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From Obo Arada Shawl
I have read your article entitled "Hagos, the Cuban Missile Crisis and his deportation…" that was posted at http://www.mahder.com website of December 14, 2008. You seem to be surprised for not knowing how Hagos G.Y was deported and how his "comrades" of the time had betrayed him. We all should understand that his friends not only had betrayed Hagos but they have also betrayed the Ethiopian Revolution in general and the true cause of the Ethiopian Student Movement in particular.
At the time, Hagos G. Y. wrote about the two-headed hydra before he abandoned the Ethiopian Revolutionary Struggle. I do not know to this day whether his reference to the two-headed hydra was to the mythological serpent or the plant hydra? በአፍዋ በልታ በአፍዋ የምትተፋ
Since Hagos left the student movement, the two-headed struggle had continued to this day albeit in a different form.
On the one hand, there is the hydra, which re-grows a portion of its own body even after it has lost or injured. Examples in these categories including friends of Hagos, are plenty.
While on the other hand, there is the hydra plant, which regenerates its stems, leaves, and flowers so long as its roots are not destroyed. Thanks to people such as DEBTERAW EPRP is such an example.
In your article you said the following:
"As a historian and researcher I have been engaged for over 40 years in Ethiopian studies and publications. For a good part of my life I have also been engaged as an activist in the defence of human rights, in Ethiopia and in particular since my exile in Italy in 1986."
I am writing to condemn in the strongest terms possible against Ethiopian Human Rights activists and to demand the freedom of EPRP leaders. The so-called Ethiopian Human Rights organizations including the founding chairman, professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam have denied knowing Tsegaye G. Medhin, DEBTERAW. Personally Zeru Kihshen (I presume he was your friend) told me about Mesfin's total denial having known a person by the name of Tsegaye G. M.
EPRP has been vilified in propaganda dissemination by the DERG, Woyane, Shaebia, other groups/organizations and other media groups (the party) as "anarchist", "socialist", "agents of imperialism" etc. & etc.
Its members have been criminalized for defending themselves when TPLF declared war on them besieging their base with the largest military operation in guerrilla history and attacking them. That was when DEBTERAW was captured and held incommunicado until today in the dungeons of Tigrai.
This is outrageous, though consistent with rulers of Ethiopia's anti-democracy policies towards genuine indigenous political parties. The EPRDF is still carrying policies anti-democracy in the name of democracy. አኢትዮጵያ የሰራልሽ ቀርቶ የገደለሽ በላ፡ እሰከ መቸ?
Some high-ranking collective leadership members including Debteraw are not only imprisoned but also held incommunicado since 1991. The EPRP recognized DEBTERAW as prominent PERSONALITY IN THE HISTORY of the organization. In the eyes of his enemies DEBTERAW is classified as "dangerous". There is severe discrimination and persecution against DEBTERAW and his EPRP. WHY?
The case of EPRP leadership has been in the open since 1991. The prisoners were not even brought to trial let alone released.
What I don't understand and what is unbelievable is the reason why and how the Human Rights Chairman of professor MWM became ignorant of the whereabouts and why people like you who are historians, researchers and defenders of human rights remain silent on these prisoners.
DEBTERAW is a shining example of what is going wrong in our country. I think it is a fact that again and again, that the voices of activists like you don't become part and part of the equation when individuals liberties are tramped over.
I am aware of your contribution toward Preserving and Protecting Ethiopian interests and resources, though not for rehabilitation. Why are we so silent about the case of DEBTERAW? Should we wait another 40 years to know?


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So following on with Chris's mini-blog update, here's mine: We've been quiet on here the last couple of weeks…but only because it has been a flurry of activity filled with daily discussions with different vendors, friends, and each other about … Continue reading
Category Archives: Islington
In The News
Rather excitingly this week we've been mentioned in a couple of news articles. First as Donny has already mentioned, there is the Islington Gazette piece about the blog. I know we are meant to be terribly excited about being hi-tech … Continue reading
More about Islington
So here is another article about us and this blog, this time in the Islington Gazette. We're sandwiched in between a few stories about the Arsenal football team, a missing paedo who failed to check in with the police, and … Continue reading
A gay wedding story starts in Islington
It has been both interesting and rewarding to see that this blog has followers, and that it is starting to generate some interest outside of the circle of friends and family that we originally created this for. We wanted this … Continue reading

