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Tag: Book
That's About Right!
The Reviews Are In!!!
The time has come for my first round of reviews for my debut novel! These reviews are coming from my first beta test group that I'm very excited to share with all of you.
Disclaimer: The Beta Readers have not been compensated in any form and their reviews are true testimonies of what the reader thought about my novel.
P.S. I need to know what happened to Collin!! Dying here!! Get the second book out soon! I LOVE this book!"
"I have just had the opportunity to preview the book that Jaime Guerard is about to publish…WOW! I was so impressed with her ability to tell a story. Her writing style keeps you intrigued and certainly keeps you guessing. There is no predictability in the story line. Throughout the book, she constantly introduces new elements, with twists and turns. Good luck trying to figure out where she is going with the story. You will find out only when she wants you to know.
This is a book that will not only be enjoyed by young people, but people of every age. I can't tell you how much I loved this book. I anxiously await the sequel!"
"It is rare for me to find a book that I can't put down. Jaime's novel has been a great read; exciting, even frightening at times, but also innocent and sincere. The story weaves together perfectly always leaving me wondering… what will happen next?"
"Each time I find out a new detail of the story it leaves me wanting more! I can't wait to get my hands on this book and put all these "details" together!"
"Couldn't put it down! Excitedly awaiting what happens in the rest of the series! A healthy mix of suspense, danger, romance and just a great plot make it a must read!"
Here are the next beta test readers. After they finish my MS I will post their reviews for all of you to see.
Pick A Name…Any Name
So it's Saturday morning and I have only had about three hours of sleep. Why do you ask did I only get three hours of sleep? Well…the simple answer is, my mind just wouldn't shut off! Remember the post titled Get In My Head? Don't worry, it's nothing like that post. It's just that as I near the final days of the big "waiting game" the pressures of it all begin to pile on and my mind begins to fill up with everything I still need to accomplish.
The big hurdle that I'm facing right now is the name. About two years ago I came up with the perfect name. I was dead set on it until recently. While I was searching B&N, I discover a book (that was just released) with the same name I was going to name my MS. For all you authors out there who have had a similar experience like this one, you know what I'm talking about when I say that my heart sank. I literally sat at he computer for a good half-n-hour with my mouth hanging open as I silently screamed NOOOOOOOO! You see, I've been working on this current MS for four years and it took me two of those four years to settle on a name in the first place.
Since that decision to put that name to rest and re-name my book it's been a very tiresome process. Every time I think of something else and google it I find many books with the same name. It would be okay if the book was years old or not in my genre but all the names I come up with are taken.
So here begs the question…do I give up?
No, silly!
Of course I wont give up, but what I do need is a little help. Perhaps, some of you creative thinkers out there might have some great words that you could through my way. My last post I gave a small sneak peek into my book. You can see that here. Read it and if you think of anything that might help me out please send me an email. You can email me in the contact me page here.
BIG NEWS! To anyone who suggest a name and I actually pick it, I will give them an advanced copy of my book! So again just send me a message in the contact me page or send me a personal message on my facebook.
And The Question Is…
I was reading on a blog earlier, YA Highway, and they do this thing called Road Trip Wednesday. Now I know it's not Wednesday, yet, but I thought I would answer one of their questions they asked their readers awhile ago.
The question is: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Okay, everyone has been asked this question. Most likely, multiple times throughout your life but I wanted to answer it again because my answer and direction has changed drastically since I began to write. If you were to ask me that question a few years ago I might have said; I want a house in Oregon working with a big company and climbing the corporate ladder. Now that's not the case at all. I do still want that house with a white picket fence and all but "climbing the corporate ladder" isn't want I have in mind any longer.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that climbing the corporate ladder isn't a good thing (because it is). What I'm saying is that it's just not for me anymore. I want other things and have other dreams.
So, here it is! In five years time, I want this current book series to be out and selling (all three books). For a time frame I would love all of them out and selling by 2015 or sooner. I told you before (in previous blog posts and also on Facebook) that I have other manuscripts in the works and would love to put a release date on that next book in 2015. I do have a book title for that but I wont be releasing that information until I'm ready to publish it…I know I know, I'm a mean person but I guess you will have something to look forward too!
I also (and I know that I'm dreaming really BIG now) want to have this current book series in the works for movie rights. I CAN DREAM CAN'T I? hehe
I also want to be working full time as an author! Composing, writing, making stories that are in my head come to life onto the page and sharing that with the world, that would be just a dream come true for me! I currently work a day job but I have to say (before I go on) that this job (working as a property manager) has been the best job I have every had. I work with an amazing company and some amazing people and to say that I've been more than blessed is an understatement! It truly was my saving-grace back when I was searching for a job. At the time no one would hire me because for four years I was a stay-at-home-mom but then I got that wonderful call asking if I would like the job. That was a good day! However, being able to wake up everyday, sit down at my desk with a cup of coffee and dreaming up a story, that's heaven!
So there you have it, my 5 year plan. I would love to know what your five year plan is! Please leave me a comment below and tell me what it is. I've always said that if you keep on speaking it out, believing in yourself and work hard, you can achieve anything!
Busy Day Today
Today a lot is happening in my world. I sent my work off to my second editor who will be going over my manuscript with a fine tooth comb. Most authors have their work looked at by a few different people before it's marked as "complete" and finally published. I just got the first few chapters back and will be going through it line by line taking things out, putting things in and generally sitting for hours trying to figure out if I like the end result or not (its a very time consuming ordeal).
I will also be finalizing my overview that has been keeping me up all night. So I can almost guarantee that by the end of the day I will either be completely loony frolicking down the street in 30 degree weather or totally exhausted staring at a blank wall for hours. Either way I will be a step closer to the end result!
So for now, I bid you farewell!
My book printed out. 28 Chapters!
Taking You Back
It's a beautiful crisp fall day here in Northern Nevada. The trees are beginning their normal transformation–changing vibrant colors of reds, oranges and yellows. Hot coffee is steaming in the coffee pot, the fire is roaring in the fireplace and comfy robes are a necessity on days like this. Sitting here, all bundled up on the couch and looking aimlessly outside my window, I began to think back on the time when I lived in a small two bedroom home with three boys all under 5, I was 28 years old and not a clue as to what I should be when I grew up. I have always had dreams, dreams I would be a famous singer or a back-up dancer for Janet Jackson (don't laugh you know you had dreams like that also) but like many of you who are older with families your dreams begin to slip away from you as time goes on. And lets face it, even though you keep telling yourself every year that, "next year I will start," life just always gets in the way and you never end up doing what it is that you love.
Up until that point I think in some ways I stopped dreaming a little and just went on with everyday life. Until one day on my oldest sons birthday in October 2008, this amazing idea for a manuscript hit me. For a moment I didn't know what to think because this idea was way to good for me to think up. The more and more I thought about the idea, the more I found myself wanting to know how the story would go and more about the characters. So the next month I decided I had to begin writing, even if it was only for me. It was my only escape from the everyday motherly duties. Although in-between my writing I still had laundry to do, diapers to change, meals to make and a house to clean. I wrote whenever I could. Most of the time it was early in the morning when the kids were still asleep or really late at night when the whole world was silent. It was something that I wasn't going to give up on.
I'm glad to say, four years later I am thankful that I never gave up!
I've always said that anything worth doing isn't easy; and I tell you it wasn't. In the early days of my writing I lost my manuscript 3 times! I literally signed in one day to find that all three chapters where gone! No getting it back. The second time my computer had crashed and I lost everything and the final time was when my laptop froze and I couldn't grab what I had wrote. It was then on the third time of the almost laughable situation (because at that point its the only thing you can do without going insane) was when I knew that I really had something. Something was telling me that this ms was something to not give up on! So I just took a deep breath and began to write again. I just wrote without stopping.
So for all of you out there with big dreams, don't shove it in the closet never to be opened. The truth is you will wake up one day old, looking back at your life and wondering, "what if?" We only get one life to live and I want to make sure it's a full one.
Today is my birthday!
So another year gone by. As I was working on my blog today my husband and I (who is the same age as me) were chatting reminiscently about our high school years. My husband is getting ready to go back and finish his degree in Political Science mentions to me that he found it depressing that he was thinking we both entered high school nearly 20 years ago. That number just didn't seem real to me as the words left his lips.
I am one who believes that you are only as old as you feel, so depending on the day I am anywhere from 16 to 84. All those mothers out there can understand that theory.
Putting aside age and the increasing feeling of seniority, I look forward to the next year of my life. I am confident that it will bring to fruition hopes and dreams of years past. This is my year! I boldly proclaim that all of the hard work and effort poured into this project will finally find its resting place among the best of the best.
So be it!
Let me leave you today with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Always do what you are afraid to do."


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A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.
There are no traffic jams along the extra mile.
The arrow that hits the bull's eye is the result of one hundred misses.
Try, try, try and keep on trying is the rule that must be followed to become an expert in anything.
A free lunch is only found in mousetraps.
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.
Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.
No related posts.

subset: commoncrawl


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Clean The Leather
Use a silacone based leather cleaner for the leather leashes. They make the leather waterproof, they keep the BLING in the Metallics & the reds will not bleed when treated with these. They can be found on Amazon.com, very reasonably priced. Don't let your leashes get grungy, or your dogs pink, use either lexol or search Amazon for leather cleaner and choose one that is clear, and the leather will look and feel better.


