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Introduced Mammals
New Zealand is home to some of the world's most unique plants and animals, mainly because this beautiful land separated from the rest of Earth's Southern land masses before mammals became a dominant part of ecosystems. Endemic species, such as the New Zealand falcon, evolved for millions of years without any land-dwelling mammalian species present.
New Zealand was a land dominated by birds. Birds hunt using their sense of sight and can fly so it made perfect sense for other birds to nest on the ground or even under the ground instead of up in trees. New Zealand falcons were small fry, and while they hunted for birds they were also hunted by other birds of prey. Falcons across most of the country make their nests in 'scrapes' on the ground so they are protected from aerial attack.
Since the arrival of the first humans in New Zealand, the landscape has changed dramatically. Habitat change and the introduction of land-dwelling mammals have caused major shifts in ecosystems. People have brought rats, hedgehogs, stoats, ferrets and cats to New Zealand, all of which hunt using their sense of smell, their nocturnal vision, and hunt from the ground. Many of New Zealand's unique birds have become extinct since humans first brought land based predators to this landscape, and many others balance on the brink of extinction because of the continual pressure from these pests. Species like the nationally threatened New Zealand falcon have their nests predated so often that very few juvenile falcons manage to leave their nests, and even adults keeping eggs or chicks warm are sometimes killed by larger species such as feral cats.
Persecution by humans
As recently as the 1940's, people were actually encouraged to shoot Harrier Hawks by the government. Harriers are a species commonly confused with the smaller, endemic NZ falcon. A negative perception of birds of prey has perpetuated throughout human mindsets for generations. Despite their fully protected status persecution of falcons remains commonplace throughout New Zealand, with some birds being shot when their predatory instincts turn toward introduced domestic birds such as chickens, doves and pigeons. These birds are easily adaptable and could live in harmony with humans and native populations.
The MFT prioritises education programmes to counter misconceptions about falcons and improve public awareness with the aim of ensuring falcons are safe.
Electrocution and man-made hazards
Unfortunately the relocation of wild chicks onto the Wairau Plains struck some major hurdles. Number one of those, being the threat of birds being electrocuted on power line transformers.
Because the female falcons tend to perch on an object prior to sweeping down to catch prey, the power transformers are an ideal resting spot. It has been a tragic aspect of the entire relocation programme, that has seen the Trustees look for alternative ideas to increase falcon population numbers.
The Trust is now looking at increasing captive breeding programmes, with releases of the chicks being into areas without the threats of man-made technology.


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Contact Us Today!It is common, today, to find patients in their 90's with all of their teeth. While you may be beyond this possibility, there are steps you can take to preserve as many teeth and as much of your health as possible. This article covers how you can improve your health and dental outcomes by what you put in your mouth and by knowing what your dentist is putting in your mouth.
To continue the article, please download the PDF file below.
What's Going on in Your Mouth?
It was great. Each staff member greeted me and they walked me through the whole office. I highly recommend Studio Dentistry. They are great!!
Before & After
Would you rather just view close-up 'before' and 'after' photo galleries? If so, select click button below.

subset: commoncrawl


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…so did the Seabourne Odyssey.
Port Melbourne was quite busy with visitors from the boats, as well as Melbournians who came to see and photograph the Queen Victoria.
The Seabourne Odyssey (left) and the Queen Victoria (right) at Station Pier in Port Melbourne
The Seabourne Odyssey (length is 198 m/650 ft) looks small compared to the Queen Victoria (294 m/965 ft)
The Queen Victoria looks really huge from the side
Please visit My World for interesting blogs around the globe.


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Thurs 6th Nov
3:30pm - 4:30pm
Theatre 2
2014 marks the first year of 'The Masters'. Following successful visits from undergraduate final year students of over the past three years, we are delighted to welcome the postgraduate MDes Design for Creative Practive course from the Magee campus of the University of Ulster (Apply here). The Masters Design course is moving in a new direction at Magee. There is an emphasis on design collaboration and Allingham 2014 provides a unique platform for the students to present their thinking to a knowledgable audience. The students will spend 6 weeks researching, exploring and preparing the talks with a view to completing a research paper to be presented at the Drew Conference in Bundoran in January.