subset: commoncrawl


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I was sick this weekend, so the shows were challenging. We don't cancel shows for sickness.
We visited friends in Bryn Mawr, PA and then went to the Point, where we opened for the
Kennedys. The Point is a cool venue with wood and warm, dim lighting. The Kennedys are great
people and spectacular performers. Pete is an amazing guitarist. They talked about moving to
New York City, and played their newly home recorded and mixed album before the show.
We finished off the weekend with a house concert. We knew this couple when they lived in New
York City and had just met. Now they have bought a house and we were their first house
concert performers. We had a great time, and my voice held out until our very last song. The drive
home was rainy and snowy. The radio had threatened snow, but we made it back to Boston before
the storm.
The end of January and beginning of February we have been busy finishing the album. We had
several guests. Duke Levine played guitar and mandolin on some of the tracks.
He is a masterful player and performer. Jim Henry played alternate acoustic, electric guitars, and
banjo on other tracks. Richard Gates played bass, Doug Plavin drum kit, and Seth Farber
accordian and organ. Doing music ourselves means we are intimately involved with all aspects of
the production, mixing, mastering graphics, marketing and distribution.
In the second set, Mary Lou Lord announced during her performance that this would be her last live performance.
Mary Lou was a frequent subway performer and busker. Meredith and I have done some subway performing, and it can be
fairly grueling, especially if it
s your only income. I had seen Mary Lou Lord perform in Harvard Square, and she mentioned
between songs that she had carpel tunnel syndrome. On another occasion I saw her and her voice was barely more than a whisper.
Even after getting a record contract with Sony's WORK group, she always went back to street performing, claiming she loved it.
Saturday we took photos for the album by a reservoir
at the Winchester Fells. I love to run in the woods around these bodies of water. One of my favorite spots in the pump house, a beautiful brick structure with rusting
metal doors. Our friend Michael Halle took over 300 digital photos that day. I am writing from the
mastering studio, listening to the new album blasting from high quality speakers. This is probably
the highest quality at which I will ever hear this album. These rooms are actually independent of each
other and the building, with buffers between the non adjoining walls and a layer of sand above the
ceiling to insulate the offices above. The engineer and I talked about the differences between
digital and analog tape, and he mentioned that "analog" film (as opposed to video, which is digital)
even picks up the difference in air quality between New York and LA, so that "NYPD Blue" scenes
filmed in New York look bluer than those filmed in Los Angeles. He has some interesting
perspectives on music and film, and how similar the two genres are in terms of capturing them on
a recording.
We traveled to Attleboro. (I've always wondered why some maps and signs say "Attleboro" and
others say 'Attleborough" - did the final consonants get dropped in a budget cut? Did they go out of style with the "u" in "colour")?.
We opened for Kerri Powers at the Rug Room Coffeehouse in Attleboro MA. Kerri writes and sings country music.
She has a lovely voice. I enjoyed especially a song she wrote called "Battle Road," about the unhappy residents
of a country road. Kerri told us about her travels and her family, and how it is challenging to balance her family and music career.
The sunday school has a may pole in the corner, and had painted their room purple.
We then traveled to Vermont to play a show in Rutland. We stayed with our great-uncle Evan and our great-aunt Edith, who are both more than eighty years old now.
His wife Edith was in Florida visiting relatives. A neighbor, Tengy was staying with Evan to help cook and shop. Tengy talked about
his plans to drive the whole length of the Americas, from Chile all the way to Alaska. You need to take a ferry to cross some
places where the road does not traverse the jungle.
Evan worked as a head librarian in Detroit Michigan for many years. He still enjoys reading - books lining the walls of the
farm house that he and his wife retired to. They have every "flavor" of retriever: golden, chocolate and labrador. They love those dogs.
We had a fun show in Rutland - well attended with a warm audience.
We then traveled to Avon MA, for a Habitat for Humanity benefit. Avon Baptist church does a lot of community outreach, with an active youth group.
Friday we had a live radio interview with John Sincock at KBCS radio. He has been a volunteer folk radio host for nearly 14 years -
and he is very supportive of young artists. He also announced a local event "Alpacapaloosa" featuring Alpaca Llamas.
After the show we headed out to our first show on Whidbey Island. We picked Pam up and drove up Rt 5 to Mukilteo. Meredith
said it sounded like a neat place, but its more of a launching point for the ferry to Whidbey Island. Cars line the
main road and wait for the ferry. We pulled away from the shore and caught a glimpse of a light house (pictured below)
The ride across the water was about 45 minutes. We got off on the island and drove up
along green countryside. we came to Coupeville, a small town with a tourist area by the water, and the high school and
farmland on the land side. The people of Whidbey Island
are proud of their home, and their community. Verne, the concert organizer is a "retired" school teacher, who now
sings in a Sea Shanty group, runs the concert series, and is part of a group of citizens who go around
and clean the beaches of the Island, and also give school programs about the environment. (Thats a busy retirement!)
(I later heard Verne on NPR, on the show "Rewind" telling a story about his years in the Army. There was an "etra" tank on the base
they were at in france, and worried that they couldnt account for this extra, he and his company buried the whole 1 ton tank!)
We played in the high school autorium to a large crowd. The crowd was entusiastic, singing along to
songs. When I mentioned that we had a new album in the works, but we'd have to come back later since it wasn't done yet, and
someone in the crowd yelled "please come back soon".
During the break so many people bought CDs we worried that we didn't bring enough for the trip.
Everyone was so friendly, and so proud of their Whidey Island home.
We stayed in a lovely bed and breakfast near the shore. The owners made a delicious "stuffed friench toast" for breakfast.
Then we spoke with the other guests in the B&B and the owners. They owners talked about how you have to be careful
when buying land on Whidbey Island because some plots do not have water rights. Apparently there are many people holding
plots of land, unable to build or sell until someone else sells them water rights. We walked around the shore, looking at the stores and admiring the view.
We drive up to the northern point of the island, passing through the developed part near the Navy base. Islanders have a "love/hate" relationship with the
base, which offers jobs but also brings development. This island has other problems as well:
the state of Washington has no income taxes, so the whole state is in fiscal crisis, but it is a lovely place.
At the northernmost point of the island is "Deception Pass," named because early settlers thought the
island was a peninsula until they came upon the pass (we thought it should be called "relevation pass" instead.)
Blue water churned far below the bridge.
We played a show at the Grateful Deli sponsored by the Seattle Folklore Society. The volunteers transform the deli into a venue for Saturday performances.
We played here a few Septembers ago. The barista Wes remembered us - he said that we had inspired him to release an
album of songs he had written about the Northwest, and he gave us a copy.
On Sunday March 24 we took a fifteen minute ferry to Vachon Island to play at a coffee shop there.
The local movie house was hosting an "Oscar's night" where people could come in gowns and watch the Oscars on the big screen.
We had a good crowd for our afternoon show,
and afterward we took a tour of the island. Though it is close to Seattle, Vachon is still fairly rural and green.
That evening we went to a cool restaurant back on the mainland. The brick walled restaurant/deli had
large wooden tables and chairs and beautiful textiles dividing the space into smaller areas. We caught up with Pam and some other friends
and saw a bit of an improv performance by a local improv group called "Jet City".
Thursday we traveled to Portland OR for a show. We stayed with a friend from college. He and his wife own a house in a nice neighborhood
and have a baby son. We met up with Anne Weiss, a performer based in Portland. She lives in a cute house with a garden
and a roomate. Anne was planning a trip back East, and we gave her som tips on venues, and played some music together. Again
we talked about how it is tough to make a good living in music, but it sure is fun. The show at the Mt Tabor Pub
did not go as well as we had hoped. Attendance was somewhat small, but Dave Carter, of Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer came to the
show. We had recorded one of Dave's songs on our latest album, and we really like Dave and Tracy's music. Dave said he
had some songs for two female voices that he wanted to show us, and we decided to try to meet the next morning.
Friday morning we could not reach Dave, but figured he was busy and we'd catch up later. Anne and her roomate took us to one
of the tallest waterfalls in Oregon, which happens to be conveniently located next to the highway. Annes' roomate, a native Portlander,
told us about how he had watched Mt Hood erupt a few years back - am amazing story. The sun blazed down on us as we
hiked up the path near the falls. We enjoyed the walking and learning about the local geography.
Our last show of the tour was in Olympia WA. We drove up along Rt 5 admiring the views of the mountains. We played at the
Traditions Cafe (www.traditionsfairtrade.com), store of things from around the world, bought and sold on a "fair trade" policy, which
means that the artisans are paid a fair wage for their work. I walked aroudn this store for a long time and we ended up buying a few
items to take home...We shared the show with a local duo, and the crowd was large and appreciative - a nice way to end the trip.
We bought some gifts for Pam, and cleaned out her car in thanks for letting us borrow it, then Sunday we flew back East.
Pittsburgh has undergone some changes since we were there. They tore down Three Rivers Stadium - a televised event - and
now have a seperate baseball and football stadium. There are developments along the river where run down tenements used to crumble.
That evening we played at the Quiet Storm, a coffee shop/venue run by an Ithaca expatriate. There were dinosaurs hanging from the
ceiling, and the tile floor had every possible color in it. Carlos Pena, a talented guitarist, played a pick up session with
some other musicians to start the night, then we played before two other acts. We also caught up with
some friends, one of whom had been sick and looked much better.
Sunday we drove to Philadelphia and played at the Folk Factory in a beautiful chapel. Voices of a Different Dream shared the show.
They are three poets who speak and sing their vivid poetry. We drove home late Sunday night.
We played in Piedmont hall on Somers CT on a warm April night. We had a very nice turnout,
and Peter Fernandez a Boston bass player and pianist back us up. I had a sore throat,
but was able to sing.
Saturday we played in beautiful Chelmsford near Lowell. The church sat next to a beautiful cemetary, with
colonial homes all around. Again, the weather was warm, and the sky weighed with deep blue gray clouds on one side and sunshine on the other.
Saturday we opened for the Kennedys at the Mozaic Room Coffeehouse in Avon MA. They are talented performers and very kind people.
We look up to them for their talent, kindness and their persistance in the tough world of the music business.
Sunday we played in Chepatchet RI at the Meeting House, after brunch with our Mom and Grandparents.
It was a warm and wet day, again a great day for an afternoon performance (as we did last time we played at this church).
Last time we played at the church, they had begun doing renovations. This time, the renovations were done and the church had a new white
coast of paint and new red carpet. We drove home under the gray raining skies.
This part of RI is somewhat rural, with winding roads and old churches and town centers.