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AceShowbiz - %cJulie Chen% has denied speculations that she underwent other cosmetic surgeries on her face. The co-host of "The Talk" addressed the topic in a Wednesday, September 18 episode of the program, saying that she did not undergo other procedures to her face besides the eye job.
"For the record, I have never had a nose job," she told the audience members. "I have only had plastic surgery done to my eyes, that I've already told you about. I do not have cheek implants. I did not take out fat over here to make my cheeks look more [sculpted]. I did not have chin surgery, I did not have a nose job. These are not veneers. I have not done my teeth - I've never even had braces. These are all my real teeth. Nothing, nothing else has been done, ever."
Chen said that her nose appeared to be more narrow in recent photo, compared to a photo snap from her 20s, because of makeup. She also showed a 20-second time-lapse video of her hair and makeup process on the show.
The "Big Brother" host received some "hurtful" comments from her own community who criticized her decision to undergo eye procedure following the revelation earlier this month. In an interview with PEOPLE, Chen explained that she did not do it to look "less Chinese," but to make her eyes "more open."
"I want people to understand that there are Asians born with the crease I had surgically done to my eyes, so the goal was never to look less Asian," Chen said. "The goal was to simply have bigger eyes so the camera didn't make me look sleepy, bored, angry or disinterested in my interviews. The goal was to look, in my opinion, more alert and more interested on camera for my work/career."


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"It's too hard!" she moans, flinging herself dramatically at my feet. Judging by the catastrophic shape of her room right now, I can see why she feels this way. By anyones' standards this room is an utter disaster. I imagine that for a 4 year old, this mess does look too hard to clean up. Picking her up off off the floor, I encourage her to pick one thing and start there. She starts to whine again but my reminder of the potential of losing things, helps motivate and she listens this time.
We talk about how this is a big mess for a little girl to clean, but that if she starts with one thing and then works on it that way, she is plenty capable of tackling the task. Before she knows it, the room is clean and she smiles big at me, tugging my arm and leading me down the hall to see what she's accomplished.
We recently had the pleasure of adding Sheila Walsh's latest Gabby book, Gabby's Stick-to-It Day: A Story About Never Giving Up (Gabby, God's Little Angel)
to our collection.This particular story provides a fantastic tool for assisting in teaching our children to learn to stick with things, even when it's hard or frustrating. We have read and re-read this book many times already.
These books are pure delight to read and look at. The whimsical illustrations and sweet characters have made them a real hit with my two girls. Gabby, God's little angel has a big job watching out for Sophie, but she rises to the task and Sophie always learns a little more about who God is, and how much He loves and cares for her.
Gabby can help your kids learn what it means no stick with things, coloring pages for this book can be found HERE.
I am GIVING away a copy to one of you! Yay!
{GIVEAWAY} Details: One reader will be selected at random to win a FREE copy of this book. To be entered in the {Giveaway} complete any or all of the following actions:
(Mandatory Entry) Answer this question: How do you encourage your kids not to give up when things are hard?
Gabby, Gods little angel can help your kids learn the value of finishing what they start, thanks to @Always Alleluia & @TommyMommy <— Tweet This!
* Like Always Alleluia on Facebook
* Follow Me on Twitter
* Subscribe to Always Alleluia (Subscription must be active)
* Share this {GIVEAWAY} on twitter/Facebook/email
As always, you must leave a comment for each thing that you do. This {GIVEAWAY} is open to U.S. residents only and will close Thursday, April 19th at Midnight EST. Winner will be announced Friday, April 20th and will have 48 hrs to respond before another winner is chosen.
*I received this book for free, for the purpose of my review, the opinions expressed here are my own. This post contains affiliate links. Read my Full Disclosure here.
Want to keep up with me? Subscribe to Always Alleluia by Email to get my posts delivered right to your inbox. You can also find me on Facebook and twitter.


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Why are test prep classes and tutoring so expensive?
Our classes and tutoring packages are competitively priced to remain considerably below the industry average but they are certainly not cheap. We only select the highest-level instructors to teach at Twainstein, ones with a demonstrated track record of student success and satisfaction. These are professional GMAT/GRE teachers, not part-timers and they are paid accordingly. Much of our resources also go into development and revision of course materials to ensure that our study materials—both online and print—are always up-to-date and realistically reflect the actual test.
Can you tell me more about your 80/50 approach to succeeding on the GMAT/GRE?
Can we ever! This is precisely the principle on which Twainstein was founded. It is really a variation of the famous Pareto Principle (also known as the 80–20 rule), which states that roughly 80% of the results come from 20% of the causes. In his many years teaching GMAT/GRE, company founder Avi Lidgi noticed that 20% of his students achieved 80% of the highest scores. These students focused on mastering the few concepts and strategies that appeared most frequently on the exam. Turns out, these were also the easiest questions on the exam. From this observation, Avi created, designed and wrote a stripped-down curriculum that focuses on just 50% of the material that comprises 80% of the questions.
Are you saying this is an easy test and you have secret shortcuts to acing it?
A quick word of caution/clarification here: We are not trying to suggest that the GRE/GMAT is any way an easy test that doesn't require much time and practice. It does! However, the most common mistake that people preparing for the GMAT/GRE make is camping out at Barnes & Noble studying every single book every written on the test, doing tons and tons of practice problems, only to discover on Test Day that their score went up by just several points. Or worse, went down! So…what gives?
Doing thousand of problems the same way over and over again while taking dozens of practice exams serves only to continually reinforce what you are repeatedly doing wrong! Our GMAT/GRE experts short-circuit your defective approach and train you for Test Day success.
Is using an expert consultant for my essay all that different from writing my own?
First things first: We never write anybody's essay for them. Twaintein consultants, composed of professional writers who have worked on admissions committees at top graduate schools, have a carefully honed skill set that allows us to apply that knowledge to get results for you. Remember, application personal statements are nothing like the essays you wrote in college: you must tell a long story with few words, be detailed but big-picture, romantic but realistic, impress but not offend and, ultimately, create an irresistible urge within the reader to grant your request. Getting that request granted is what we are experts at.
What is your track record of success?
Anyone who is considering using our services is made available a list of former clients that have used our GMAT/GRE prep classes and/or essay editing and have agreed to speak with prospective clients to share their experience. Have there been unsatisfied clients? Yes, this happens in every business and we are no exception. They are few and far between.
Do you offer money-back guarantees?
No. There are, however, companies that do. The reason we do anything at Twainstein is the reason we do everything at Twainstein: to meet the needs of our clients. We have found that offering a high-score guarantee does nothing to increase the likelihood that our students reach it. In most cases it decreases student motivation. Instead, we guarantee any student who wishes to repeat or put on hold their class at anytime may do so for free until they feel ready for the test.
How long does the process take? When should I enlist your services?
GMAT/GRE classes run six weeks and those who are considering applying ought to start preparing for the GMAT/GRE six months prior to application season (October–March). If application consultation and essay editing is what you seek, you cannot start this process early enough; we are most effective in getting our clients results if we have 2-3 months to work with them.
What books should I buy if I want to start studying before class starts?
Our curriculum has been specifically designed to take all of the guess-work out of our student's hands so that they can focus their time and energy on studying rather than figuring out what to study. We recommend that students taking our class wait for the first day of class to begin studying, whereupon all necessary books and resource materials will be provided.


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Verba Obscura Translation #12
It can be no other than a maleficent horizontally propelled current of gaseous matter whose portentous advent is not the harbinger of a modicum of beneficence.
Its an ill wind that blows no man good.
If you want to to return to the
Sesquipedalia Verba
list, use your browsers back or return button.