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In climates where the year includes cold and warm or wet and dry seasons, the cells in annual rings vary in color due to the fact that the tree grows faster in one season than in the other. In most instances, the tree adds one light-colored ring during the time it grows fastest and a dark ring as growth slows.
The University of Arizona says a dendrochronologist is "a scientist who uses tree rings to answer questions about the natural world and the place of humans in its functioning." These scientists use tree rings to understand a proper historical context, the environment and conditions and to predict possible issues in the environmental future.
Depending on the tree rings of one tree often leads to errors in dating. Thus, dendrochronologists compare several trees, matching the growth rings to eliminate such errors. The thickness of the rings helps the scientist to establish information about rainfall or seasonal temperatures and how they affect the tree's growth.
Students often enjoy tree ring counting activities. They need a thin cross section of a tree. With age, the rings become difficult to see, but sandpaper helps to refresh the surface so the rings are more visible.


text: Paul Rightley <firstname.lastname@example.com> writes: > ... I no longer see the 1.1 distribution on ftp.debian.org - would > it not be a good idea to keep it? was there ever an answer to this question? perhaps I missed it. (Is there a shortage of diskspace on ftp.debian.org?) brian -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to email@example.com . Trouble? e-mail to email@example.com


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Recent Searches
Trending Searches
These super smokey mussels are the perfect winter warmer!
No Alligators were harmed in the making of this dish!
Create your favourite meatball recipe at home!
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Know what makes chocolate even better? Chilli. And lots of it
Add some sunshine in to your life this Christmas
Add some condensed milk to your egg nog to take it up a level
Boozy, indulgent, and perfect for the festive period. You've got to try this!
This 200-year-old recipe has survived the test of time for one good reason...It's...
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Who says eating healthy has to be boring? Just cover quinoa with chocolate and be...
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Chimichurri is fun to say, and even more fun to eat!
This easy dish is worth getting into a stew over
Having your cola with your food is so old skool. Put a glass of the good stuff into...
Who knew you could make chips using avocado?!
How beautiful are these?
What makes this smoothie bowl so pink?!


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52 Weeks til IMAZ 2014
This weekend I drove out with Tom to Tempe, AZ to volunteer at Ironman Arizona in order to secure a spot in the 2014 race. This was it, the final step in committing to a year of becoming an ironman. Race morning we headed out early to watch the swimmers come in and cyclists head out. It was really great to see how everything goes down logistically. As you exit the water, someone unzips your wetsuit off for you, then you run to an area where your swim to bike bags are held. A volunteer is magically jumping up and down holding your bag to pass off to you. You head to the changing tent where many do a complete wardrobe change before the 112 mile bike. As you ride out on your bike, a volunteer slathers sunscreen on your body, and you are off. It's all very methodic, and actually a lot slower than I expected. We chatted with a woman in the swim to bike gear area and she said that unless you are an elite athlete, you want to take your time to make sure you are comfortable and ready to tackle the next leg. We watched as the last swimmer came in. His family was crying because he obviously had some sort of trouble out there, as he was wrapped in mylar and was shaking. We watched people ask if the numbers on the bags that were left in the transition belonged to the athlete they were cheering on. To train so hard and be forced to give up on the first leg would be such a huge bummer. Note to self: Swim Fast.
Our volunteer shift wasn't until 9pm, so we had a full day to chill before getting to our post. All day long we kept looking at our watches saying "we would still be on our bikes right now….we would STILL be on our bikes right now…we would just start running a marathon now." Agonizing thoughts really. We arrived early and parked at our volunteer location (Run station #9) and walked over to the finish line to cheer on the finishing athletes. It was amazing. Every person that made their way to the finish would hear the announcer call out their names and exclaim that they were an Ironman. We walked a fair bit of the run route and tried to familiarize ourselves with the course we would be tackling next year. During that time, I thought a lot about what I was signing up to do. When you are watching the faces of people who have swam 2.4 miles, biked 112 miles, and are on their 20th mile of running, you are looking at some beaten up faces. These people are digging deep. Wayyy DEEP.
Volunteering at the run station was a very rewarding experience. These people were at mile 22, almost done, and they were not giving up on those last few miles. Since we were on the late night crew, we were aiding triathletes who had been out on the course for 16+ hours. The last runner came through with a SAG vehicle behind her. It was heartbreaking to think that there were people behind that were being picked up and couldn't finish. We all cheered her on as she ran through our station.
And that was it. We helped wrap up the station, got our speed pass bracelets that would kick us to the front of the sign up line in the morning, and we were off.
I've already been dreaming of the race. Mainly imagining the announcer calling out my name and exclaiming "Steph, you are an Ironman!" One year. One year.