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Table of contents
DevOps combines collaboration and transparency to speed development, implementation, and innovation throughout the organization. But for DevOps to drive business success, teams must collect and share critical data in real time across the entire organization—from the performance impact of the latest code release to the percentage of downtime during the latest traffic spike. Of course, that's just the beginning: For DevOps efforts to truly pay off, you need to show key stakeholders that your work has a positive impact on your business. Here are six ways New Relic can help you move faster and ensure your DevOps initatives are working.
1. Get everyone on the same page.
Running a digital business is a team sport, with involvement across development, operations, and business teams. However, as the rate of change increases in DevOps environments, these diverse teams often get out of sync because they rely on different data sources and tools. New Relic charts, dashboards, and alerts can create a single, powerful, and easy-to-understand source of truth for stakeholders across the company. That can mean sharing dev and ops perspectives using New Relic Insights dashboards or tracking environment health status via Service Maps in New Relic APM, which can speed top-level troubleshooting by providing a single pane of glass that highlights throughput, error rate, and latency for every connected service. New Relic Infrastructure meanwhile, can surface server issues that are affecting performance, and you can use New Relic Synthetics scripts to monitor SLA compliance by checking if the app is meeting at agreed-upon uptime goals.
It's easier to understand each other when you're looking at the same data.
2. Use Dynamic Baseline Alerts to get started fast.
Given the hundreds of moving parts you need to track in modern software environments, it can take a long time for teams to figure out alert thresholds for them all. Whether you're dealing with code metrics, database metrics, hardware metrics, or business metrics, Dynamic Baseline Alerts help you automatically set useful initial baselines for all your metrics, without having to do research. Then you can refine them further over time to find the sweet spot that flags problems that could affect customers without waking you up with false positives. DevOps is about shared responsibility across diverse teams, and alerts can help everyone involved take a vested interest in the status of the application.
3. Keep an eye on the container stack.
To truly understand what's going on with your apps, you need insight into your entire technology stack, from the infrastructure to the code to the user interface to the customer experience, on the web or on a mobile device. Increasingly, that includes container technologies like Docker, which help DevOps teams build and deploy distributed applications that can run anywhere. Unfortunately, containers can also create a blind spot for monitoring as many containers live only for a few minutes or less, not long enough for traditional monitoring to notice their existence. Use New Relic's Docker monitoring to illuminate that blind spot with an app-centric view of the relationships between applications, servers, and Docker containers, helping bring context to the tracking of short-lived containers.
4. Track changes across the deployment pipeline and infrastructure.
When using continuous integration/continuous deployment, the rapid pace of change can obscure the complex effects of any given update. New Relic can give you full-stack visibility into the real-time impact of changes at every layer of your app, from customer experience to code and containers. Deployment Markers in New Relic APM, for example, help you track when change events happen—even if they're not instrumented in New Relic—and what was impacted, from the end-user experience to application performance. New Relic Infrastructure, meanwhile, adds change and performance monitoring to capacity and utilization issues—all married in the same interface. You can also use Insights dashboards to measure everything from deploys per engineer/team and number of deploys to specific apps or failed and successful deploys.
Everyone can point to an item on the dashboard and say, "It got bad when we did this!"
5. Master Game Days.
Game-day simulations are a great way to test the limits of your system. But what's the best way to find out if the processes in your runbooks are robust enough to survive various problems, and how do you validate your production steps under load? Just as important, how do you track the effects of the stress tests you conduct? For the former, Game Day "Red Teams" can use New Relic Synthetics to simulate problematic traffic scenarios and try to break things. The "Blue Team," meanwhile, can rely on the entire New Relic Digital Intelligence Platform—particularly New Relic Insights dashboards and New Relic APM alerts—to help track what's happening in real time, determine solutions, and make sure they're actually solving the problem.
6. Tie software performance to business goals.
As with any transformation effort, for your DevOps efforts to be a true success, you need to show more than better software results. You need to demonstrate positive business benefits. That can be more complicated than you think. One specific change, for example, might cut response time (which is usually good) but also reduce conversions (which is pretty much always bad). Using New Relic Insights, you can create dashboards to track not just software performance, but business metrics like conversion rates, average revenue per user, customer acquisition costs, churn rates, subscription renewals, and recurring revenue. Shared goals help everyone relate their work to a measurable set of indicators of success. This data-driven approach can improve prioritization and decision-making.
If your software engineers don't know what a conversion rate is, you probably aren't DevOpsing!
Turbocharge your DevOps initiative
Learn more about the what, why, and how of data-driven DevOps.Yes, please


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Chinese condom makers Elasun have released a great Olympic condom campaign using 5 Olympic disciplines. We are covering this viral campaign on the main blog timely for the start of the Olympic Games in Beijing today. Just in case you're wondering it's Archery, Basketball, Cycling, Rings Men and Swimming.
Ingenious Olympic Condom Campaign by Elasun
Condom News Aug 8, 2008 0


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Colfax Flats
The convenience of Hennepin Avenue and the fun of being close to everything Uptown has to offer - that's waiting for you at your Colfax Flats apartment home. Our studio, one and two-bedroom apartments feature hard flooring, unique floor plans with built-ins and updated kitchens.
2315 Colfax Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55405
New windows, smoke-free living, and free on-site storage makes living at Colfax Flats the exception - and not the rule. Plus, the management office is just across the street at Motiv Apartments.
Motiv Apartments
1006 West 24th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55405
Monday 9 am - 5 pm
Tuesday 9 am - 5 pm
Wednesday 9 am - 5 pm
Thursday 9 am - 5 pm
Friday 9 am - 5 pm
Saturday by appointment
Phone: 612.377.3283
Fax: 952.929.2006


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White N Wild Snowmobile Tours
DescriptionWhite N Wild Snowmobile tours offers full and half day snowmobiling trips, and a Starlight Ride.
Guided trips are filled with breathtaking views of scenery and wildlife. Each guest operates a new snow machine. Full day trips last approximately 4-5 hours and include a delicious hot lunch served at one of the remote lodges.
Or, enjoy a beautiful Starlight Ride in the Rocky Mountains with a chance of even seeing the Northern Lights. Evening trips are approximately 2 1/2 hours. White N Wild provides new snow machines, helmets, mittens, snowmobile suits and boots, experienced guides, delectable lunches and return transportation.


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Small Talk Saves Lives2 years ago
For every life lost on the railway, six are saved by the actions of those around them. Raising awareness of the help all commuters can provide to those in need, director Matt Hopkins joins with the Samaritans and Network Rail to highlight how small talk has the power to save lives. Find out more about the campaign here.


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Next Day Delivery
UK Mainland
Onstock Items
Here at Jolee we understand that people buy from other people so rather than being this 'faceless' Internet company we are real people! Jolee is a husband and wife team of Lee and Joanne Morgan. Lee used to work for a large local authority and Joanne as a seamstress. Jolee was created after we had bought some oilcloth and we were enthralled by the designs out there. A chance conversation with a sales rep for a fabric company led to the creation of Jolee on a small scale. Fast forward a few years and we are one of the largest suppliers of Oilcloth and PVC Vinyl Tablecloths in the UK.
In 2015 Jolee moved from Manchester to the slightly quieter surroundings of East Devon. Now located in the idyllic Bishops Court Gardens in Clyst St Mary we are able to not only trade Online but also have built up a solid base of customers locally in Devon. We are certain you will find us a friendly bunch here at Jolee!
Apart from being able to eat more food than should be humanly possible (his excuse is because he is always cycling!), Lee's day to day duties include sourcing new designs, liaising with existing suppliers, placing orders and developing future growth for Jolee. When not in work Lee is normally out on his bike in order to burn off all the food he eats!
Joanne had to be taken away from ordering new stock as we would be overrun with new designs such is her love for fabric. Joanne keeps the 'cogs moving' ensuring that everything is done on time. As an accomplished curtain-maker Joanne is also responsible for sewing together our larger tablecloths, sewing edging onto them. We also catch her from time to time pinching off-cuts to make little craft projects for birthday presents.
Barbara is the friendly voice of Jolee. Whether calling up to order a tablecloth or cotton fabric or sending us an e-mail Barbara will be your first port of call. Offering friendly and helpful advice Barbara has a wealth of knowledge to share with our customers
Amanda or 'Mandy' as she is known to the team is possibly the most organised person we have met. Mandy has a well worked system when organising the cutting area and regularly shouts at Lee for putting rolls out of place. Mandy also helps with sewing together the larger tablecloths and is also a keen crafter making items to give as gifts to friends and family. Mandy is also a very accomplished cake-maker but much to the annoyance of Lee and the rest of the team she doesn't bake enough for us, she is also an avid viewer of Great British Bake off!
James is the newest member of the Jolee team having joined us on a modern-apprenticeship. James has quickly become an integral part of the team and is responsible for ensuring our shiny website is kept up to date and all things e-commerce. James has questionable taste in music and jeans but is a very welcome addition to the team.