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Based on global sales in financial year 2016, 22 of the largest global food and beverage companies were assessed and ranked for the 2018 Global Index. These companies operate in over 200 countries and generate approximately $500 billion in sales.
The Access to Nutrition Index rates food and beverage manufacturers´ nutrition-related policies, practices and disclosures worldwide on a recurring basis.
Access to Nutrition Foundation
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The Netherlands
+31 (0)30 410 09 16
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On Sunday 29 March I was part of an event at the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (LLGFF) called Invasion of The Chubsters. The Chubsters is my gang, remember? I want to write a little bit about what we did and what it was like. I welcome comments from anybody who was there who might like to say something about what it was like for them.
Jason Barker, one of the LLGFF programmers, approached me a few months ago about putting on a programme about fat queers for the festival. We agreed that a Chubsters-based event could be really exciting. We talked about using archive clips from the British Film Institute (BFI), who host the LLGFF, and showing a series of short films from current fat queer activists. We wanted to showcase The Chubsters, show the richness of fat queer culture, and make an event that was really affirming and encouraging. It was great working with Jason, who is a talented film curator, and he had really good ideas for how the event could play out.
The event lasted approximately 90 minutes and was completely sold out. Here's how it was structured:
As people were arriving we had a slideshow on the screen of Chubster members and icons. Then we showed the short Chubster film. Jason introduced three of us Chubsters; me, Weasel (aka Simon Murphy) and Butch Husky (aka Kay Hyatt). We didn't answer to our real names, instead we took to the stage in a surly and aggressive way, bumping into Jason and trying to intimidate him. We wore Chubster colours that we made specially for the occasion, based on the waistcoats that the protagonists wear in The Warriors, except with a Screaming C on the back. I showed the crowd how to do donut hands and encouraged them all to do donut hands back at us.
Butch H and I jumped Jason in by belly-slamming him to the ground and making him pinch more than an inch. His Chubster name is Trans Fatty.
Then Jason introduced me as Charlotte Cooper and we talked about my work for a bit. We introduced a series of archive clips and talked about fat queer themes inbetween.
These were:
Theme: the first fatties I even encountered on screen (Mavis Cruet from Willo The Wisp and Roland from Grange Hill, plus fatties in Carry On films)
Clip: Hattie Jacques as a soft butch in Make Mine Mink
Theme: a short history of fat activism
Clip: Fat Women Here To Stay, an amazing BBC Open Space documentary from 1989, made by the London Fat Women's Group.
Theme: the complicated relationship between fat people and humour
Clip: Hairspray
Theme: the apparent spilt between bear culture and the fat liberation movement, what the two could gain from stronger alliances
Clip: Hard Fat, a film about a queer gainer
Theme: Increasing complexities of fat queer representation on screen
Clip: Fat Girls
Theme: I can't remember! I was too excited and nervous! Stuff about Beth, I guess
Clip: Feminist, Nick Knight's clip of Beth Ditto.
Jason introduced Kori Klima, someone whose name I missed and Allyson Mitchell, whose short films were in the second part of the programme. Kori and the mystery person talked about their guerrilla film-making techniques and about how the film is about being strong in who you are. Allyson talked about Pretty Porky and Pissed Off, the fat activism scene in Toronto, and she paid tribute to me (major blush) and other activists who came before us.
Then we watched the short films. These were:
Ohne Worte, dir: Kori Klima 2003
Rubb My Chubb, dir Alexis Mitchell 2007
Free! Bake! Sale! dir Allyson Mitchell 2004
The Fat Femme Mafia in Trinity Bellwoods Park, dir Chelsey Lichtman and Liz Brockest 2007
Fat Dinosty Episode 1: the thin person inside, dir Erin Remick 2008
Unfortunately we were not able to screen Naima Lowe's Nolose film because of technical problems. However, I have a few of the BFI's official programme notes from the screening. Let me know if you want a copy and I'll post one to you. Many of these short films and clips are available online.
Jason and I thanked various people, including "the motherfucking BFI" for supporting radical fat queers, and then Chopin Gard came onstage as Mama Cass and sang Make Your Own Kind of Music, with a prologue audio cut-up of diet talkclips from Gillian McKeith. As he sang, there was a spontaneous stage invasion by The Chubsters and members of the audience, everybody danced and sang along! It was incredible!
After the screening, Weasel, Butch H and I jumped in 30 new Chubsters. I'll update the site with their details soon.
It's hard to write about what the event meant to me because it was so overwhelming. It really felt as though our time in the spotlight had come! The BFI looked after us all, and were enthusiastic about the programme.
The feedback has been fantastic, many people were blown away by the event, including those who had never considered fat activism before. Some people said that it was the best event at the festival. I am still getting emails from those who loved it, some BFI staff got jumped-in as Chubsters, a BFI bigwig thanked us twice for doing the event, saying that this is exactly the kind of thing they want to deliver, even the projectionists were delighted at being thanked for their hard work. There is also footage of the event, which may become a news story. There are photographs, I will post them when I can.
But yes, what does it mean?
- Lots of people are so ready for talking about fat stuff and doing fat activism. They know there is something "out there" and there are opportunities for showing them exactly what lies beyond obesity epidemic rhetoric and fatphobia.
- A national British institution has supported us and might support us again in the future.
- It is really important that some fat activism is fun, inclusive and accessible.
- I feel profoundly encouraged and deeply inspired by fat culture, its histories and possibilities.
- There are already new activist developments in the pipeline thanks to this event, some of us are starting to think bigger. This is miraculous, in my opinion, knowing that we work with legacies of self-hatred, silencing and marginalisation.
31 March 2009
Report: Invasion of The Chubsters
Posted by Dr Charlotte Cooper at 12:38
4 comments:
Yes! This is thrilling to read about. "Make Your Own Kind of Music" indeed.
- 31 March 2009 at 14:02
- wonderful woman said...
I am still finding it hard to describe it and what it meant/felt like - thanks for documenting it so soon and so thoroughly!
It is absolutely one of the best experiences of my life and so obviously significant and important. I am very, very proud to be a Chubster, as much as I am proud to be a chub.
Hey kids, rock n roll, Rock On
corinna x
- 31 March 2009 at 15:41
- Dr Charlotte Cooper said...
@wonderful woman
My brain has exploded. I'm so glad that you were there and that it was such a good experience. Feels like payback for FSUK, hahaha!
Anyway, let's talk plans over the summer.
Rock on indeed.
- 31 March 2009 at 16:54
Thanks for reporting on it! I am sorry I didn't get myself organised enough to get there too.
- 31 March 2009 at 23:29
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Well that's another wedding over and done with the for the time being. I think my costume (mutant zombie) went down well. Annoyingly I completely forgot about my camera and left it at the hotel room, so I didn't get any pictures of "the tribe" spooking it up. Which is a shame, as majic13's hobbit was very good *ducks and runs away*
Highlights include sea_cucumber doing a mighty fine job of the actual ceremony. And the rock band were pretty good too.
It looks like I'm definitely going to Australia now, as Her Majesty has given me permission to visit foreign countries again over the next 10 years. Now I just need to get her permission to visit the prison colony and I'm sorted. Wicked! :)


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Investing is full of sports metaphors, most of which are drawn from blood sports such as boxing, strategic team sports including football, and individual sports where brains are as important as brawn, such as golf. Those sports are all full of common metaphors drawn from warfare. In fact, all sports are, in essence, proxies for warfare, which makes a 2,000-year-old text particularly relevant to sports, but also to investing as well.
Translated into many languages and still referred to as one of the great works on military strategy and tactics, the lessons of Sun Tzu's The Art of War are particularly relevant to investors as they navigate increasingly complex asset classes and investment strategies.
Where victory is defined as achieving one's investment objectives and the enemy is defined as any movements in the portfolio that stand in the way, the 13 chapters of Sun Tzu's tome read like a class in post-modern strategic and tactical asset allocation. Elegant in its simplicity (it's amazing how the simplest ideas are sometimes the most relevant), this work can be a guide for contemporary portfolio construction and management.
For example, chapter one, The Calculations, spells out the importance of surveying fundamental factors such as seasons, terrain, leadership and management. A commander is capable, with the right analysis of these factors, of handicapping his chances of victory. Similarly, ignoring these factors is a recipe for disaster.
In investing, these factors can be translated into global macro elements, shifting trends, leading indicators, and alpha generation. Understanding them is critical. Ignoring them can lead to swift defeat.
Another chapter focuses on the plan of attack, which is the equivalent of determining investment strategies, setting a portfolio's strategic asset allocation and choosing best-in-class investment managers. This critical element avoids the "I have no idea where I'm going but I'm making great time" scenario in investing.
Chapters four, seven and eight (Tactical Positioning, Manoeuvering and Variation in Tactics, respectively) all speak to what is commonly referred to in portfolio management as tactical asset allocation (TAA). TAA's primary driver is the avoidance of assuming undue risk in unfavourable conditions — that is, not engaging the enemy when unprepared or overmatched.
The secondary driver of TAA is changing the battle plan when the enemy is on the defensive, using the investing equivalent of a military surge to win a battle.
While these two approaches — one defensive, one offensive — appear to have contradictory objectives, they are part of the grand scheme of winning the war by properly recognizing the appropriate times to attack and to retreat.
Finally, chapter 13, The Use of Intelligence, teaches us about the importance of military commanders developing and managing good intelligence sources, without which the power of the first 12 chapters is significantly muted. So, too, is the sourcing, due diligence and monitoring of investment managers.
Without devoting proper resources to gathering and maintaining intelligence on the ongoing quality of the managers to whom you deploy capital, the instructive elements of strategic and tactical asset allocation will be significantly mitigated, if not eliminated.
Of course, real life has a way of blurring lines that seem straight and identifiable on the page. The distinction between strategic versus tactical decision-making can be hard to determine in a drawn-out war against multiples foes. In these instances, the strategy must be reviewed on a regular basis as conditions shift, while tactics must still be chosen for each manoeuvre to ensure that, in the larger picture, the grand objective remains within reach.
Or, in the words of famed English field marshal Bernard Montgomery: "Strategy is the art of the conduct of war, tactics the art of fighting."
David Kaufman is president of Westcourt Capital Corp., a portfolio manager specializing in traditional and alternative asset classes and investment strategies. He can be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Upcoming Showsno upcoming shows listed
No articles found
Past Shows
Fri. June 17th 2016
@ Royal BC Museum (All Ages)Victoria Aboriginal Cultural Festival Lekwungen Traditional Dancers, Esquimalt Singers & Dancers, Le-La-La Dancers, Git Hayetsk, Alex Wells, Nuu-chah-nulth Dance Group
Sat. February 15th 2003
@ Spectrum Community Theatre (All Ages)Encircling Our Ancestors Le-La-La Dancers
Le-La-La Dancers
Unknown - Confirmed: Mar. 19, 2013 (Awaiting Update)
Label: Le-La-La Dancers Society
Fist Nations Dance / Song / Legend from Victoria BC
Contact DetailsGeorge Taylor
8-person dance troupe featuring the largest collection of FirstNations masks and regalia and the authentic dancing of the KwaKawk'kwak culture.
No audio samples have been linked to this profile.
No member roster has been entered (to link to musician profiles.)
Status: Unknown
- Last confirmed Mar. 19, 2013


