16 August.
Tickets for all seven group matches at The 1st Central County Ground are on sale now. Next Friday's clash against Surrey is already sold out, and a number of our other fixtures are very close to selling out, so supporters are encouraged to secure their seats without delay to avoid disappointment.
The Sharks are reportedly likely to be without Alex Carey (with Australia) and Chris Jordan (injured) for their Ageas Bowl opener.


text:
Listen to Today's Audio Goodie
(Have the Goodie read to you!)
God's purposes are so vast and glorious, beyond all guessing now, that when they are achieved and consummated, all of our sufferings and sorrows of today, even the agonies that nearly break our faith, the disasters that well-nigh overwhelm us, shall, seen from that fair country where God's age-long dreams come true, bulk as little as bulk now the pieces of a broken toy upon a nursery floor, over which, thinking that all of our little world was in ruins, we cried ourselves to sleep.
Leslie Dixon Weatherhead (1893 –1976)
The Christian Agnostic
Daily Email Goodies


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Fiber to the X Fundamentals
A complete overview of principles, technologies, architectures and business models for future networks
In this eBook you will learn about
- The gigabit society- history and future of fiber to the X
- Science fundamentals made simple: light, multiplexing, connectors, adding capacity
- Network architectures: options, benefits and trade off considerations
- How to make an FTTX business plan work
- Real-world case studies with global and regional insights
… and more
Test your FTTX IQ
Answer five questions and see how much you know about FTTX.
You can learn about those and other topics in our FTTX Fundamentals eBook.
Get the eBook


text:
Skylark Galleries 1
Skylark Galleries, a collective of 30 different artists, present a changing selection of original paintings, hand-made prints, ceramics & sculpture, in a variety of styles, sizes and prices from £20 – £2,000. They also stock exclusive greetings cards hand-made by the artists, so there's something for everyone at Skylark Galleries.
There are two galleries; Skylark Galleries 1 is in Gabriel's Wharf and Skylark Galleries 2 is on the first floor of Oxo Tower Wharf overlooking the river. Visitors, from first time buyers to serious art collectors, enjoy meeting the artists who take turns to be on shift. If you are looking for a unique gift, Skylark is the place to go, and they also sell Gift Vouchers!
Skylark Galleries hold regular late openings which are a perfect opportunity to meet the current "Featured Artist" and hear them talk about their latest work.
For regular updates and event information, you can sign up to receive the monthly newsletters by email or check the galleries Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages for updates.
Location: Unit 5, Gabriel's Wharf, 56 Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PP
Number: 020 7928 4005
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Opening Times: Tues - Sun 12 -5 (Winter)
Tues - Sun 11-6 (Summer)


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About Festivals International
Festivals International has been creating events for over a decade. It is based out of Clear Lake, Iowa and is operated by Gregory and Bonnie Schmidt.
About Gregory Schmidt
Greg is a native of Iowa and has earned recognition as a documentary film and video producer. He is also a two-time recipient of the Individual Artist Grant award from the Iowa Arts Council. As a health researcher and motivational speaker, he has published his first audiobook Your Life - Beyond 2000. Greg is currently developing an Iowa Opera House Network and will be appearing in a one-person play on "Billy Sunday".
About Bonnie Schmidt
Bonnie serves as co-producer of many of Festivals International's activities including the International May Festival. She studies the medicinal properties of herbs and spices and essential oils and works with a Nutritionist/Herbalist.
Festivals International Timeline:
- 1992 Festivals International forms.
- 1992 The first Iowa Renaissance Festival is held at the North Iowa Fairgrounds in Mason City.
- 1993 Iowa Renaissance Festival moves to the State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.
- 1994 International May Festival begins in Des Moines.
- 1998 International May Festival moves to Clear Lake.
- 2000 Iowa Renaissance Festival moves to Middle Amana Park in the heart of Iowa County.
- 2000 Midwest Millennium Festival produced near Chicago.
- 2001 The first Fiesta Cerro Gordo "Mother's Day Gift Mart" is scheduled in Mason City, Iowa.
- 2003 Nebraska Renaissance Faire begins in Ashland, Nebraska.
- 2004 Des Moines Renaissance Faire begins in Des Moines with Spring and Fall events.
- 2005 Nebraska Ren Faire moves to Omaha. Four Kingdoms Ren Fest begins in Rock Island, Illinois. Construction beings on Festival Park in Des Moines, future home of Iowa's first permanent renaissance festival.
- 2006 Festival Park construction, Phase 1, completed. The Des Moines Ren Faire opens the first three weekends in September. The Iowa Pumpkin Festival is held there in October.
- 2007 Lincolnshire Ren Faire beings in Decatur, Illinois. Nebraska Renaissance Faire moves to a new home at the Bellevue Berry Farm and Pumpkin Ranch near Omaha, Nebraska.
- 2008 Midlands Pirate Festival begins near Omaha, Nebraska.
- 2010 Festival Park, home of the Des Moines Renaissance Faire, turns five years old.
- 2015 Midlands Pirates Festival moves to a new location in Omaha, Nebraska.
- 2016 Nebraska Renaissance Faire joins the Midlands Pirate Festival at the same new location for a new "double festival" event.
Other events coordinated by Festivals International have included two years with the San Antonio Spring Renaissance Faire and a year with the Indiana Renaissance Faire.