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Our staff at the travel agencies is not just doing a job – they are enthusiastically committed to your MOST PLEASANT TIME OF THE YEAR: your holidays. You can be assured that we care for our clients - from the first booking up to your arrival back home. We have all well-known tour operators available to book package tours, air tickets, hotel accommodation or to rent a car.
and many others
In addition Neukam-Reba has been honoured as Canada & Bahamas specialist.


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Posted on Wednesday 16 January 2013 by Ulster Business
Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster is pictured with Michelle Kerr, President of Oxford Consulting Group and Alastair Hamilton, Chief Executive, Invest NI after announcing the US company's investment plans in Belfast.
The Belfast office will be the first operation outside of the US for OCG, a technology consulting firm specialising in services and solutions for supply chain management, business to business integration, and IT staffing.
Invest NI has offered £330,000 of assistance to attract the Ohio-based company, which was established in 1998 and employs almost 200 professionals.
Michelle Kerr, Founder, Chairwoman and President of Oxford Consulting Group, said: "We were very impressed with the quality of Northern Ireland's offering and with the support made available to us by Invest NI. The Belfast operation will play a key role in supporting our projected growth, which will see us double revenue by 2015."
The IT industry has been a major success story for Invest NI through the recession with several high profile companies either setting up in Northern Ireland for the first time or expanding existing operations, including CME Group, NYSE, CITI, and Liberty IT.
Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster attributed the arrival of Oxford Consulting to a combination of factors, not least the availability of talented IT staff in Northern Ireland, cost competitive environment and technically advanced infrastructure.
"These new high quality jobs will pay salaries more than double the private sector average and will contribute around £1.4m a year to the economy. Investments like this demonstrate that despite the challenging global economic climate, businesses that can offer high quality services focused on customer needs will continue to grow," she said.
The announcement is a welcome boost in the face of growing concerns that rioting linked to Belfast City Council's decision to fly the Union Flag only on designated days, will discourage investment in Northern Ireland.
Sources at Invest NI told Ulster Business that the ongoing protests and associated violence are unlikely to have much impact on projects that are currently in progress, but could make it harder to attract new prospects.
"Northern Ireland is a look and see destination for many companies. Once we get them here we can sell the benefits to them, but if you can't get them here in the first place it is impossible to do that. A solution that brings the rioting to an end must be found sooner rather than later," said one senior executive.
© 2020 Ulster Business


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Lemon Pound Cakeposted by Andrea | 09/17/2010
I'm a sucker for anything lemon — drinks, desserts, breads, even this delicious lemon hand cream!
My recipe for Lemon Pound Cake is so full of lemony goodness; it's a crowd-pleaser anywhere I take it!
I often make several loaves at a time and freeze them for whenever I'm asked to bring a dessert. Then, all I have to do is make up the glaze and I'm ready to go — looking like I slaved away in the kitchen all day!
I love cooking from scratch because the ingredients are often SO simple. Plus I know exactly what I am — or am not — putting into my food. Unfortunately, I also know exactly what I'm consuming {yup, all that butter and sugar…but hey, I didn't say this was health food!}
For the Pound Cake:
- 1 c. butter, softened
- 3 c. sugar
- 6 eggs
- 5 T. lemon juice
- 1 T. grated lemon peel
- 2 t. lemon extract
- 3 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 t. baking soda
- 1/4 t. salt
- 1 1/4 c. sour cream
For the Glaze:
- 1/4 c. sour cream
- 2 T. butter, softened
- 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
- 3 T. lemon juice
- 2 t. grated lemon peel
- 1 t. lemon extract
Get the Best Lemon Flavor:
Baking with lemons isn't like baking with chocolate; when you look at this bread, you can't visually SEE the lemon {like you can see chocolate}…so you want to make sure you can TASTE the lemon.
I have found that 2 lemons, paired with 3 teaspoons of lemon extract, gives me the perfect amount of lemon juice, zest, and flavor for this dessert. There's NO guessing if this is lemon or not!
I use my micro-plane grater to quickly and easily zest the lemons. One lemon usually yields about 1 T. of zest.
If you hold the zester over the lemon, you can collect the zest right inside the grater.
For the Pound Cake:
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, and sugar until light and fluffy — about 5 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in lemon juice, peel and extract
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt
- Add flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the sour cream. Beat just until combined.
- Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. loaf pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Glaze: (wait until the cake has cooled)
- In a small mixing bowl, beat the sour cream and butter until blended
- Gradually add powdered sugar
- Beat in lemon juice and peel
- Drizzle over the cake
- Enjoy!
Yummy, delicious, 'lemony' goodness!
Visit my virtual recipe box for more simple, delicious, family friendly, recipes!
Filed under: Food
- Labels:: dessert
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17 comments
Andrea, have you ever added blueberries to these? I'm looking for a good lemon-blueberry recipe to take to a brunch this weekend. This one looks so good I'd love to add blueberries and stop searching!
scie circulaire12/13/2016
Howdy! Quick question that's completely off topic.
Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My site looks weird when browsing from my iphone 4.
I'm trying to find a template or plugin that might be able to fix this problem.
If you have any recommendations, please share. Thank you!
Thanks so much — i actually do have a support page where people can donate if they wish: https://andreadekker.com/show-your-support/
meilleurescie sabre12/08/2016
Hmm is anyone else encountering problems with the images on this blog loading?
I'm trying to determine if its a problem on my end or if it's
the blog. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I made this yesterday, froze one, saved one to make the strawberry cups for tonight's dessert. I didn't quite get as much zest, but otherwise made this the same as your recipe. Mmmmm! I think I could eat the whole thing!
Have you ever made this into a bundt pound cake? If so, what's the cooking time? Also, your comment about 2 lemons, paired with 3 teaspoons of lemon extract doesn't equal what the recipe calls for. Am I missing something. Thanks.
Delicious! Thank you. Made this recipe last night and took the bread to a BBQ today, it was a hit. I made one loaf and 24 cupcakes out of this recipe. 🙂
I made this today but there was enough batter to fill to 9″ loaf pans as well as two mini-loaf pans. I followed the directions exactly, so not sure why it made so much batter, but it tastes delicious!
Um. YUMMY!!! I made this and then froze the loaves for later – later came yesterday when we whipped up the glaze and ate half the loaf before we knew what we were doing. SO SO GOOD.
YUM! We finally made this tonight. We didn't have enough sour cream so we substituted butter in the glaze recipe and it still turned out delish. Thanks
Ann Kroeker09/18/2010
Wow, fantastic pictures of a luscious-looking pound cake! I'm pretty sure pound cake got its name from the weight of butter that goes into it. 😉
Thanks so much for linking to Food on Fridays so we can swing by, meet you, and salivate over this delicious post!


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Without a doubt, a healthy heart is the key to a healthy mind, body and soul. We are more prone to heart ailments in today's hectic world more than ever before. It is becoming increasingly evident that heart diseases don't affect us in our fading years alone but can visit us any time. Heart Secure packages are designed to make sure that you can detect heart ailments, if any, and start to work towards living hearty life.