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If you reduce inflammation in your body you will look younger and feel better also drastically reduce your risk for chronic illness. Inflammation and chronic diseases go hand in hand. By lowering the inflammation in your body you will be drastically reducing your chances for developing chronic illness and therefore, increasing your life expectancy. Did you know there is a strong link between inflammation and debilitating conditions like heart disease, arthritis, cancer, allergies, asthma, Crohn's disease, Alzheimer's and the list goes on. You name a chronic condition and you can bet inflammation is involved. Inflammation is the bodies natural reaction to injury and infection. So how did a normal and natural reaction designed to let us know there is a problem go so out of control? Read on…
When you get an infection, illness or injury your body reacts by causing tissues to swell, redden, become warm to the touch, tender, and painful. Triggers for this reaction can be environmental toxins, free radical damage, drug overuse, infections, trauma, or injury just to name a few. Inflammation combating one of these conditions is a good thing, it lets you know something is wrong and needs to be addressed. Think about if you've ever had the flu. You get feverish, headaches, stuffy nose, and body aches; this is good information, it lets you know something is wrong, you need to rest, and treat this temporary reaction. It's when inflammation is a constant presence in the body that damage begins.
What causes a constant state of inflammation? Well to name a few stresses, extra pounds, poor diet, infection, and autoimmune disorders. Autoimmune disorders are when the bodies immune system attacks self (its own body). No one knows exactly why the immune system goes haywire like that, but it is the cause of many conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, Fibromyalgia, and they go on. Now if you have Fibromyalgia I'm sure you've read or been told it's not an autoimmune condition, but I disagree. My Fibromyalgia definitely has an inflammation component and I feel strongly medical science will eventually prove it to be an autoimmune condition. So how do you know if you're suffering from too much inflammation and what do you do to treat it?
Symptoms of inflammation include:
Heart disease
Visible signs of aging like wrinkles.
Chronic pain
High blood pressure
Heart disease
Susceptibility to bacterial, fungal, and viral infections.
Acid reflux
Skin conditions like psoriasis and acne.
Urinary tract infections
Other Causes of Inflammation:
Stress! Constant psychological, emotional or physical stress raises the level of cortisol, creating inflammation.
Environmental toxins in our water, air, and food. Toxins and pollution from metals like mercury and lead all play a part in inflammation and have been linked to diseases as varied as allergies to inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS).
Low-grade food allergies or food sensitivities
An imbalance of bacteria in your gut or leaky gut syndrome. This causes your immune system to overreact to bacteria or tiny particles of food that leak out of your gut due to damage from inflammation to the intestinal tract.
Diet and lifestyle: eating a high fat, sugar, and protein diet, being dehydrated, insufficient exercise and insufficient sleep can all increase inflammation in your body.
Healthy Diet of fresh, organic, fruits and vegetables and reduced red meat
Foods high in flavonoids like, spinach, blueberries, and strawberries
Add 1/2 a fresh Pineapple or Papaya to your diet daily
Limit saturated fats and salt
Avoid sugar, colas, white flour products, and junk food
Eat cold water fish including, salmon, herring, mackerel, and sardines
Marijuana is a powerful natural anti-inflammatory it does this in many ways, it is known to balance the internal regulation of the inflammatory system, fights inflammation without the damaging side-effects of NSAIDs, Adding medical marijuana may drastically reducing inflammation.
It is so critically important that medical marijuana is tested & regulated to be sure its free from pesticides, fungicides, molds, Pesticides used in non-organic farming can trigger inflammation, this is one of many reasons medical marijuana needs to be legalized, Patients need to access organically grown cannabis or need to be able to grow their own, without fear of legal reprisal!
B Complex Vitamins
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Essential fatty acids including, fish oil, flaxseed oil, or evening primrose oil
Grape seed extract
A good Probiotic


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Rescue® Remedy Spray has been used successfully on stressful days where we suffer from impatience, tension and pressure. It has also been used successfully with children to stop a tantrum, before a speech or job interview. Rescue® Remedy helps us relax, get focused and get the needed calmness.
- Recyclable PackagingSize 7 ml
Product Details
- Directions
Bring spray nozzle up to mouth and apply 2 sprays onto the tongue.
- Product Features
•All products are carefully selected for their effectiveness and natural ingredients
•Bach Flower Remedies allow peace and happiness to return to the sufferer so that the body is free to heal itself
- Safety Information
Keep out of reach of children. If pregnant or breast-feeding, ask a health professional before use. Keep away from eyes. Store below 77 degrees F.
- Ingredients
Active Ingredients: HPUS 5x dilution of Helianthemum nummularium, Clematis vitalba, Impatiens glandulifera, Prunus cerasifera, Ornithogalum umbellatum. Inactive Ingredient: 27% Alcohol.
Bach Flower Remedies Rescue Spray 7 ml
Item #: 218436
Bach Flower Remedies Rescue Spray 7 ml


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- AttributeValue
- SWL (kg):500
- NBL (kg):1000
- Weight (g):12
- Material:Anodised Aluminium
- Recommended line - Max Ø (mm):10
- Recommended line - Min Ø (mm):3
- Total length (mm):36
- Total width (mm):24.8
- Total height (mm):14.5
- Colour:Red
The Ronstan SHOCK block is a lightweight, high load capacity alternative to a traditional block. They are designed primarily for 'soft attachment'; spliced to a line end or lashed in place. The elongated attachment aperture is also ideal for webbing attachment, ensuring the intended orientation is maintained.
With no moving parts, SHOCKS provide ultimate durability and are maintenance free. They are resistant to sand, grit and salt and their gentle 3-dimensional geometry is kind on lines but is strong enough to cope with poor leads. The clever design and exacting finishing also provide excellent free running at moderate changes of angle. They function just as well with hi-tech uncovered braids as with traditional double braids.
The XL SHOCK will accept lines from 3.0 - 10mm and webbing up to 10mm wide. For smaller attachments, see the RF8080 standard size range. XL SHOCKS are available in two colour options to aid rigging organisation, and with several attachment options, including webbing, pigtail, lashing and dyneema links.
Feature summary:
- Performance & versatility
- Ultra lightweight
- Ultra compact
- Durable
- Colour coded
- Impact resistant
- Small line optimised
- High load capacity
- Poor alignment tolerant
- Soft attachment compatible
- Grit & salt resistant
RF8081R includes a single unit.
The Ronstan Shock range


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- Home
- Our Community
- Community Planning
- Current Planning Projects
- Laneway House Design Competition
Laneway House Design Competition
The Laneway House Design Competition is an open, two-stage competition organised by the City of Nelson and to generate high-quality, pre-reviewed laneway house building plans that will offer exceptional value-for-money for homeowners and make it easier for them to build a laneway house on their property, thereby increasing uptake of laneway housing.
The design competition seeks proposals from designers and architects alike with the goal of achieving the following design criteria:
- Design: successful designs will be high-quality, attractive, and practical
- Good home, good neighbour: successful designs will be appreciated by both neighbours and occupants of the laneway house.
- Affordability: in their use of materials, successful designs will strike a balance between affordability and sustainability that will be attractive to Nelson property owners
- Flexibility and longevity: the winning designs will be those that are the most elastic, meaning adaptable to and replicable across a variety of lots, neighbourhoods, lot configurations, and topographies in Nelson (which are often steep).
- Eco-Design: green materials are used where appropriate and maximum possible energy efficiency is achieved (strive to achieve the highest-possible step code level).
Three designs will be selected and cash prizes for the top three will be awarded. A "people's choice" vote will also be held to involve all residents. Designers will receive a royalty of $1,000 each time the plan is purchased by a homeowner. The tentative timeline would see these plans available as early as February or March 2020.
For full contest rules and criteria, as well as to enter the competition, please see the Call for Submissions and the Entrance Form on the right-hand column of this page.
June 19, 2019 | Competition launch
July 31, 2019 | Deadline to submit questions
August 8, 2019 | Answers publicly provided to submitted questions
September 2, 2019 | Deadline for first-round submissions
October, 2019 | Invitations to Round 2 sent to five entrants
December 31, 2019 | Deadline for second-round submissions
February, 2020 | Winners announced and the "People's Choice" vote will be held
March, 2020 | Plans made available to the public
Background Information
In April 2019, City Council approved a laneway house design competition (see Council report) that will commence later this year to generate high-quality, pre-reviewed laneway house building plans for Nelson homeowners. The City anticipates that pre-reviewed designs will be most popular amongst those who would otherwise design their own laneway house without hiring a professional or seek to purchase stock plans online. The objective is to provide easy access to high-quality designs and code-compliant plans that strike the right balance between affordable construction and ecologically-sound design. They will be plans designed for Nelson, offering exceptional value-for-money for homeowners and making it easier for them to build a laneway house on their property. The contest evaluation criteria emphasise adaptability to various lots and topographies.
The competition will consist of two rounds. The first round will consist of a call for prototypes. The second round will be an invite-only competition of up to five participants to produce design plans, selected from the top entries from the first round.
In January 2018, the majority of the 270 respondents to the City's survey on laneway housing were in favour of a pre-approved design competition and a quarter of them were interested in potentially purchasing a design.
Competitions give the community an opportunity to celebrate good design, are inexpensive to run, generate new ideas, can recruit both professionals and emerging talent (such as university teams), and can serve as a platform to promote laneway housing and local design talent. The program also incentivises laneway houses achieving Step 3 of the new BC Step Code for energy efficiency. Step 3 represents 20% greater efficiency than conventional building techniques.