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Introducing Our New Favorite NBA Reporter
Friday, February 27, 2009
A week ago, it was our new favorite announcer (the Panthers' Randy Moller), but today I give you the NBA mind that is sweeping through the Great White North. That mind comes from a Canadian named Kayvon, and he would like to introduce you to the San Antonio Spurs....
"He looks like Michael Finley to me", is going to be my new catch phrase from here on out. Kayvon is actually an cult Internet hero in Canada, and he doesn't just stop with NBA Players! He even tackles the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gene Simmons!!!
Canada is full of so much talent these days. I don't care what the rest of the world says.
(Thanks to reader DM for the clip)
Labels: AA Hearts, Randomness, San Antonio Spurs, Sports Reporters, YouTube Video
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November 28 – Day Four
Prayer for all Women
By Evita Krislock, Province VIII Representative to the NECW Board
Heavenly Creator and Redeemer,
I seek your guidance and wisdom as a student of your Word. As your daughter, how am I able to hear your call? Can I hear the angel you sent my way when pain and despair threatened to overtake me?
When my path is dark and lonely, how does your light shine in?
May your light shine through my sisters, through the angels sent my way who radiate your peace and love. Thank you for the grace and peace that fills the room as I encounter their presence in the darkest of times.
Creator, continue to give me strength to carry on, to open my heart and mind to new ways of learning and, as I learn, may I strive to be a teacher for those who follow.
I pray to not let the fear of darkness hold me back, a fear of the unknown. May I continue to seek the light of the angels you have gifted to me.


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Robert Pearce QC has extensive experience of acting for both claimants and defendants in claims for professional negligence, particularly against surveyors, valuers, financial advisors, solicitors and barristers.
Many claims with which he is involved are resolved by negotiation or mediation. Examples of such cases in which he has been recently instructed are:
Robert Pearce QC is recommended as a leading silk in the Professional Negligence section of the current edition of The Legal 500.


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Normally, 2nd Monday of every month at 8pm in the Wesley Room at St Matthew's. Check the calendar for each month's meeting.
Normally, 2nd Monday of every month at 8pm in the Wesley Room at St Matthew's. Check the calendar for each month's meeting.
Morning Prayer – Mon-Fri in Cheltenham Minster at 9:00am
Lunch Time Prayers – Mon-Fri in Cheltenham Minster at 12:30pm
There is Prayer Ministry available after every service for those who would like somebody to pray with them.
Our Intercessors are members of the church family who are committed to pray regularly for a specific situation, person or organisation brought to their attention. Requests for intercession can be made through the forms available in either Cheltenham Minster or St Matthew's (one can also be downloaded from below). Please complete the form and put in the box in St Matthew's foyer. All requests are treated in confidence. You will be contacted after 4-6 weeks to ask if you would like continued prayer.
People gather regularly to pray for specific concerns. Anybody is welcome to join, and you can find a list of our regular groups below. Please contact the church office for more details.
Prayer for Outreach
Prayer for Teachers
Prayer for Prodigals
Prayer for Persecuted
Prayer for Bible Society
Prayer for World Affairs
Prayer for Cheltenham
In conjunction with other Christians in Cheltenham,
members of our church family are also involved in;
Prayer for Street Pastors
Prayer for School Network
Prayer for Christians in Healthcare
Women's World Day of Prayer
Prayer for University of Gloucestershire. Information is available from Ian Davies (email@example.com) or Richard Cook (firstname.lastname@example.com). These meetings combine the UCCF prayer group and the Foundation Fellows prayer group. Praise and prayer information covering Higher Education in general, the University, the Chaplaincy team, the CU and local UCCF matters is circulated. These notes are available upon request to those willing to pray on their own.
Prayer for Persecuted Christians. This is held at 52 Lambert Avenue, Shurdington – 7:45 for 8pm sharp start. Further information is available from Ian Davies (firstname.lastname@example.com) or Jonathan Andrews (email@example.com). This meeting draws on material from Christian organisations including Open Doors, Release International, Christian Solidarity Worldwide and Middle East Concern.
Mahabba Network. This meets at 7:30pm on the fourth Tuesday of each month. The coordinator is Georgina Jardim (firstname.lastname@example.com). For more info, visit their website here.
Street Pastors. The group meets to pray for Cheltenham Street Pastors every second Tuesday in the month, 10:30am at St Matthew's. We start with a cup of tea, Sue Knight leads the meeting and we pray for an hour. Everybody who would like to pray for the Street Pastors is very welcome.
Morning and Lunchtime Prayers at the Minster. Morning Prayer at the Minster takes place every Monday to Friday at 9am and 12.30pm respectively. All are welcome to come and pray in this beautiful building. Each Wednesday lunchtime prayers includes Holy Communion.
View PDF
About Prayer