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Exponential Gratitude | Sermon from 11/25/2018
I am thankful that once again this year we have this extra Sunday between Thanksgiving and the beginning of Advent, because it gives us a chance to just breathe deeply before the crush of holiday activities. Next Sunday we will begin an advent journey that will lead us to finding the hope, love, joy and [...]Read More
Give To God | Sermon from 11/18/2018
This morning, as you look at the shoe boxes collected right now, how many lives do you see changed? If I told you there were 257 boxes here right now, how many lives do you see changed? If you said 257, you still haven't grasped this idea of living exponentially. When we live exponentially, we [...]Read More
Join God's Work – David Carter | Sermon from 11/11/2018
Have you ever had one of those right place, right time moments? Those times when things just worked out in your favor, and you know if the circumstances would've been a little different, you would've missed the opportunity of a lifetime? I may have shared this story before, but whenever I was in high school [...]Read More
Plant A Seed | Sermon from 11/4/2018
How many apples do you see in my hand? If you are thinking there is just one – then you need to expand your vision. In this apple there are seeds that can produce trees, which over time will produce hundreds of apples, whose seeds can produce thousands of trees, which over time will produce [...]Read More


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If your group will be using the IES as a pre-/post- assessment, follow these steps. Note: there is usually a significant event between the first and second times the participants take the IES. For example, a group of students may take the IES before a study abroad program, and then take it again after returning.
- If you will be paying for your group to use the IES, you will need to purchase a seat for each group member. Follow the instructions to purchase seats. Be sure to purchase Resurvey seats (US$20).
- Follow the instructions to Create an IES Group.
- In Step 2g of the instructions, in the Group Settings section, there is the question "Will the group complete a Resurvey?" Click the radio button for "Yes."
- When you're ready to start your second survey, the "post-" survey, click on the icon in the Resurvey column (circled in red above).
- Read the instructions and click the checkbox. Click the Begin Resurvey button. Click OK on the popup message to confirm the initiation of the resurvey.
- You will be prompted to update the group in the following ways:
- Create a new end date for the survey
- Verify the group members and adjust as necessary
- Note: all participants are paid for during the first time through the IES. You will not need to do anything with the Payment Option menu at this time.
4. Click Save and Continue.
5. Preview and customize the email invitations as necessary. Click Save and Continue.
6. Send the email invitations when you're ready.
7. Click My Groups. The name of the group will now include "(Resurvey)".
8. Once the survey is complete, follow the instructions for accessing reports. The reports will now include an additional page showing the participant's or the group's previous scores. Current scores will be on the first score summary page, with the previous scores on the following page.


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51 3 11 Sunday 11p
Brahms is cold, what life he did express was sterile.
Most men are not artists, but business men because there it is easier to be a man and live in ascendancy over the work.
I will not become a man until I realize women are ornaments and must be handled as such with respect, or interest. And in being ornaments to his essence, they make a man a man.
I felt a woman's breast for the first time tonight. Me, twenty and I think to feel proud! What was it? It was an event only because I had said it would be.
I had to watch that I didn't go too fast, I must be afraid as well as bold, and eager. I must soothe and seduce. Were, [Luke], you were dead!
She was very passionate and afraid and nervous. After a while I pulled her blouse from her skirt and slipped my hand under to her skin. I was not afraid. I'd done this before, other skins, another sex, but same thing, purpose.


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I don't think I have ever fit well into PMI pants or the Microsoft t-shirt. I have always thought PMI, with its lists, inputs, outputs, certification ribbons and…has been, well, not always very exciting.
Once at the PMI conference in Houston, I was staying in the Four Seasons next to the convention center where we were running a development program in parallel. I jumped in a cab outside the hotel to meet some people for dinner and the driver asked, "You with the conference?" With some hesitation, because of the way he asked the question, I said, "Yes." "What is with these people?" he asked. It was a rhetorical question. I smiled in reply.
When I think about Microsoft Project, Microsoft Project Server, given the price, given the fact that it is a 100s of millions of dollars in annual sales product line, given the longevity as the owner of the market, should be a heck of a lot more… We shouldn't have to wrestle – when we sit in front of it, it should…
Both PMI/Microsoft make my backpack heavier. Neither motivate me to be in the project management world.
With over 700,000 PMP certified PMI devotees and millions of MSP and Project Server users – I have to be the exception.
Tom Peters inspires me.
We all work on projects. What if…?
I was just updating our generic PM process. This quote reminded me of how little I think about lavishing credit on anyone and everyone who helped me the least bit.
This idea is worth contemplating. Likely it will change the way we close our projects.


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The 6 key types of insurance policy explained
In our everyday life, we face so many uncertainties. And these uncertainties cannot be foreseen by human beings. In a nutshell, the outcome of future occurrence is hard to ascertain. That means risks taking is part of daily lives. But there are needs to mitigate the risks facing us all in this life of uncertainties https://www.kniftrygghet.no/Barneforsikring.
Therefore, it is necessary to find the appropriate means to curb these uncertainties. One of the best ways of mitigating these challenges is by getting insurance policy that will cover the aspect of life that is highly risky to bear alone as an individual or entity.
On that note, there are so many insurance options available for everyone to take up. Choosing the right one for yourself or your business is another challenge to go through. However, this challenge is not as hard as not having an insurance policy at all.
In this article, I will explain 6 different types of insurance policies that one can choose from when thinking about taking up insurance policy.
1. Life insurance
This is a form of insurance policy where some certain amount of money is paid after the death of an insured person or after a certain period of time. This insurance helps safeguard the livelihood of a person or his/her family for the future.
The key benefit to this type of insurance policy is to provide means of sustenance for the family of the insured when deceased. It guarantees financial independence for the family that rely on the diseased financial support. https://www.kniftrygghet.no/personforsikring
2. Health Insurance
This is the type of insurance policy that covers the medical expenses of an individual or household. Whenever a person is sick, under this policy, the insurance company has the obligation to take responsibility for all the medical expenses incurred by the insured person in the case of an accident or illness. This type of insurance also has its own categories, which are subjected to different laws of coverage. https://www.kniftrygghet.no/reiseforsikring
3. Disability insurance
Disability insurance is also known as disability income insurance or income protection insurance. What this does is, it ensures that a person continues to receive payment for a specified period of time in the case of an accident during the time of employment. This means, if an employee got injured while working and becomes incapacitated to finish the job under the term of the contract, that employee is subject to continuity of salary under the terms of the insurance policy.
4. Vehicle Insurance
This is a type of insurance policy that covers various kinds of vehicles such as: cars, trucks, bikes and any other form of road vehicles. In the case of an accident, the insurance company will cover the payment of fixing the vehicle involved in an accident. Also, a vehicle can be completely replaced if it is unfixable after an accident.
5. Property Insurance
The property insurance policy provides reimbursement of financial expenses to the owner or a tenant of a property being insured in the case of accident or theft. In this type of insurance, property may be insured under fire, burglary, stealing, natural disaster or damage caused by smashing.
6. Marine Insurance
This is another form of transportation insurance. Unlike the vehicle insurance that covers road accidents, marine insurance covers the sea. That means, ships or any form of transportation through the sea, from one destination to the other, are covered by this type of insurance policy.


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World Cup qualification tends to throw up some inspirational stories, here we reflect on some of those amazing stories.
The World Cup 2018 draw is here, and with that we are one step closer to the biggest sporting event in the world. Here we reflect on the amazing stories that came out of qualifying in Asia, Oceania and North/Central America.
Chapecoense, a year on from the devastating air crash in Colombia.
Ahead of the World Cup draw, James Montague interviews Jaime Penedo, goalkeeper for the Panama national team.
Website: Atomic Smash
Copyright © Tifo Football. All rights reserved.