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BACKGROUND IMAGE: iSTOCK/GETTY IMAGES
SharePoint 2013's tight social media integration
Unlike previous iterations of SharePoint, tight social media integration makes SharePoint 2013 an enterprise social network in its own right.
Whether we like it or not, Facebook is upending conventional ideas about community and forcing us to rebuild them....
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Enjoy this article as well as all of our content, including E-Guides, news, tips and more.
And the changes are seeping into our work lives.
With SharePoint 2013 -- the first truly collaborative, enterprise-ready release of the product -- the folks in Redmond have gotten on board with bringing community to the enterprise and have built tools into the platform to put the lessons of Facebook to work in an organizational context. SharePoint 2013 features tight social media integration that brings some serious benefits for enterprises in terms of knowledge sharing and productivity -- and, of course, some caveats.
How social SharePoint shatters departmental silos
The importance of breaking down barriers in large organizations is now well understood: Organizations now consider it a matter of sheer survival. The density of barriers between departmental boundaries can slow a company to the point of ossification, which can, of course, put a stranglehold on its ability to compete. These days, increasing the flow of information and ideas between groups has become a strategic imperative.
Facebook began this shift in the context of our personal lives. To whom are you friended? Most likely, your friend list includes family; colleagues; close friends; casual acquaintances; and people from your college, high school and even grade school classes. If your Facebook community is configured in the traditional way, all these people can see one another and see you interact across social boundaries.
In short, Facebook "de-silos" our lives. SharePoint can have the same effect in the enterprise. Its Community Site feature -- a template loaded with methods for create groups across organizational boundaries -- can be used to generate interest, attract expertise, and get ideas and discussion flowing from all around.
Social media integration: Fostering truth?
Facebook has had an unnoticed but important impact on how we present ourselves to the world. When I'm on Facebook, the people who know me best -- my family -- are watching and reading alongside the people I work with, the people I play golf with, the people I grew up with. I can't get away with being someone I'm not: Too many people would immediately notice and call me on it.
These days, increasing the flow of information and ideas between groups has become a strategic imperative.
Unfettered social media in the workplace can have the same effect, stimulating authenticity and exchange of unfiltered ideas. I consulted with a large health care company recently, and it had deployed such a system. I got to know people throughout the organization, from top-tier execs to the folks who ran the cafeteria, in discussions about everything from health care reform to the latest episode of The Big Bang Theory.
I logged into SharePoint one morning, for example, and the top discussion threads included an open call for new ideas to make the company's online presence more politically neutral; training tips and stories from those participating in a local marathon; and a debate about whether Iron Man 3, Star Trek into Darkness or Man of Steel would be the hit of the summer. While those items may seem unrelated, they have several things in common: active outreach for ideas and input, openness to a diverse range of views and experiences, and a relaxed atmosphere of debate. Great organizations are built on these things.
Social SharePoint and the wisdom of crowds
In social psychology, the wisdom of crowds theory argues that the many are smarter than the few. A large, randomized group of minds will generate more accurate solutions than any single mind will. An example of this is Linux, an operating system that continually evolves by committee, with many people building on a foundation of ideas.
Facebook has a similar effect: Ideas, good and bad, pour forth in individual news feeds all day long, from a broad and randomized group of contributors -- and this flood of ideas kicks off discussion, triggers the spread of memes, heightens awareness of content, and generally amplifies "smart" and "stupid."
SharePoint Community deployments accomplish the same thing via new microblogging features, which bring to bear the mechanisms that work so well on Facebook and Twitter. Some consider Community a plus, because it increases connectivity, not just between information sources but between people and information, in familiar ways, and places that connectivity in the hands of the people who use it, rather than under the control of IT staff.
Ad hoc content parsing
One criticism of the "wisdom of crowds" argument is that the effect of averaging the input of many people and having it trump the input of one works in controlled experiments only when the input is random and unconscious. If I try to rally the wisdom of the crowd in solving a problem explicitly, the input is neither random nor unconscious.
But this concern about randomness isn't really an issue with social media. A social media feed enables us to process information in such a way that it reintroduces randomness and unconscious factors. How? Through the continual parsing of content, as we sift through whatever the crowd offers up today. We "like," tag, forward and comment on content. And we usually do so passively, without making explicit decisions. We respond impulsively.
The SharePoint Community template has those same powers built in. I can use hashtags, adding keywords to content; I can post comments; I can create "mentions," directing content to the attention of others. I can follow sites and people and I can subscribe to posts, feeds and content within SharePoint.
So, I can add to the randomization of the group mind's collective power by using the Community Site's parsing features to winnow and refine it, and my efforts are balanced and augmented by the efforts of everyone else.
The downsides of social SharePoint
Any avid Facebook user will concede that the medium poses challenges too: Yes, it's easy to pull down a vast flow of information from diverse sources, and yes, it's easy to configure that flow to inform a problem or project; but that vast flow has plenty of noise and idle chatter associated, and there's a cost to that noise. While Facebook can contribute to better ideas, it also requires filters for reducing that chatter and minimizing the time sink involved.
For more on SharePoint
Is mobile SharePoint enterprise-ready?
SharePoint 2012 e-discovery with Exchange Server
SharePoint e-discovery best practices
Mobile SharePoint boosts productivity
So, you have to think about the costs associated with Facebook as well. Implementing a Facebook-like information flow in the service of institutional problem-solving means accepting the overhead of moderation and cleaning up the input, just as sitting in front of Facebook in the evening means having to read some nonsense to get to the good stuff. There's no way around that problem if you want to preserve the open-ended virtues of a social media-like approach.
For better or worse, Facebook has changed the way we deal with both people and information. For better, hopefully, SharePoint's mimicry of Facebook and greater integration of social media into its platform has brought all that change into the office.


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Thomas Piketty's Capital in the 21st Century has been the most talked-about book in economics in a decade, but according to the FT there bay be some issues with the data:
As the FT's Chris Giles notes:
…the rock-star French economist appears to have got his sums wrong.
The data underpinning Professor Piketty's 577-page tome, which has dominated best-seller lists in recent weeks, contain a series of errors that skew his findings. The FT found mistakes and unexplained entries in his spreadsheets, similar to those which last year undermined the work on public debt and growth of Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff.
The central theme of Prof Piketty's work is that wealth inequalities are heading back up to levels last seen before the first world war. The investigation undercuts this claim, indicating there is little evidence in Prof Piketty's original sources to bear out the thesis that an increasing share of total wealth is held by the richest few.
Prof. Piketty's response to the FT is to double-down on this conclusion: "the rise in top wealth shares in the US in recent decades has been even larger than what I show in my book".
Stay tuned for more, since now the hunt will be on to validate/disprove the FT's conclusion.
Read more:


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Steve, the troubled salesman
Branding, Character Design, Illustration,
Character design, brand identity / Client: Vendemore
Steve represents the troubled salesmen in this world. His problems are all about marketing, sales strategies, pipelines – very complicated stuff. So Steve was born as a friendly figure that would help explain complicated ideas simply and in a fun way.
Character design, brand identity.
At Helpful Strangers - for Vendemore.
At Helpful Strangers - for Vendemore.


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Persons of Indian origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) left with old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes will not be able to exchange them, Reserve Bank of India has clarified.
The grace period until 30 June 2017 to deposit scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes is available only for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) with Indian passport.
In an updated FAQ list on its website, RBI specifically said that PIOs and OCIs are excluded from the scheme.
The list also states that exchange facility will not be available outside India.
According to a report on Times of India, PIOs and OCIs attempting to get their notes exchanged from the central bank are being turned away even though they have not been in India from November 8 to December 31.
RBI on December 31 designated its five offices – Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, and Nagpur – for NRIs to exchange defunct currency notes post 50-day demonetization period that ended on December 30.
The central bank has also imposed certain conditions for availing extended facility for note exchanges.
NRIs and Indians returning from abroad will have to physically show the junked 500 and 1,000 rupee notes to Customs officials at the airport and get a declaration form stamped before they can deposit the demonetised currency in RBI during the grace period.
There is a limit of Rs 25,000 and a number of documents are needed for submission.
Welcome NRI


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Due to the nature and sustainability issues of our courses we use areas throughout the Cairngorms National Park and Scotland. Once you have successfully booked a Backcountry course you will receive joining instructions detailing the exact meeting point for your course. The majority of our half and full day woodland courses are run from our School on Alvie estate.
Please contact us if you require further information on our Survival Courses in Scotland or in North East England, as well as our Training or Consultancy services.