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On Sunday 4th November, State Government Ministers and Redland City Councillors met to launch a joint initiative between Local Councils, Queensland Government and Crime Stoppers, to address Graffiti in Queensland.
In attendance were: Hon. David Crisafulli MP, Redland City Mayor Karen Williams, Mr Steve Davies (Member for Capalaba), Mr Peter Dowling MP (Member for Redlands), Cr. Paul Gleeson (Division 9, Capalaba, RCC), Cr. Kim Hardman (Division 3, Thornlands, RCC), Cr. Lance Hewlitt (Division 4, Victoria Point, RCC), Cr. Mark Edwards (Division 5, SMBI, RCC), Cr. Julie Talty (Division 6, Mt. Cotton, RCC) and Cr. Paul Bishop (Division 10, Birkdale/Thorneside, RCC)


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This week we have a fab sketch for you and this is my take.
And this weeks prize is a £10.oo voucher to spend in Crafty Emma's Store
2 Sisters Challenge Blog - Bingo (Punches/Dies/Glitter/Flowers)
My Candy is still open to all.
|What Do U Think?
Gorgeous card Claire i love the image not seen these before and that butterfly is gorgeous. luv gina xx
This is stunning Claire! I so love that image and the colours you've chosen are fabulous.... great job on the butterfly too ;o)
Hugs Tara xx
Incredibly pretty card Claire, I love how you have used the sketch this week and the way you have embellished your card :) Donna x
Hiya Claire
this is beautiful, love the detail in the butterfly and the flowers.
Have a lovely weekend
Joey x
Hi Claire, sorry I haven't been over in a while, I've missed some gorgeous creations (just had a peek to catch up, love the baby card!). This is a lovely card, super sweet image, great colours & a beautiful butterfly. Hugs xx
WOWZER Claire this is stunning> The image is so fab i love it. Great colours and layout too
love tasha xx
Ohh girl this is GORGEOUS!!~
lovely card, Claire!
hugs, Alina
Wow, Claire, this is so beautiful. The colours are fabulous and I love your stamp - the whole thing is just perfect. Big hugs, Tracey xx
It's Gorgeous. LOve this image and your colours are FAB!
Thank you so much for coming to Sarah Hurley and playing in my challenge. Your card is SO gorgeous. I love it!!!!
Hi hun
a gorgeous card, awesome colouring, beautiful papers & embelies,, have lovely weekend, sue,x
Such a gorgeous card! I love the deep colors!
gorgeous creation! Thanks for singing along with us at I Did it Creations this week! Gemma :)
oh my word.i love this card claire.fabby image and your rich colours are just stunning,really love the speckled edging around the image, looks fantastic :D
xx coops xx
Wow that is just gorgeous Claire!!
Beautifull card Claire !!
Hugs Monique
Beautiful card!!
beautiful card Claire, love the sweet image and dragonfly!
Many thanks for joining in the Cute Card Thursday Challenge, have a great weekend!
Happy Crafting, Debxx
Beautiful! Thanks for playing at IDIC this week!
WOWZERS this is stunning - love the techniques you have used and the image is fab!
Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Debs xx
So gorgeous card Claire,I love the image and your papers.
Hugs Riet.xx
Stunning card Claire. Very pretty details and I love the 'rain' you've created around Tatty. Gorgeous butterfly.
Donna x
How pretty is this! I love how you did the image background. And this is a fantastic take on that sketch. Wonderful card! Hugs!
Fantastic! - thank you fir singing along with our challenge at IDIC this week
Debbie xx
Gorgeous card Claire...love that Tatty Button stamp and you've done a grand job with her!...fab colour combo too.
Hope you have a fab weekend
Take care
San x
This is so beautiful, Claire! I totally love the image and your background stamp:-)! Wonderful colours and details! Hugs Delphine xx
Wow this is amazing, such gorgeous colours.
HUGZ Fleur xXx
Oh Claire this is gorgeous. Love the image and butterfly.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Diane :-) xx
Stunning Claire! Love that image. Beautifully done :-) xx Jenny xx
GORGEOUS,love the design and colours!!!
Beautiful card. The image is so cute and the papers are gorgeous.
Have a nice day.
Hugs Jannie.
Hi Claire, Gorgeous card hun and I love that image. Such a fabulous butterfly and terrific colour combo. Great sketch.
Hi Claire,
Sorry it's taken me a time to get here but my Mum has been back in hospital so no blogging again...I love the colours on your card so vibrant,great layout and Tatty Button looks fabulous..Wish I'd known you were going to Ally Pally we could have met up maybe next time....