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Tampa is Florida's most prolific port, shipping the largest tonnage of all Floridian ports. Tampa also handles almost half of Florida's overall maritime trade. Whether you ship your goods via Tampa's port, or carry the cargo it's essential to have a strong brand identity. Your logo is your business's ambassador as it navigates the globe to reach its final destinations. So, build a brand that will stand out around the world. Collaborate with crowdspring's professional logo designers to create a custom, high-impact logo that makes your business stand out.
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Shopping habits are rapidly evolving, which means that Tampa retailers have to race to keep up. The fundamental changes taking place in the retail sector offer an opportunity for retail businesses to rebrand and evolve with the times. Crowdspring can help. Collaborate with our professional logo designers from around the world to create a strong, professionally designed logo that helps your retail business grow faster and stand out in a crowded, developing marketplace.
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Considered broadly, graphic design is the process of visual communication and problem solving through the use of typography, photography and/or illustration.
Logos are an important element in such visual communication. At its most basic, a logo is a small, symbolic piece of artwork that represents a business. When you set aside all the design trends and fancy fonts, at its core, a logo must embody your brand identity, be instantly recognizable, be versatile, and be timeless. Everything else is optional. Every business and organization should take its logo design seriously. You can learn more about the psychology of logo design, the 10 essential logo design elements, and about current logo design trends on our award-winning business marketing blog.
Color is a huge factor in brand recognition. Additionally, color has a deep and often subconscious effect on our behavior. That's why you rarely see black and white logos. To learn more about how color impacts branding and logo design, read Small Business Branding: What Color Says About Your Business.
A font can make or break your logo. Here's a great guide to help marketers and business owners choose the right logo font - Find Your Type: A Guide To Choosing a Font for Your Business.
A logo is one of the most important parts of a company's brand identity. The logo is commonly used on advertising, marketing and branding materials.
Your company's logo is the common element that will help your customers remember your business.
But it's impossible to stand out when your logo looks like thousands of others.
Online logo makers, logo generators and free logo design services can't help - they offer only generic, uninspiring, template designs that will make it impossible for your customers to fall in love with your unique company and will not leave a lasting impression on your audience. Simply put: there's nothing unique, custom or brilliant about instant custom made logos when you create your own logo design using a logo maker or when those logos are created by a computer from templates.
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Whether you're starting a new business or looking to grow an existing business, we've pulled together some of our best resources to help you.
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And if you're wondering how to start a photography business or how to start an Etsy shop, we've put together terrific guides that can help you to get started right away.
Whether your business is existing or new, you should make sure that you have a strong brand identity for that business. A brand identity is the most effective way a business can gain a competitive edge in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
And if you are running out of marketing ideas and your marketing campaigns are falling flat, have you tried some new techniques? For example, some companies are finding great success with chatbot marketing.
New logo design trends and fads appear every year. Here are the hottest logo design trends for 2019.
The most comprehensive guide online to creating a strong brand identity for your business or organization.
A strong logo is an important part of a company's brand identity. Keep your business safe from these seven deadly sins of logo design.
A terrific guide, including a questionnaire, to help you evaluate your existing logo or create a great new logo for your business.
Successful businesses often share a common trait: they have unique, simple, smart logos. Here are great tips to help you get started.
Here are 5 hot trends and inspirations to help you sharpen your brand's logo, ensuring that you nail that first impression.
When reviewing your current logo or creating a logo for a new business, make sure your logo has these 10 important elements.
A logo is an important part of a company's brand. It's the visual cornerstone of the brand.
Pay attention and learn from famous logos. Here are the top 5 lessons businesses can learn from famous logos.
Actionable tips to help you find a unique logo for your business.
Here are 7 proven reasons why good design is good business (and how you can use design to increase your small business revenues).
The most successful brands have simple logos. There's an important connection between simplicity and success.
Stay away from generic, template based logo design. Generic design can kill your business.
We're happy only when you are.
Our support team is always ready to help you with a free, no obligation design consultation.


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Jeremiah Chapter 2 | Parsha: Mattot Mase'ei
1The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2Go proclaim to Jerusalem: Thus said the Lord:
I accounted to your favor
The devotion of your youth,
Your love as a bride—
How you followed Me in the wilderness,
In a land not sown.
3Israel was holy to the Lord,
The first fruits of His harvest.
All who ate of it were held guilty;
Disaster befell them
—declares the Lord.
4Hear the word of the Lord, O House of Jacob,
Every clan of the House of Israel!
5Thus said the Lord:
What wrong did your fathers find in Me
That they abandoned Me
And went after delusion and were deluded?
6They never asked themselves, "Where is the Lord,
Who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
Who led us through the wilderness,
A land of deserts and pits,
A land of drought and darkness,
A land no man had traversed,
Where no human being had dwelt?"
7I brought you to this country of farm land
To enjoy its fruit and its bounty;
But you came and defiled My land,
You made My possession abhorrent.
8The priests never asked themselves, "Where is the Lord?"
The guardians of the Teaching ignored Me;
The rulers rebelled against Me,
And the prophets prophesied by Baal
And followed what can do no good.
9Oh, I will go on accusing you
—declares the Lord—
And I will accuse your children's children!
10Just cross over to the isles of the Kittim and look,
Send to Kedar and observe carefully;
See if aught like this has ever happened:
11Has any nation changed its gods
Even though they are no-gods?
But My people has exchanged its glory
For what can do no good.
12Be appalled, O heavens, at this;
Be horrified, utterly dazed!
—says the Lord.
13For My people have done a twofold wrong:
They have forsaken Me, the Fount of living waters,
And hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns,
Which cannot even hold water.
14Is Israel a bondman?
Is he a home-born slave?
Then why is he given over to plunder?
15Lions have roared over him,
Have raised their cries.
They have made his land a waste,
His cities desolate, without inhabitants.
16Those, too, in Noph and Tahpanhes
Will lay bare your head.
17See, that is the price you have paid
For forsaking the Lord your God
While He led you in the way.
18What, then, is the good of your going to Egypt
To drink the waters of the Nile?
And what is the good of your going to Assyria
To drink the waters of the Euphrates?
19Let your misfortune reprove you,
Let your afflictions rebuke you;
Mark well how bad and bitter it is
That you forsake the Lord your God,
That awe for Me is not in you
—declares the Lord God of Hosts.
20For long ago you broke your yoke,
Tore off your yoke-bands,
And said, "I will not work!"
On every high hill and under every verdant tree,
You recline as a whore.
21I planted you with noble vines,
All with choicest seed;
Alas, I find you changed
Into a base, an alien vine!
22Though you wash with natron
And use much lye,
Your guilt is ingrained before Me
—declares the Lord God.
23How can you say, "I am not defiled,
I have not gone after the Baalim"?
Look at your deeds in the Valley,
Consider what you have done!
Like a lustful she-camel,
Restlessly running about,
24Or like a wild ass used to the desert,
Snuffing the wind in her eagerness,
Whose passion none can restrain,
None that seek her need grow weary—
In her season, they'll find her!
25Save your foot from going bare,
And your throat from thirst.
But you say, "It is no use.
No, I love the strangers,
And after them I must go."
26Like a thief chagrined when he is caught,
So is the House of Israel chagrined—
They, their kings, their officers,
And their priests and prophets.
27They said to wood, "You are my father,"
To stone, "You gave birth to me,"
While to Me they turned their backs
And not their faces.
But in their hour of calamity they cry,
"Arise and save us!"
28And where are those gods
You made for yourself?
Let them arise and save you, if they can,
In your hour of calamity.
For your gods have become, O Judah,
As many as your towns!
29Why do you call Me to account?
You have all rebelled against Me
—declares the Lord.
30To no purpose did I smite your children;
They would not accept correction.
Your sword has devoured your prophets
Like a ravening lion.
31 O generation, behold the word of the Lord!
Have I been like a desert to Israel,
Or like a land of deep gloom?
Then why do My people say, "We have broken loose,
We will not come to You any more?"
32Can a maiden forget her jewels,
A bride her adornments?
Yet My people have forgotten Me—
Days without number.
33How skillfully you plan your way
To seek out love!
Why, you have even taught
The worst of women your ways.
34Moreover, on your garments is found
The lifeblood of the innocent poor—
You did not catch them breaking in.
Yet, despite all these things,
35You say, "I have been acquitted;
Surely, His anger has turned away from me."
Lo, I will bring you to judgment
For saying, "I have not sinned."
36How you cheapen yourself,
By changing your course!
You shall be put to shame through Egypt,
Just as you were put to shame through Assyria.
37From this way, too, you will come out
With your hands on your head;
For the Lord has rejected those you trust,
You will not prosper with them.