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Anelemma Print | Limited Edition of 20
$399.00 $775.00
Beautiful Cultiver flat sheet made from 100% linen woven from European flax, pre-washed for softness and durability. Cultiver know that the best linen fabric originates from European Flax. Carefully woven and stonewashed for softness, their linen has been designed to showcase the best of what this textile has to offer.
Cultiver is only available to New Zealand customers.
Cultiver's linen incorporates an enzyme wash to accelerate the softening process that naturally comes with every wash as linen ages - so that it has a vintage feel from the first time you use it.
All orders are dispatched in 1 to 2 working days so it'll be with you before you know it.
For New Zealand orders we offer free shipping on purchases over $75. For Australian orders we offer free shipping on purchases over $150. This offer excludes bulky items. You'll be charged shipping on bulky items at the checkout
For international delivery, please see our delivery timeframes here.
Please see our full online returns policy here. For a return to be processed, Father Rabbit needs to be notified within 14 days of your order. This excludes food, jewellery, skincare, personal care items & items on sale. Clothing & footwear must be unwashed, unworn & with original tags & packaging. Items bought on sale (excluding clothing & footwear) can not be returned or exchanged.


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Mother's Day sort of snuck up on me this year and I really didn't get around to doing a design project to celebrate my mom this year.
This Mother's Day seems a little easier than last years but I still miss and think of my mom every day. I thought I'd celebrate my mom today by posting a picture of her and her mom, who she lost when she was a few years younger than me.
As much as today is an important day it's always good to remember that today is a hard and complicated day for lots of people for many, many different reasons.
On that note, I still want to wish all the Mom's out there (including fur baby Mom's!), A Happy Mother's Day.