Mandy x
Hi Claire.
Goreous card, love the image - very different.
The colours are lovely.
Love Kerry xxx
Aawk how gorgeous is Tatty Button?! I love all the detail on your card and the colours are perfect. Sheena xx
A gorgeous card. I love the bright colours and the image is fab.
Nikki x
Wow Claire your right she is fabulous with those strong colours, love the card design to. with hugs Shirleyxxxxx
I love the warm colors you have used. Wonderful image and card. Hugs
Hi Claire,
Please can you email me at firstname.lastname@example.com as I've just realised I haven't posted your prize from our March challenge & I don't remember you emailing me with your address so
I apologise if you have already emailed me & I've forgotten!!
Thanks Helen x
gorgeous Claire, love the background and your fab butterfly.
Hugs Kaylou xx
Such a pretty card Claire! I love the colours and the beautiful flowers!
xx Loes
Beautiful - love the papers and all the distressed flower leaves! Thank you for joining us at Guylou's and good luck!
Wow - this looks amazing Claire :)
What a fab layout, and such wonderful colours. Not seen the image before either, but you have really coloured this brilliantly.
Gorgeous creation! Love how you colored the image and all the paper layering and those flowers are surely and eyecatcher! Thank you for participating in this weeks Challenge at Sarah Hurley!
A beautiful card Claire, gorgeous image and details.
Hugs Emma x
wooow Claire what a great card, so beautiful colouring, love it !!!!Beautiful butterfly
Wich you a habby day
hugs Pia
Hi Claire,
Wow.....You card is absolutely gorgeous!!!
Beautiful colors and the design is perfect.
I love your colouring so great.
Big hugs, Murielle
Claire, these bright colours look fab. I must dig out my Tatty! Have a great week. xxx
Great card! I love the colors and the embellishments! Thanks for joining the Party this week and I hope to see more cards from you soon!
Ooh this is lovely Claire! Fab image (I've got this one, but haven't used it yet), and gorgeous colouring. Love the colours and all your beautiful details :o) Lisa x
What a beautiful card Claire, super cute!
Hugs Jacqueline
Gorgeous card - great layout
Great card, love your image and paper choices! Thanks for joining the challenge at Guylous Inimitability this week!
Beautiful card, all the dtail is fabulous. Thanks for playing along at Paper Playtime
O wow this is gorgeous Claire, beautiful colours. Love your 'Fields of Sky' around your stamp, looks awesome xxx
Sooooo cute I can't help but feature it on PaperMood.com, I hope that's ok ! X :) Fab
Wow!! This is stunning. Perfect for our challenge at the Crafty Calender this month.
Caroline DT x
I love it! Thanks for joining us at Sarah Hurley's!
I love this image. The colouring has been really effective, particularly her hair and the umbrella. The whole card rocks :-D
Gorgeous, gorgeous card!!! Stunning colouring and so many awesome accents!! Love the effect you've achieved around the image too- absolutely love it!! Juliexx
Gorgeous card - I love the image and the colours are fab. Thanks for joining us at Crafty Calendar Challenge this month. Bev x


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The devil comes and I
I try to stall and I
Soon my subconscious and conscious
Might start to brawl and I
Put up my walls and I
They begin to fall as I
As this cunning demon takes me as it voodoo doll and I
Darkness sets in as the horns start to grow
Suddenly I become somebody I dont know
What do I do?
Ooh ooh ooh oh
This body's temple of doom
What can I say?
To-ohh-ohh oh
Make all of this go away
I got many different names
But to you it's all the same
I be the crawlin in your skin
I be the reason for your sin
I be the cunning in your charm
And I be the needle in your arm
Call me once might let you got
But call me twice and then IM gonna get ya
Mind playin tricks on me
Im paranoid, homie
Nobody knows what Im going through
God, I'm so lonely
I know I'm loosin it
I'm hearing...(wispering)
Somebody's watching me, clockin me, hear my heart tickin'
Worshiping to gods can get you in deep
Crystal ball show you things you're not supposed to see
What do I do?
Ooh ooh ooh oh
This body's temple of doom
What can I say?
To-ohh-ohh oh
Make all of this go away
You know I'm comin for ya
You see me coming for ya
You know I'm gonna get ya
You see me gonna get ya