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First, to give credit where credit is due, that title is not attributable to "Anonymous" by any stretch of the imagination. It is in fact one of my favorite songs, sung by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes in the early 1970's, and, to make the crediting complete, written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.
The title does, in a silly kind of way, lead into this discussion of why I'm choosing to keep who I really am in the shadows, at least for a while. The first reason is a serious one – I need this blog as an outlet for talking about my cancer experience, and even sometime I may need to talk about dying. Whether anyone else reads this or not, I'm just not sure I want my family, especially my children, to be privy to it right now. I know there probably will come a time when it will be necessary to have more of these discussions with them – or maybe a miracle will come along and make all this irrelevant!
The other reason has to do with the fangirling part of the blog, and my timidity too, I suppose. One thing that keeps me from becoming totally public, especially with family and friends, about the extent of this celebrity crushiness: Doesn't it seem slightly pathological (i.e., "caused by or evidencing a mentally disturbed condition") for a woman of my age to be so enamored of a man many years my junior? I think I'd be kind of grossed out if the roles were reversed. (Needs some explanation, that. I mean if a much older undefined man -not RA in particular- were obsessing about me.) So still shaky on the age thing, but trying to let go of that.
Let me add here that I am a happily married woman with adult children, and never have I fantasized my husband being someone else, as in the bedroom. I rather imagine that what most of these guys turn into in my fantasies is some version of him, just with a different physical appearance and maybe minor variations to keep it interesting. What has helped me "come out" has been the very frank and accepting discussions I've read by other Armitage supporters. As I mentioned on the Aurora's Prince page, this has been a part of my life since childhood. Whatever deep-seated emotional insecurity it may reflect, I really don't care. One thing that seems to come with being older, for some reason, and with having a chronic, incurable disease, is a growing disregard for what other people think. Jeez, what are they going to do to me? What is that saying – "They can kill you, but they can't eat you." Anyone remember where that's from?
I must say that as I add more posts, I suppose much of the veneer of anonymity will melt away. And if my family made any attempt whatsoever to locate a blog of mine, well, let's just say it would take my daughter two or three quick looks through the pages as written now to figure me out; the sons maybe a bit longer. Husband, thankfully I guess, hasn't gotten into reading blogs at all.
Thinking back about all this, it seems hypocritical, doesn't it? So, I want to finally be able to express who I am and what I think, just as long as no one I know can read it. Or does everyone deserve to have little kernel of themselves that they can show to whomever they please, or no one? Reminds me a bit of people who become a fictional character online – something that has always seemed frightening/irritating to me. As long as that kernel is part of your "truth"… I think I'm tired of trying to pick this thing apart. At least for now, I reserve the right to take baby steps in opening up these shadowy or previously unrevealed parts of me. Thanks for listening…


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For better and for worse, I am a student of my own habits.
And, fortunately for me, I think I have a fairly good sense of objectivity as I analyze my strengths…and my weaknesses.
One of my greatest strengths is that I never lack for ideas.
A Model of Inefficiency
One of my greatest weaknesses is that I get many of those ideas 90% done…or 95% done…or 99% done…and I don't finish them.
Worse yet is the time I spend "picking up" an unfinished project, getting myself back up to speed, taking it another few steps forward…and then putting it down again, knowing that I'll be back to repeat this exercise in inefficiency at some point in the future.
Fortunately for me, over the years I've recognized this weakness, and I developed a simple work habit that has helped me to overcome this problem (this is similar to things I learned from the Dale Carnegie book "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living").
It's All About "The Finish"
I call this technique "Focus on the Finish."
And it is very simple, but highly effective. Here's the idea:
- There is tremendous waste and inefficiency in starting, stopping and restarting projects…even relatively simple ones
- You can easily spend 50% of your total time on a project taking it from 90% complete to finished
- When you are nearing completion of a project, if at all possible, strike while the iron is hot and your focus is already on the task at hand
- If you cannot finish the project – and this is often the case through no fault of your own – make sure to write yourself very detailed, complete notes so that you don't spend a lot of time trying to refresh your memory when you do circle back to wrap things up
- Perfection is often the enemy of efficiency. Of course, we should always do our best and put forth the strongest effort we can, but my experience has shown that it's better to complete a project that is 90% "perfect" than it is to put off completing a project that might end up 95% perfect
Develop a killer instinct when it comes to "the finish." And watch your productivity increase…


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I'd like to block an unattractive view of my neighbor's house/yard. What are some good plant/tree choices to hide unattractive views?
John Eskandari, owner, The Urban Plantsman, Chicago
Two evergreens for sun are Thuja occientalis 'Wintergreen' and Picea pungens 'Fastigiata'. Both are moderate to fast growers. For shadier locations, Picea abies 'Cuppressina' does remarkably well.
A deciduous tree that would work nicely is Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck'. It comes in green, gold, red and purple leaved varieties. They work well in shadier spots but the red and purple leaves are less intense in shade.
In smaller areas, I like Amelanchier laevis 'Cumulus'. It's a more upright form of serviceberry providing nice spring blooms, edible berries, and golden fall color. It is adaptable to both sun and shade.
Chrissie Sieff, nursery manager, Platt Hill Nursery, Bloomingdale
Whenever I am asked this question, my customers usually have something in mind such as 'Emerald Green' arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Emerald Green', sometimes labeled 'Smaragd'). They want a green wall, and they want it instantly! Our dead plant return rate is high on this item, so I try to steer them to hardier choices, such as Viburnum nudum 'Winterthur' or Syringa pubescens subsp. patula 'Miss Kim'.
A strategically placed tree can also do the trick. I love katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum), river birch (Betula nigra), serviceberry (Amelanchier), and 'Ivory Silk' tree lilacs. As you can tell, I'm not a big fan of evergreens.
Andy Wedel, part owner, Wedel's Nursery, Florist & Garden Center, Kalamazoo, MI
Arborvitae (Thuja spp.) is the first plant we think of, but there are others. It's hard to pick just one. Fine Line buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula 'Ron Williams') is a columnar-shaped deciduous shrub with yellow fall color. Evergreen, drought-tolerant upright junipers such as Juniperus chinensis 'Blue Point' are great in sunny spots. Some other columnar trees include 'Crimson Sentry' maple (Acer platanoides 'Crimson Sentry'), Red Fox katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum 'Rotfuchs'), and columnar hornbeam (Carpinus spp., cvs.).
What is the best way to dig up, clean and store gladiolus and dahlias? What are the little white sacs on glad bulbs?
I want to raise the level of my lawn as much as 2 feet in places. I now have a large quantity of somewhat composted wood chips and I am wondering if I can use them as fill to raise the ground level and provide a good soil in which to sow a lawn.
What causes black spots on my orchid leaves?


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[A re-post from 2012]
Dear Friends,
I've been working on a lot of new songs this past year. All three kids are in school full-day and I've used that time to write a lot of music. Some songs that people have hired me to write for specific projects, and others that I've written because it's what I love to do.
A few months ago, I realized that while I have been writing so much, I haven't been sharing the songs I've created. So, for the rest of the year, I'm going to change that! One of my newest songs is called "A Love Song is Always Meant to be Heard" and I truly believe that.
Over the next weeks and months, I'll be posting original music and the story behind the songs. Some of these songs are currently being pitched to other artists and for film and TV, but because I haven't signed any exclusive contracts, I am free to share them with anyone that wants to listen!
A couple disclaimers: I am happily married and so in love with Paul! He has several songs, many of which I'll share in future posts. But not all songs are for him! I have songs from high school, from college, songs for friends, etc. So if you hear a sad breakup song, don't think we're on the rocks. Because of his constant support, I'm able to chase this musical dream.