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1st Cotton Bowl Extravaganza
October 27, 1984 in Dallas, TX
Cotton Bowl drawing 12,000
1. Iceman King Parsons drew Butch Reed (15:00).
2. Killer Khan pinned Jules Strongbow.
3. Norvell Austin drew Skip Young.
4. Buck Zumhoffe pinned Koko Ware.
5. The Missing Link pinned George Weingroff.
6. Kerry Von Erich beat Butch Reed in an "arm wrestling" match.
7. American Tag Champs The Fantastics (Fulton & Rogers) beat Kelly Kiniski & El Diablo when Rogers pinned Diablo.
8. Mike Von Erich & Stella Mae French beat Gino Hernandez & Nicola Roberts (5:00) when French pinned Roberts.
9. Kevin Von Erich pinned Chris Adams.
10. Gino Hernandez, Chris Adams, & Jake Roberts beat Bobby Fulton, Kerry & Mike Von Erich (11:45) to win the
Six Man Tag Title when Roberts pinned Kerry.
2nd Cotton Bowl Extravaganza
October 6, 1985 in Dallas, TX
Cotton Bowl drawing 26,000 ($240,310)
1. Tim Brooks pinned Steve Casey.
2. Kelly Kiniski pinned Tommy Montana.
3. The Fantastics (Fulton & Rogers) beat John Tatum & Dave Peterson when Rogers pinned Peterson.
4. The Great Kabuki beat Mark Lewin via DQ.
5. Texas Champ Brian Adias pinned Jack Victory.
6. Iceman King Parsons beat One Man Gang (3rd Rnd) via countout in a "taped fist" match.
7. Kerry & Kevin Von Erich beat Chris Adams & Gino Hernandez (16:00) in a "no DQ hair vs hair" match
when Kerry pinned Adams.
3rd Cotton Bowl Extravaganza
October 12, 1986 in Dallas, TX
Cotton Bowl drawing 5,835 ($71,729)
1. Scott Casey pinned The Grappler (8:10).
2. WCCW Tag Champs Matt Borne & Buzz Sawyer beat Steve Simpson & Dingo Warrior via DQ.
3. Crusher Yurkoff pinned Brian Adias (9:24).
4. Mike Von Erich pinned Spike Johnson (6:21).
5. Chris & Mark Youngblood beat Brad & Bart Batten (9:02).
6. Ricky Steamboat pinned Mighty Zulu.
7. Kevin Von Erich pinned Black Bart (6:22) to win the WCCW Title.
8. Bruiser Brody pinned Abdullah the Butcher in a "steel cage" match. Fritz Von Erich was the special referee.
4th Cotton Bowl Extravaganza
October 17, 1987 in Dallas, TX
Cotton Bowl drawing 3,700 ($48,000)
1. Bruiser Brody won a "battle royal."
2. WCCW Light Heavyweight Champ Eric Embry beat Shaun Simpson.
3. Kerry Von Erich workouts with Matt Borne, Frankie Lancaster, and Killer Brooks.
4. Kevin Von Erich beat Al Perez to win the WCCW Title. The belt was later returned to Perez due to outside interference.
5th Cotton Bowl Extravaganza
October 15, 1988 in Dallas, TX
Cotton Bowl drawing 4,500 ($43,000)
1. Steve Casey pinned Tug Tyler.
2. Jimmy Valiant & The Macho Midget beat Killer Brooks & The Million Dollar Baby.
3. AJW All-Pacific Champ Chigusa Nagayo pinned Candi Divine.
4. Super Black Ninja beat Tony Torres, Vince Apollo, and two others in a "handicap" match.
5. Blackjack Mulligan & Bill Irwin beat Jimmy Jack Funk & Black Bart.
6. WCCW Texas Champ Iceman King Parsons DCO Kendall Windham.
7. Jeff Jarrett pinned Eric Embry to win the WCCW Light Heavyweight Title.
8. Kevin Von Erich beat Brian Adias (4:00) via DQ.
9. Terry Gordy NC Botswana beast in a "dog collar" match.
10. Michael Hayes & Steve Cox (seconded by Harvey Martin) beat The Samoan Swat Team in a "Texas tornado"
match to win the WCCW Tag Title.
11. Kerry Von Erich beat Jerry Lawler in a "Texas death" match to win the held-up AWA World and WCCW Titles.
However, the AWA title was returned to Lawler.


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A Brooklyn jury took just nine minutes Monday to decide a "not guilty" verdict for a man wrongly imprisoned for almost 25 years on a murder rap.
Derrick "Fire" Deacon, 58, was convicted in 1989 of gunning down Anthony Wynn in a Flatbush apartment building during a robbery – but was granted a new trial in 2012 after a Jamaican gangbanger who became a federal cooperator in an unrelated case told the FBI that one of his fellow gang members was Wynn's real killer.
The Brooklyn Supreme Court jurors who decided Deacon's innocence in record speed were ecstatic about his freedom.
"I want you to understand that within two minutes [of deliberating] we had decided he wasn't guilty," the jury forewoman, who declined to give her name, told Deacon's defense attorney outside court. "There was never even a shred of evidence against Derrick Deacon!"
Deacon took off his glasses and wiped his eyes as the verdict was read.
He was kept in custody on an immigration hold but should be out on bail in about a week, defense attorney Glenn Garber said.
Deacon's family members rejoiced at the verdict.
"I was screaming! I was so happy to hear that he's coming out and being free after 25 years," daughter Carla Deacon, 30, said from her father's native Jamaica.
"I would send messages to him – 'Keep the faith' and 'I'm praying for him' and 'I love him."
"We feel good because he's free. We knew he wasn't guilty," said family member Myrna Williams, 77.
Another reason Deacon got a retrial was the recantation of witness Colleen Campbell, who testified she had seen the murderer fleeing the crime scene and knew it wasn't Deacon – but had been afraid of the Jamaican gang and so didn't want to finger one of them.
"Campbell also testified that she had initially told the police that the perpetrator was not the defendant, but that she had been pressured by police or prosecutors to provide 'vague' testimony at trial," stated the 2009 Appellate Court decision that granted Deacon a new trial.
"Campbell testified that the police and/or prosecutors had threatened to "take away" her children if she did not cooperate with them."