text:
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The blog site of Breezy Says Marketing Group, which is an online marketing and promotions company. We are dedicated to providing indie music artists with maximum exposure on various sites and social networks.
Saint-John Marcelus AKA "20k" is an upcoming artist from Miami fl , who is working consistently on his goal , Here's a like to a Snippet he recently posted on a project he's working on, show love , & don't forget to hit like ❤ You wont regret !!!!
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text:
Meeting Minutes, February 8th, 2017
7:04pm — Meeting Called to Order by President Stan Anderson
Introductions: Members of the community introduced themselves. President Anderson described the role and function of the MBNC.
Presentation – Update from the National Parks Service. Tom Leatherman, Superintendent of the Rosie The Riveter National Historic Park: Mr. Leatherman presented a slide show on recent and upcoming current activities of the park, including the citizenship ceremony at the Craneway; a campaign to distribute free park passes to Grade 4 students; sponsorship of the "Open Space Conference" at the Craneway; the Rosie Rally last summer as part of the re-launched Home Front Festival; the development of the Richmond Wellness Trail; recognition of park ranger Betty Soskin; the growing collection of items at the museum; and continued work on updated signage to direct visitors to the park and museum.
Police Beat Report: Officer K. Palma reported on crime in our community and answered questions from the community
Announcement: President Anderson announced that the speakers scheduled for the March 8th meeting include a representative from local business Sims Metal; the organizer of the Richmond Wellness Trail; and a representative from the new high school in Marina Bay.
Presentation of Richmond PAL Donation: President Anderson presented a check for $500 from MBNC to the Richmond Police Activities League which was gratefully received by Larry Lewis, the Executive Director of the organization. Larry then gave a brief presentation on the activities of the organization, including their need for volunteers to be mentors to the young people in their league.
Presentation – Wayfinding Signage for Marina Bay — Alex Knox, Chief of Staff to the Mayor and C. Sequoia Erasmus, Director of Community Engagement: Mr. Knox and Ms. Erasmus outlined the mayor's idea of bringing way-finding signage to Marina Bay. They said the city does not have any $$ to pay for it, and they were interested in learning about the resident's interest in the idea. After a lively discussion, it became clear that although residents at this meeting were not opposed to the general idea of improved signage in our community, they wanted more details on the nature and costs, and were very much opposed to using funds from the Marina Bay Landscaping & Lighting District to pay for the signage.
Minutes Submitted by Stephen Beard, MBNC Secretary


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The Optimist Club of Ajax is a local service club chartered by Optimist International, an association of more than 2,600 Optimist Clubs around the world dedicated to "Bringing Out the Best in Kids." Adult volunteers join Optimist Clubs to conduct positive service projects in their communities aimed at providing a helping hand to youth. With their upbeat attitude, Optimist Club members help empower young people to be the best that they can be.
The Optimist Club of Ajax was chartered on August 19th 1981 with 41 members. Some of the original members have since moved from the community, while others have joined to take their place. Members are involved in raising money and supporting the many projects that benefit the youth of the Town of Ajax.
In summary, the members of the Optimist Club are striving to make their community a better place to live and to aid youth in becoming better citizens in the future.
Some activities of the organization include:
Kids' Safety Village of Durham Region
The Optimist Cub of Ajax is a co-sponsor and builder of the Kids' Safety Village of Durham Region. We continue to have a major involvement with this initiative.
Colouring Book
Description of program
Snowshoe Program
Description of program
Youth Appreciation Week
In the first year, the club honoured 2 young people 10-12 years old that stopped a runaway school bus and assisted the driver who had passed out at the wheel.
Scholarship Fund
A scholarship fund was started and has since grown to include five Ajax high schools.
Kidney Foundation
The Optimist Club of Ajax was, for several years, the largest seller of peanuts during the Kidney Foundation's annual funds drive.
Ringette Association
The club provided financial assistance as well as club members themselves helping to run the Ringette Tournament held each year in the Ajax/Pickering area.
Youth Golf Tournament
In May 1983, the club ran it's first Youth World Golf Tournament qualifier. This event is still held annually and is eagerly anticipated by a large group of youngsters.
By providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in kids.
Optimist International will be recognized worldwide as the premier volunteer organization that values all children and helps them to develop to their full potential.
Promise Yourself


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A seventh-grader from Holy Trinity School in San Pedro recently won the 2013 award for Academic Excellence from the Southern California Paleontological Society for his research project.
With the help of science staff at Madrona Marsh in Torrance, Anthony Stenzel conducted a study he titled: "Does runoff water affect the aquatic invertebrates of the Madrona Marsh?"
Specifically, he looked at the effect of phosphates in the runoff waters that drain into the marsh on the Riverside Fairy Shrimp, an endangered species that may soon be introduced to the marsh. Anthony hypothesized that it would increase their heart rates. The results of his study were inconclusive.