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The Real Differences Between Professional Skin Care and OTC Brands...and They May Surprise You!
I often get asked which over-the-counter and department store skin care brands I prefer. I honestly have the most difficult time making suggestions. I almost feel as I am cheating my client out of fantastic skin care when just thinking of recommendations. I understand cost is a huge component, or probably THE component in your questioning. I have to tell you, if you want a healthy skin transformation, professional skin care is the only way to go.
Professional skin care products contain higher concentrations of active ingredients than over-the-counter products. If you compare labels between a professional brand and an OTC brand, you may see they contain the same actives. But remember, the OTC brand contains a VERY small amount, while the professional line contains the ingredient on a clinically active level. These actives are delivered into the skin at a deeper level, rather than OTC brands, which are only formulated to penetrate just the top layer of skin. Professional ingredients also consist of smaller molecules, which penetrate into the dermis where your collagen and elastin are contained and into the basal layer where new cells are formed. This allows for a true change within the skin!
Along with the pure, high quality actives, professional products never contain fragrance, colors, or dyes. These additives may make the OTC product smell and look more appealing, but these can cause sensitivity and irritation to the skin.
If cost is your concern, remember this: professional product prices are very similar or almost the same compared to OTC brands. How so? Well these products are not concentrated, so you will end up using more which equals purchasing more at a quicker rate! Also, you will only see minimal results with OTC brands since they work at the top layer of your skin only, which will in turn push you to purchase more in the hopes of seeing real change. Professional products are proven to work and provide real results! Your skin can be transformed by these products as they repair skin at the deepest level where problems arise such as lines, wrinkles, sun damage, and acne.
Choosing a skin care line needs to be based on their credentials and the positive results by true consumers. I urge you to stray away from over-the-counter brands which can be damaging, ineffective, and costly! If you truly want to transform your skin and health, build your trust with a reputable skin care professional that can provide you with results-driven skin care products! And I hope to be that trusted professional you choose!
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I've kept my spin on the Merchant and Mills Dress Shirt under wraps for a while now, waiting for it to hit the newsstand. And stop the press, it just has!
Thanks to Minerva Crafts for the pattern and this glorious cotton poplin. For the full write up, have a squint below or invest in a copy of next month's Sewing World magazine 🙂


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Jump to navigation Jump to search
|Look up AFI in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
AFI may refer to:
- Address-family identifier, a 16 bit field of the Routing Information Protocol
- AFI (band), an American rock band
- AFI (2004 album), a retrospective album by AFI released in 2004
- AFI (2017 album), the tenth studio album by AFI
- Afi, Iran, a village in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran
- Agencia Federal de Investigación (Federal Investigations Agency), a Mexican agency
- Air Force Instruction, documented instructions for members of the United States Air Force
- Akrukay language
- Alliance for Financial Inclusion, an organization of central bank regulators from the developing world
- American Film Institute, an independent non-profit film organization
- American Football Israel, a nonprofit sports organization
- Amniotic fluid index, a measure of the amount of amniotic fluid of a fetus
- Aniridia Foundation International, a support organization for people with Aniridia and family members
- Application Family Identifier, an 8 bit field of an RFID tag
- Aquarium Fish International, a monthly magazine
- Armed Forces Insurance, insurance company for American military professionals
- Australian Film Institute, an organisation that promotes Australian film and television
- Nikon AF-I, a type of Nikon F-mount lens
- Agencia Federal de Inteligencia, the Argentine national intelligence agency
| disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title AFI.
If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.


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Slogged through some mighty wet and windy weather today! Walked from Koenji (where we stopped in to say howdy to the Thrashout gang) to Nakano, which is about 20 minutes away on foot. Found a cool vintage toy shop in Koenji and took some shots at Thrashout. Will blog those in a bit.
For now, here's the new OneUp sofubi set up. The shop has a presence on the 3rd and 4th floors of Broadway Mall in Nakano. For years, the display cabinets outside the 4th floor shop held a hodgepodge of sofubi from a bunch of companies. They've recently completely redone the cabinets and seem to be focusing on a few companies.
So, here's a wide angle shot of the long row of cabinets:
The Dead Presidents customs/Monster Kolor cabinet:
These are some of the customs from the In Living Kolor show. They're currently display-only at OneUp. Not sure when they'll go on sale.
The cabinets are really clean and nicely lit, so you can get a good look at what's inside. For example:
More Dead Presidents stuff in another cabinet:
Here are some other shelves with toys produced by OneUp (Touma, Gumliens, etc), plus customs and production pieces from other companies.
Some nice Max Toy figures:
Itokin Park:
Mad Panda:
It's a nice, streamlined display, and really the largest variety of original sofubi at Nakano. The 4th floor store is also the place where OneUp holds its custom shows and exclusive releases, which is nice since there is a ton of space up there and just a few shops.


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"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings" (Genesis 3:7).
An increasing number of television documentaries take aim at the Bible in an attempt to question the validity of its content. Scholars with a bias against belief in a sovereign God or sinful man pick apart Scripture by developing theories of logic that seek to trap God within the confines of human limitations. Like a glove that doubts the existence of a hand, they ignore the obvious.
They also ignore Biblical scholars with equal or greater credentials than the ones they interview because such scholars believe the Bible is true and accurate. Instead, they seek out like-minded doubters with the same agenda to convince us all that the Bible is not a valid source for the creation of the world, the existence of man, or the explanation of life.
Forgive me for being blunt, but the question begs to be asked: Why, then, do those who spout their doubt so freely against God's story still wear clothing? Don't get me wrong -- I'm GLAD they do! But why?
If the Bible-attackers and naysayers of God who diligently work to convince the world that the Bible is a myth and God is dead truly believe what they are spouting, shouldn't their logic lead them to stop covering themselves?
I'm not advocating a revival of nakedness. I'm asking those who are certain of the absence of God or the irrelevance of Scripture why they are still clothed. If, according to them, the Bible isn't true, including the creation and beginning of man through Adam and Eve, and the whole Garden of Eden thing -- then humans are not sinners and shame, guilt, and embarassment are not valid.
I, for one, am glad they are inconsistent at this point. But think about it. If there is no God, no sin, no fall of man, and all that follows according to Scripture, then why are we the only species shopping at JC Penney? After all, we're born naked. Yet we are quickly covered. Frogs are born naked and swim nude the rest of their lives.
Oh, I know what their answer would be. It is a social etiquette engrained in our society based on a false belief system that would be too shocking to our culture to reverse. Plus, you can get arrested.
I wonder. Is that an answer based on logic or is it a personal conviction? I have a sneaky suspicion that even if we removed the laws, even the loudest Bible haters would never feel comfortable removing clothing from their closets. Even the atheist thanks God for clothing.
I thank God for clothing, too. Especially at restaurants. But I believe the origin of the whole clothing thing goes back to the first couple. I believe it had everything to do with sin, shame, and the fall of humanity. I know I'm sacrificing my opportunity to be a guest theologian on PBS and the History channel, but I believe the Bible.
Blessed to be Dressed,
Perry Crisp


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Lone Slydahl
Lone Slydahl is an artist with a passion for contrast. Like the Norwegian landscape´s brutal mountains to the calm fjords. From endless plateaus to deepest valleys. Just like our soul may go from sickness and sorrow to a beautiful smile. From the upmost abstract to the very concrete. This is what you will find in the art by Lone Slydahl.