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Seduction on a Plate: Fraises a l'Aziz
Inspiration for a new dish often strikes me in odd moments.
Some flavor combinations come to me in dreams, if you can believe that.
Others lay in wait in my subconscious mind and pop out in the midst of a conversation about an unrelated topic.
The kernel of the idea for this appetizer, which consists of strawberries macerated in a bit of sugar, black pepper and rosewater, topped with chevre which has been breaded with matzo meal and lightly fried, and dressed with pomegranate vinaigrette, came circuitously into my consciousness by way of seeing batik fabric that called to mind the exact shade of strawberries, combined with flecks of gold and swirls of deep, rich reddish brown.
These colors danced into my mind, and as I stared at the fabric, I had a taste memory of some strawberries I had once eaten at a fine Italian restaurant in Boston which had been lightly sugared, then seasoned with balsamic vinegar and black pepper. The unlikely combination popped on my palate, flooding my senses with wild imaginings of satyrs playing flutes for golden nymphs dancing on meadows perfumed by the wild strawberries they crushed underfoot and fed each other with rosy-stained fingers.
But as the fabric's colors danced to the satyrs' reedy melody in my imaginal memory, balsamic vinegar was replaced with pomegranate molasses–for years, every summer at least once or twice, I had been serving a leafy green salad with strawberries, almonds and pomegranate vinaigrette to great effect. And, of course, as I pondered salad, I remembered how well-loved a bit of fried chevre is when presented with greens and a tart dressing.
And so, as it traveled through my imagination, the dish evolved from a dessert I had tasted over a decade ago, to a combination of two of my favorite salads, finally coming together as an appetizer that combines bits of each of these dishes into a cohesive whole.
And it all came about while I was shopping for quilt fabric.
Such is the way in which my mind works–ideas bubble up from my subconscious, stirred by the most unlikely of utensils.
I am certain that you will want a recipe for this dish, but the truth is that I cannot give you one.
Not an exact one, anyway.
Well, so much of the dish is contingent upon the flavors and textures of each component. The thickness of the chevre patty depends on the texture of the cheese–if it is firmer, then it can be cut more thinly–if it is very soft, it should be shaped to be more thick. The seasoning of the strawberries requires an understanding of how sweet your berries are–if they are very ripe, they will need a minimal amount of sugar–only enough to bring out the juice and soften the berries to a velvety finish. If they are more tart, not only will they take more sugar, but also a tiny bit more rosewater, to bring out the floral quality in their fragrance. And if they are too sweet, the tiniest of pinches extra of the freshly ground black pepper will not only counterbalance the sugar, but it will also bring out a haunting fragrance that the berries possess which can often be overpowered by a too heavy hand with the sugar spoon.
The amount of sugar and oil you add to the pomegranate molasses to make the vinaigrette also depends upon the acidity of the molasses itself. Each brand differs in flavor, thickness and color, so I suggest that cooks make salad dressings with whatever molasses they have on hand, doing it all by taste and feel. I will say that the basic ratio of oil to molasses is about 3:1–as is the case with the strawberries, it is the amount of sugar which is variable, depending on the intrinsic flavor of the boiled down pomegranate juice. (Which is, of course, all that pomegranate molasses is–pomegranate juice boiled down to a thick, dark, sour-sweet syrup.)
Just use a judicious hand in making a dish like this. The beauty in it comes from the interplay between the fragrant, sensuous berries, kissed by two floral aromas–rosewater and black pepper–, the chevre, with its golden crisped exterior and melty, tangy interior, and the sweet and sour notes from the vinaigrette, which ties everything together. Do not add too much sugar, use a light hand with the rosewater and black pepper, and drizzle the vinaigrette onto the plate and the cheese with a squeeze bottle for perfect control.
And please don't forget to take out your chevre patties to let them warm up slightly before dipping them in lightly beaten egg whites and then coating them in matzo meal. If they are completely cold from the fridge, the center will not become melted enough to be interesting. And fry them in a neutral flavored oil like canola, over medium heat. You want the oil to only be a scant 1/2 inch deep in the pan and you want it to be hot enough that the patties will start to bubble immediately upon entering the pan, but not so hot that the coating immediately begins to burn.
You want it to cook quickly enough to not soak up too much oil, but not so quickly that the matzo scorches, leaving a nasty, acrid taste in the back of the diner's palate after they take a bite.
I hope that my instructions and admonitions are not too vague to be of use–but I really haven't developed this into a full-fledged, tested recipe.
I only just ran it as an appetizer special this Friday, when it sold out two thirds of the way through the evening, so in essence, I was cooking by the seat of my pants.
And, judging by the blissful expressions and soft moans coming from the tables, I believe that my navigation was unerring as I brought dish inspired by a piece of fabric, a dessert I ate once long ago and the sweet song from a satyr's flute from the liminal world of my imagination into the realm of consensual reality.
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I made a variation of this and found my self in heaven! Bliss!
And, judging by the blissful expressions and soft moans coming from the tables, I believe that my navigation was unerring as I brought dish inspired by a piece of fabric, a dessert I ate once long ago and the sweet song from a satyr's flute from the liminal world of my imagination into the realm of consensual reality.
This is so beautifully-written!
The dish sounds absolutely heavenly. I hope for at least a guide-recipe someday!
Comment by Alexis — June 23, 2008 #
I read this and fell in love with the idea of pomegranate vinaigrette. I decided to grill a steak, slice it thin, and serve it on lettuces with walnuts and raspberries. Doesn't that sound lovely? It was. Mostly. But I could NOT get the pomegranate molasses to blennnnnnnd. It wouldn't emulsify. I tried everything I could think of and finally ended up dressing the greens with the pomegranate flavored oil and dripping the goopier part on with a spoon. Please tell me where I went wrong!
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The sun shines and a large bulb of sweat trickles down my angry face. The seething mass of sweaty people walk and bump into me and I move Swiftly and dodge them. Why are people comfortable touching strangers, what happened to that Beautiful unwritten law... Personal space, I mean respect people's private space. I know, I'm a little obsessed with my space. But it's the only thing I can call mine for now. A man Huff's and puffs past me and splashes his we like feet into the filthy rain waters, running down clogged up drainages. I need an antihistamine shot, quick. Lucky for me, the rain water missed my trousers by two inches but his sweaty body didn't. I could feel it soak up on my thick long sleeve top. I always wear long sleeve to shield me from direct contact from people. Will this be enough? My wipes are in my bag, once I get into a Keke Marwa, I will charter it. Do I have seven hundred to charter it? Nope, all I have left is a hundred Naira. Just enough to take me to Oshodi. Ha, na wa ooo. No vehicle, why and how come? It must be a conspiracy. Finally, a bus shows up and no one gets in. I do, because it is calling and announcing to everyone that the fare is fifty. Half what I have. Maybe I will indeed get home today. But no one joins me and I begin to worry.
I hear it squawk and almost gorge my eyes out. Luckily, I wear shades to protect my eyes from dusts and people who speak too close to my delicate eyes.
It's an eagle, I didn't know they were this massive. It's almost the size of an Electronic vulture... I think bigger. When I say Epe vultures, you need to go by the Lagoon and see those massive flying beasts. It's the same shock I got when I first met face to face with a fox. Fixes are not cute and cuddly, they are dusty gray and brown and the size of alsasian dogs. People down play monsters because they want you to think that the world is sweet and pretty. It's a lie...
And when, tomorrow I am in the news because an eagle eat me. You will believe me.
His owner was smiling at me and says the eagle likes me. Without replying, he answered me and adds that we are on the same wavelength. The bus driver and conductor grumbled but did nothing.
Talk against my seer and your soul will be devoured by this God. I wanted to laugh but fear catch me. Any sudden movement, could agitate this creature.
I am asking him home, to his hill where he was hatched. We all long to go back to our dreams, to a place we are happy and free. Find it and I tell you, you will not need all this armour. I look at the cape, veil, raincoat, face cap and gloves I had on.
I've paid your fare, I'm dropping here. Give her my change. The conductor gives me seven hundred and I collect it. Then stop the bus at the next bus stop.
I had money to go back home but I didn't. Instead I headed to a cyber cafe and opened articles about what I loved. And even though I didn't believe the eagle had any power. I was re-energized and stopped looking down at my problems but up to my goals. I was soaring high and revamped.
My passion was reignited...
It was like a distant dream, the soft delicate sound of the sea crashing into tiny, transparent crystal sea shore.
Good morning my sweet, yes I was happy. I could taste the freshness in the air and the cool smell of fresh leaves and flowers made me smile. Holidays are a blessing, today, tomorrow and forever.
I tucked into his warm arms and loved how he wrapped his legs and arms around me.
'Ade, we need to get ready for lunch'
'Okay, get up', I say not attempting to move an inch.
'You first'
'You have your limbs around me...'
'Help me move them'
I turn my head to his smiling face, this sudden holiday in July was not such a good thing, it was the best.
'We are here to support our friend'
'Your friend'
'Henrik, did you and Daniel fight?'
''Ssshhh, sleep m dear. They won't miss us. Besides the woman worships the ground you walk on
I ignore the bait that Henrik threw my way. I'm not getting into... You are the daughter in-law of her dreams nonsense talk today.
'We missed lunch yesterday'
'So, the baby was restless', Henrik pulls me closer to him.
'Really? I didn't know you were telepathic'
'I didn't hear you complain'
I lift his heavy limbs and turn on the soft bed and faced my man.
'Let's do this now, so we can rest later'
Henrik grumbled and reluctantly gets up.
I tumble out of the bed, the latest way I get up nowadays.
'Ade, easy'
'I need ice cream'
'Me too'
'I miss Bailey's'
'Me too'
'You can have some'
'We will both break our Bailey's Irish cream fast together'
I chuckled and cup my hands over his prickly chin.
'That's so sweet', I add and quickly removed my hands.
'Get used to this, you are getting a cave man'
'Only for this trip'
'You will grow to love it'
'Then I'm going cave woman too, no shaving hidden hair's'
'You are not serious', I protest. He was not supposed to like my own idea.
The table was set and everyone was there.
'Thank you so much for joining us', Daniel's mother adds.
I courtesy and apologized and blow her air kisses at the same time.
She used her teaspoon to clink her glass and as she raised it up high she turned to Nnoye.
'Anyway, today is not about us... It's about Nnoye. The mother of my first grandchild. The woman marrying my son and the wonderful addition to my unique family. Also, her son Etim is joining us. He is welcome and would be every inch mine as he is yours'
Nnoye had tears in her eyes and she got up to hug her. Daniel joined them and I smiled and hugged the Bailey's bottle in front of me. It smelled delicious and Henrik collects the bottle and gives a Waite and whispers something to him. All the Bailey's bottles vanished and I shake my head.
Celine kicked me from under the table and I growl at her. Ajoke gave me a side eye and Bala quickly finished his glass of Bailey's.
It was magical and it was beautiful.
'She's done it', Celine whispered.
'Baged herself the society Family if her dreams'
'Good luck to her', Ajoke grumbled.
'You say it like it's a bad thing', I whispered and looked at the guy filming this event. I didn't want to be caught gossiping you know.
'Bala's wife won't let me be, the family is constantly trying to get into a will. As if I will let my husband die at his tended she's
Ajoke adds and massages his chunky stomach.
'It is work and ou4 dear Friend thinks this trip means she won. It only proves who is in charge, that is why I will forever be independent and my dear... Another man paying is not independent enough'
'So what should she do?', I asked my wise Ajoke friend.
'She didn't think this through, ask her. And please tell her that opening a shop and praying someone will come and buy something is not a business'
'She knows'
'Does she?', Ajoke asked.
In that same moment, her mother in-law to be gives her a pearl necklace with earrings.
Nnoye screamed and runs to my side and I gasped at the size of it.
'Your family portrait is tomorrow, mine pales in comparison. You can choose from the outfits I got for you or get one for yourself'
She waved a premium card and we screeched, it was time to go shopping.
All the clothes and more and some for us girls, it was really a dream trip to Fiji.
I was wondering where my phone was while I tried out dresses.
Nnoye walks in with a smirk on her face and waved my phone in the air.
'Dear.. '
'You read my phone messages'
'I just saw dear and the caller is Mr. H'
'Stop lying'
I snatched my phone and checked, she was right. He had referred to me as... Dear.
Why do men do this? Deliberately objectify a woman. And look at all the messages he sent....
Uncalled for... I swear to God who made me.
Somebody is going to burn.
Yes... Burn Bobo Burn...
**Season 2, Episode 47**
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AAA and CASCA Joint 2019 Annual Meeting November 20 – November 24 (West Building)
The American Anthropological Association is pleased to announce that together with CASCA(Canadian Anthropology Society/Société canadienne d'anthropologie), we will hold a joint conference November 20-24, 2019, in Vancouver, British Columbia. This conference will allow for the development of multiple forms of collaboration between the two associations. We are grateful to the joint committee whose work was critical to the getting the conference off the ground. Conference details forthcoming.
Event Website