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All Good Things End....well most...
Today is the last day to take advantage of the big sale on online workshops we have been running the last month or so. Tomorrow the prices go up.
You can check out all of the classes and register here. If you pay before tomorrow, you get into the class forever.....and you won't miss the sale price. Come around and paint with us whenever you want...NO TIME LIMITS..and no end to instructor support. None.
We hope to see you in class.
Julie Prichard


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HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (KTLA) — As Sunday's Academy Awards approaches, nominees are narrowing down what to wear, which after-parties to attend, and who to thank in their acceptance speeches.
If past speeches are any indication, Oscar winners will likely acknowledge family, friends, colleagues, agents, managers, and even hair stylists.
The website http://www.thanktheacademy.com tabulated more than 200 Oscar acceptance speeches from past ceremonies and came up with the following statistics:
The average speech is nearly 2 minutes long.
The old average was 44 seconds for men, 39 seconds for women.
Speeches given with notes last an average of 2 minutes, 2 seconds.
Speeches without notes last an average of 1 minute, 23 seconds.
Only 3 percent of directors cry while accepting their awards, while 21 percent of actors cry.
71 percent of the tears during acceptance speeches were shed after 1995.
About half the winners to date thanked their families. Less than half thanked the Academy.
All the nominees receive Oscar gift bags.
This year's contents are worth roughly $45,000, and include a $12,000-trip to an Australian resort, $120 worth of maple syrup, contraceptives, a lint roller, and Windex.
-Chris Wolfe, KTLA News


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Forbes' World's Highest-Paid Actors list is out and Robert Downey Jr. is once again at the top of the heap.
Downey Jr.'s $80 million 2015 earning comes from being the leader of the Marvel Studios universe as superhero Iron Man. This year he returned as part of The Avengers in "Avengers: Age of Ultron," which has grossed $1.4 billion worldwide since its release in May. The third-highest grossing movie of 2015.
This is the third consecutive year Downey Jr. has topped the Forbes list.
Coming in second on the list is Jackie Chan at $50 million. The international star is beloved in his homeland of China, and this year he starred in the country's biggest movie of the year, "Dragon Blade," opposite John Cusack and Adrien Brody (the film comes to the US in September).
Rounding out the top five are Vin Diesel ($47 million), Bradley Cooper ($41.5 million), and Adam Sandler ($41 million), though the latter is coming off another box office disappointment with "Pixels."
Other notables on the list include Tom Cruise ($40 million), Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson ($31.5 million), Johnny Depp ($30 million), Leonardo DiCaprio ($29 million), Will Smith ($26 million), and newcomers Seth Rogen ($17 million) and Jonah Hill ($16 million).
Forbes determines their list between June 1, 2014 and June 1, 2015 through earnings before subtracting management fees and taxes. Figures are based on data from Nielsen, Box Office Mojo, and IMDb as well a interviews with agents, managers, lawyers, and the actors.
A separate list of highest-paid actresses will be released by Forbes later this year.


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|Community Information
|Initially, I wanted to name this community crushed_graphics but then I came across icons_by_ashley and as they say, the rest is history. Credits to her for, well, the name :) Created on the 19th of March 2007 but was intially from my own journal which you can add if you like -- xx_crushed. Just drop a comment and I'll add you up. Don't worry, I don't bite. I'm an awfully nice, sweet person.
Click HERE to join the community ♥
Just a few simple rules that you obviously MUST follow:
♥ Crediting is a MUST for anything taken,
♥ No hotlinking please,
♥ No editing of icons/designs unless or otherwise stated,
♥ Allowed only for LJ use unless or otherwise stated,
♥ Last, but not least, no stealing of icons. Thank you.
♥ Layout codes: minty_peach
♥ Header: Edited by me, from celeb_photobook
♥ Image Host: Photobucket
♥ Images: dj_capslock, cap_it & celeb_photobook
♥ Icon Table Generator
♥ The Tiny Icon Generator
♥ __iconxwhore ♥ vblackangelv ♥ basebeat ♥ iconlove__ ♥ heroes_stills ♥ minty_peach ♥ backseaticons ♥ foolishgames liquorlogic ♥ contorts ♥ lescirques ♥ over__indulged ♥ _curelola ♥ dawnoflove ♥ caughtmoments ♥ undeniablyglam ♥ dreamyobsession ♥ magique_icon ♥ gaffe ♥ __closethedoor ♥
Wanna be affiliates? Just comment here :)