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Thermal Neck Warmer
Merino Wool Multi Purpose Thermal Neck Warmer, Snood, BuffMade in Tasmania, AustraliaUSD$49
Non-mulesed and sustainably grown merino wool.
Made from our superfine 100% merino wool fabric, these versatile neck warmers are the ultimate active and outdoor wear companion piece to keep you warm and comfortable no matter what the conditions.
The Smitten neck warmer can be used to protect your neck, shield your lower face, as a sweatband over your forehead, doubled over as a lightweight beanie or any number of other combinations – a seriously good multipurpose item! Wear it hiking, climbing, running, cycling or simply out and about. No adventurer should be without one. Combine it with our tried and trusted Lightweight Beanie and Fingerless Mittens for even greater protection from the elements.Magnificent for adventure and travel, the Smitten neck warmer can be stashed away in a pocket or backpack so it's always with you, ready for your next expedition!
Made in Tasmania. Inspired by nature.
- Length approx 45cm
- Width approx 28cm
Customer Care


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The man in charge of Tennessee's community colleges and tech schools says there's plenty of room for an expected influx of students—around 5,600 over the next few years, according to one estimate.
That's once the state starts paying tuition for graduating high schoolers, under a proposal the governor will soon sign into law called the Tennessee Promise.
Enrollment in the state's community colleges has actually been down by several thousand compared to when it peaked a few years ago, just after the recession hit, and Chancellor John Morgan says right now the system has plenty of capacity.
Some funding "to be seen"
Tuition dollars for Tennessee Promise scholarships come from the state's crafty use of state lottery reserves. But paying for a student's tuition alone won't fully cover their enrollment's true cost to the state. A student at tech school's tuition might only pay for a third of the total cost of their education, with the rest already effectively subsidized by taxpayers. Morgan says at community colleges as well, the state kicks in maybe 40 percent of the cost.
In other words, while the Tennessee Promise pays for tuition, that on its own won't cover the entire cost of the expected influx of students. What will, barring another increase in tuition, is "to be seen," Morgan says.
Janet Smith, president of Columbia State Community College, acknowledges the first few years under the Tennessee Promise will require schools to ante up. School funding is based not just on sheer headcount but on the number of degrees awarded, in order to incentivize seeing students through to graduation. So, Smith says, schools will be banking on ultimately being able to get students through.
Many of the new students won't be the academic high flyers who would otherwise nab Tennessee's Hope scholarship. Nor will they be so poor as to qualify for federal Pell grants. "It's kinda those students who are in between," Morgan says.
From the state's standpoint, it's looking for a return on its investment in the form of a more educated workforce. So, won't it be a waste every time an 18-year-old the state pays for ends up quitting?
Not exactly, Morgan says, because someone who enrolls and starts earning a degree before dropping out still has a better shot of coming back and finishing later. "It's not easy, but it's easi-er to get those folks back into institutions to finish their credential."
And Smith agrees: "If a student has walked through the door before, then that door is much wider for them to walk through in their mind the second time."


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As a Medical Exercise Specialist, I get fired up to see a growing number of people over the age of 50 venturing into the fitness playground. They are my people. Unlike the trendy gym goer clad in yoga pants, sport tanks and athlete sponsored shoes, the courageous Baby Boomers show up wearing T-shirts from a 5K three years ago, workout shorts from discount racks and a pair of white leather walking shoes.
The over 50 gym goer isn't focused on looking good (yet). Today's senior population is seeking to restore function, reduce pain, prevent injuries and manage medical conditions through exercise. They are focused on improving the quality of their life rather than boosting fitness levels, and they are looking for ways to preserve independent living, avoid the nursing home and elude the operating table.
However, a majority of these individuals seeking quality living throughout their "golden years" have no idea which exercises will address their needs, which program is safe for them or how to manage a body over 50 with pain and medical conditions to consider.
That is where a medical fitness professional is needed, necessary and required. Traditional fitness programming will fall short and potentially place at risk an individual who is battling against the functional deficits after a joint replacement, damaged heart or multiple rounds of chemotherapy.
The medical exercise client population provides a great opportunity for medical fitness professionals and medical exercise programs in health clubs to flourish.
However, today's Internet-savvy Boomers will research who and where to get help when their physician suggests finding an exercise program. They have heard that not all exercise is created equal, and they will look for programs and professionals who understand who they are, what they suffer from, how to help restore function, and their quest to preserve quality living over optimal fitness levels.
To become a legitimate medical fitness specialist or program and stand out among the sea of YouTube copycats, you must commit to setting yourself apart from the rest and brand yourself as the medical fitness expert in your community
Here are three steps needed to become the go-to expert for the medical fitness population:
1. Get educated. An effective medical fitness pro must be properly educated and seek out as many opportunities to learn about and work with individuals in a special client population. This may include university courses, shadowing in medical clinics, attending support groups or attaining a professional license or specialized certification.
The best resource for fitness professionals and organizations looking to add medical fitness professionals to their staff is the Medical Fitness Network (MFN). MFN is a free online resource directory for consumers to locate fitness and allied health care professionals interested in working with people with chronic diseases and medical conditions. MFN also offers education programs and online coursework that trains fitness professionals to work with specific medical conditions. These specialized programs are written by industry experts and often have medical professionals contribute content.
2. Get connected nationally. If you want to build your practice and put yourself in front of consumers looking for medical fitness professionals in your area, you need to tap into the right databases. I have never been successful with direct marketing, advertising or value pack coupons. You need to be part of a network that is designed to bring you the right clients.
MFN has partnered with many medical and health organizations looking to connect their members with fitness professionals credentialed with the required education, experience and skill set needed to effectively serve individuals with medical conditions.
3. Get known locally. Once you complete the first two steps, I recommend developing a strategy to connect with medical providers in your community. However, here is the disclaimer: you will have a very hard time cold marketing to medical professionals. They are busy professionals that are scheduled back to back under piles of paperwork to complete daily. They likely will not have time to speak to you unless there is a reason, and that reason is their patient who is your client.
Although I have had success with cold marketing to medical professionals, my most profitable relationships started by collecting the names, emails, fax and phone numbers of medical professionals actively seeing my clients.
Here are three ways to use your raving fans and new clients to create a collaborative meet up:
1. Send an introductory fax/email. After your initial evaluation, send a fax or email on a secured server to your new client's medical doctor, doctor of chiropractic or physical therapist (MD/DC/PT) within 24-48 hours of your initial evaluation. In that email include:
- A brief introduction of who you are, what you do, who you do it to.
- A bulleted summary of your top three focus points of your medical fitness program
- A list of three to four benefits or improvements your program have upon your client's medical condition.
Note: You can also do this with existing clients. Just send a brief introductory fax to their MD/DC/PT and share why your client came to see you, what you have been doing with them, and the results you have achieved (a progress report). Medical offices are required to read any documentation that pertains to their patient's care or activity to manage care.
2. Have a client write an email to their medical provider about their success. This strategy has worked well for me in the past. A warm referral to an MD/DC/PT is a great way to open the doors of communication. Have your client share their victory story with their medical professional asking if you can either email them or stop in with some more information about your medical fitness programs.
3. Take a field trip. Do some research on common medical professionals that multiple clients are seeing. Ask your clients when their next visit, adjustment, therapy appointment is and ask if you can go with them. Have your client send a testimonial email, like the one mentioned in step two above, and ask the medical professional if he or she would be okay with you coming into shadow the appointment and ask some questions about how to best coordinate care with the fitness program you are delivering.
The key to success is to keep your emails and conversations professional with a casual feel. Do not try to sell yourself and how much you know. You are a guest in their house. Your objective is to meet the doctors and to briefly share who you are, what you do and how you can serve their patients. If they want to meet with you again, they will let you know. Your role is to share their patient's progress, present what you do and let your results speak for themselves.
It is clear that medical fitness professionals are in demand, and there are many people to help. The major obstacles you have are letting consumers know you are out there, that you understand their needs and that you have the skills necessary to help them succeed. The medical fitness field is rewarding, and I have been blessed and inspired by my tribe throughout my career. If you follow these steps, you will improve the enjoyment and longevity of your career while changing lives every day.
Trevor Wicken is owner and developer of MedEx Masters, which trains fitness, nutrition, and medical professionals how to use exercise to manage medical conditions, reduce chronic pain, and prevent recurring injuries. He has served his clients as a medical exercise practitioner for the past 15 years. He has a broad background in the fitness industry including training and management in medical, private, commercial and specialty based fitness centers. He is on the advisory board of the Medical Fitness Network. Wicken holds a bachelor's degree in sports medicine from Colorado State University and a master's degree from California University of Pennsylvania in exercise science and biomechanics. You can find out more about him on his website: www.RiseAndMove.com or email him at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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I just loved Put Up Your Duke by Megan Frampton, Dukes Behaving Badly Book Two. Nick is in the midst of an evening's pleasure with not one, not two, but three "ladies" of ill repute when he learns he has become a duke. Along with the dukedom, he acquires a fiancée.
Said fiancée Isabella has been corseted physically and emotionally to within an inch of her life to become a perfect duchess. The only time she can let down her guard is with her sister Margaret behind bedchamber doors.
The inner monologues as these two try to figure each other out are as entertaining as they are revealing of character. So are the clever excerpts before each chapter from the imaginary serial that mirrors the plot. Watching Izzy at last have an opportunity to come into her own is great fun. And the title is oh so apropos.
I don't know how I missed Book One of this series, but I am making it my business to find it. I hope Margaret gets a book of her own too.


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This is really one section but split into two if you understand my meaning.
Well at the end of my quest how did i like making this quilt, it was not hard if you know what your doing, if you are a beginner do not start with this one. I did find it a bit boring making all the arcs, but funny at the same time i became a bit obsessed with at the same time. It is a nice design and i know it will be even more lovely when quilted. the instructions were well written and every went together very nicely so if your tempted i would say have a go.
Happy Quilting


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Heckle the Band
When Heckle the Band take the stage you'll be hard pressed to come up with a bad thing to say about these three rockers. (Might we suggest screaming "Freebird!" 😉 )
With enough energy to fill an auditorium, and enough sound to rock the house, what they lack in numbers they more than make up for in pure musical joy.
Heckle the Band performing "Santa Monica' by Everclear
From 90's alternative to modern rock hits, they play the music that you love, bringing back memories and creating brand new unforgettable experiences.
From Wedding receptions and backyard bashes to bar stages and festival performances,
where ever there's a need for rock and roll Heckle the Band will be there.
Heckle the Band performing 'Closing Time' by Semisonic
Heckle the Band is:
- Eric Mills (Vocals and Guitar)
- Brad Eberth (Drums)
- Chris Kowalsky (Bass)
- Andrew Freitas (Bass)


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Trouble comes in surging waves for the men and women in "Water by the Spoonful," the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Quiara Alegría Hudes that is making its New York premiere at the Second Stage Theater. Almost all the characters in this moving collage of lives in crisis have a grim history — and maybe a grimmer future — of substance abuse. Often their addictions have cost them dearly, leading to poverty, isolation and unbridgeable chasms between once-loving parents and children.
And yet for a drama peopled by characters who have traveled a long way in the dark, "Water by the Spoonful" gives off a shimmering, sustaining warmth. Ms. Hudes writes with such empathy and vibrant humor about people helping one another to face down their demons that regeneration and renewal always seem to be just around the corner.
The most prominent strand in the play's multilayered plot concerns the continuing struggles of Elliot Ortiz (Armando Riesco), a former Marine who was wounded during a brief tour in Iraq. An aspiring actor who is scraping together a living working at a Subway sandwich shop, Elliot walks with a limp, even after multiple surgeries, and is plagued by nightmares about a traumatic encounter with a civilian in Iraq.
He lives in Philadelphia with the aunt who raised him. Now Elliot has become her caretaker as her death approaches. Elliot's older cousin Yaz (Zabryna Guevara) mostly offers emotional support. Although she is the kid from their extended Puerto Rican family who made good, teaching music at Swarthmore, the stress of an impending divorce has distracted her from offering the help Elliot could sorely use. Only when Elliot's aunt finally succumbs does Yaz find herself drawn back into the turbulent family drama, as arrangements for the funeral must be made.
Scenes depicting Elliot and Yaz trying to keep their lives on a steady course in the shadow of loss alternate with dispatches from cyberspace, exchanges among four people on a chat forum for recovering crack addicts. The administrator — her online handle is Haikumom (Liza Colón-Zayas) — tries to keep the peace in this sometimes fractious group, as when a newbie, John (Bill Heck), enters the conversation with a long post about how his Saturday-only addiction is interfering with his otherwise glittering life: a lovely wife and son, and a big bank account, thanks to the sale of a company he started.
His complacency about his problem riles two chat room participants: Clayton (Frankie Faison), a middle-aged I.R.S. worker in San Diego, and a young woman, Madeleine (Sue Jean Kim), who's just returned from the digital void to announce that she's three months sober and has moved to Japan, where she was born before being adopted by an American family, to kick-start her life.
The two strands of the plot are connected when it is revealed that Haikumom is Odessa, a long-estranged member of the Ortiz family. She learns of the death of her relative — a beloved figure in the local Puerto Rican neighborhood — when she reads of it in the paper.
"Water by the Spoonful" is the second in a trilogy of plays by Ms. Hudes centering on the Ortiz family. (The first, "Elliot, a Soldier's Fugue," was a finalist for the Pulitzer, and the final installment, "The Happiest Song Plays Last," is to be produced at the Goodman Theater this spring.)
Although this play's focus is comparatively broad — the half-dozen primary characters are all given fully developed, overlapping story lines — Ms. Hudes writes with precision and economy, so that the play doesn't feel unwieldy or overstuffed. (What does feel oppressive, unfortunately, is Neil Patel's unattractive set.)
The dovetailing of some of the stories does occasionally seem too pat: the growing friendship between Madeleine and Clayton, resulting in his impulsive trip to Japan, I found a little romanticized. But they all illuminate the play's dominant theme, the myriad ways in which human lives can intersect, and the potentially great rewards — or irreparable damage — that can result from the unlikely spark of those connections.
For Elliot, the mother-child bond was brutally sundered when he was just a boy, and yet the wound remains raw. And Odessa's impulsive desire to connect with John — she defends him when he comes in for verbal strafing on the Web forum — brings them into surprising intimacy, arrestingly depicted in the play's tender final image.
Under the direction of Davis McCallum, who also staged the premiere production in 2011 at Hartford Stage, the play's fine performers breathe richly felt life into their roles. Mr. Riesco's movingly drawn Elliot has the life-toughened exterior of a young man who is keeping his anxieties under tight but tenuous control. (Mr. Riesco portrayed the same character in the 2006 New York premiere of "Soldier's Fugue.")
As Yaz, Ms. Guevara exudes a brisk competence that occasionally falters to reveal the harassed insecurity of a woman who has had to fight to grasp every opportunity life has tossed her way.
The static quality of the scenes that are "set" online is mostly erased by animated performances from Mr. Heck ("Angels in America," "The Orphans' Home Cycle"), as the upper-middle-class striver in secret thrall to an unlikely (for him) drug; Ms. Kim as the exuberant Madeleine, whose comfort in her online connections has given way to a yearning need for a more tangible relationship; and Mr. Faison's avuncular Clayton, who has all but resigned himself to a life of solitude after his grown son's rejection. (Still, there are moments when the character's off-line activities make it unlikely that they would also be tapping away online simultaneously.)
In a brief scene depicting one of Yaz's lectures, she tries to impress on her students the beauty of John Coltrane's music. Playing a snippet from his 1964 composition "A Love Supreme," she speaks of how he uses dissonance as "a gateway to resolution." A year later, she says, his ideas had evolved, so that "the ugliness bore no promise of a happy ending."
"Water by the Spoonful" could be said to occupy the territory somewhere between those two strategies. Resolution remains tentative for most of the characters, and while the promise of a happy ending is in sight for at least some of them, all have learned from hard experience that people break promises as often as they keep them.


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Crucial M500 full review
Behind Crucial stands Micron Technology, one of the world's largest semiconductor makers, which may go some way to explain the great value that Crucial SSDs have offered to date. See all Storage reviews.
The M500 is the replacement for our award-winning m4 SSD, now available in capacities from 120, 240, 480 and even 960 GB. The capacity is down on previous generations which relied on less over-provisioning than the M500 – hence the SandForce-like reduced drive sizes here – although the 480 GB model we tested still managed to offer the best price/capacity figure of the group, at just 67p/GB. See Group test: what's the best SSD (solid-state drive)?
Spare capacity may be of more importance here as NAND flash manufacture uses smaller dies – here Micron employs 20nm MLC NAND which is likely to have slighly reduced lifespan compared to earlier technology. Shelving off nearly 20% gives the controller more opportunity to assign fresh flash if blocks die. Take a look at the Corsair Neutron GTX 240GB SSD review too.
Crucial specifies the M500 with 72 TB data writing endurance. That converts to 65 GB of writes every day for the 3-year warranty period, so providing the drive is smart enough to not write over the same cells every time, longevity should be satisfactory. And all SSDs will include wear-levelling algorithms, to do just that.
Other features include AES-256 and TVG Opal 2.0 drive encryption – although this may only be available to Windows 8 at present – and adaptive thermal monitoring to throttle back speed when the drive is pushed beyond its heated happy place.
In the controller's chair this time is a Marvell chip again, the Marvell 88SS9187, which still gives high performance with all types of data. This is followed with 512 MB of fast DDR3 memory on the 480 GB models.
Crucial specifies up to 80,000 IOPS, for both read and write. On our bench with the AS SSD tool we saw a trade that favoured reads (85k) slightly over writes (75.8k), but both good figures.
CDM reported even faster read capability with nearly 90k peak read IOPS. That benchmark gave less outstanding sequential read/writes, with the 470/427 MB/s results nearly the reverse of the Corsair's write-centric result.
Even ATTO couldn't drag more write speed, settling on a relatively humdrum – by the high standards of these over-achieving drives – result of 539 MB/s reads and 433 MB/s writes.
Crucial M500: Specs
- Model: M500
- Capacity: 480 GB
- Memory cache: 512 MB DDR3
- Controller: Marvell 88SS9187
- Encryption: AES 256-bit
- Firmware update support: ISO boot disc (n/a at present)
- Warranty: 3 years
- Price per gigabyte: 67p