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The Tamil harvest festival is known as Thai Pongal. According to Gregorian calendar, Thai Pongal is celebrated for four days and this celebration is usually done from January 14 to January 16. This corresponds to the final day of the Tamil month Maargazhi to the third day of the Thai month of Tamil calendar.
Thai Pongal is one of the most crucial festivals which are celebrated by Tamil People in India as well as other countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius, South Africa, United States, Singapore, Canada and UK. It is also somewhat similar to Makara Sankranthi which is the winter harvest festival and is celebrated throughout India.
The festive day of Thai Pongal also marks the starting of sun's six – month long journey northwards (the Uttaraayanam). It is also said by various astrologers that on this day sun enters the 10th house of the Indian zodiac Makara or Capricorn. It is celebrated to appreciate Sun God and thank him for a successful harvest.
By: Bhavna Sharma
Content: Wikipedia
Enhance Your Skills With Our Experts


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Toshiba has just announced a new addition to its tablet lineup in the form of the AT300, a 10.1in model whose key feature is its Nvidia Tegra 3 processor.
The new tablet looks very similar to the existent AT200, with its square sides, brushed aluminium back and 1,280 x 800 pixel resolution screen but instead of a slightly sluggish dual-core TI OMAP processor, it's based on Nvidia's Tegra 3 chip. With four main CPU cores plus one low power CPU core, as well as a graphics chip that's among the fastest going, it should be a splendidly speedy slate.
Other key features include a full size SD card slot, a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash (rear) and 2 megapixel front facing camera also with flash, stereo speakers, 1GB of RAM, microUSB and microHDMI. This means it ticks just about every connectivity and expandability box we'd hope for, and it does all this while only weighing 590g.
The screen also supports 10-finger multi-touch, you'll be able to get either 16GB or 32GB of inbuilt storage and battery life is 10hours for video and 12h for mixed use. All of which sounds impressive. Only the screen's fairly standard resolution of 1,280 x 800 is a let down.
We were reasonably impressed by many aspects of the AT200 but ultimately felt it was a little slow, had an old OS and the screen wasn't all that great. The AT300 should fix at least two of these so should be one to look out for.


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Tonight from 10pm - 2am, DJ Kevin Kong takes the stage for a night of dancing and drinking down by the Delaware for a $5 cover charge at the door!
You can also enjoy music all day long from our rotating DJs, every Saturday from 1 - 9:30pm!
DJ Kevin Kong has been a Philadelphia nightlife professional since 1999. Following his first feature residency at the wildly popular Automatic Tuesdays weekly in 2001, he went on to host events at iconic venues such as Fluid, Silk City, Barbary, PYT (Backroom), G Lounge, Transit, Medusa, Cuba Libre/32, Shampoo, God's Basement, Soma, Time, Trestle, Loews Terrace, and countless more.


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South Korea
Avison Young
Avison Young is the world's fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Avison Young is a collaborative, global firm owned and operated by its principals. Founded in 1978, the company comprises approximately 5,000 real estate professionals in 120 offices in 20 countries, providing value-added, client-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management, financing and mortgage placement services to owners and occupiers of office, retail, industrial, multi-family and hospitality properties.
For further information please visit www.avisonyoung.co.kr


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Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Anything Goes at Divas by Design
24 comments:
They are soooo adorable Kelly! I love them! : )ReplyDelete
Oh my gosh, they are sooooo adorable, Kelly!!!! Something new...never heard of it! You sure did an outstanding job....so precious!ReplyDelete
Oh my gosh, Kelly! These are AMAZING!!! I love everything about them!!ReplyDelete
hugs, Sharon
Oh my gosh, Kelly! These are AMAZING!!! I love everything about them!!ReplyDelete
hugs, Sharon
So cute and so fun, love your projectReplyDelete
hugs Doreen
Amazing...such a creative project. Fantastic addition to a card. So gorgeous :)ReplyDelete
hugs: Donna
- AnonymousFebruary 27, 2013 at 12:36 PM
Love the baby one but the fussy and fancy one is very cool too!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 27, 2013 at 3:08 PM
How cute are these! What a wonderful idea, love them bothReplyDelete
Hugs Julie P
Gorgeous creation!ReplyDelete
This is something I have never seen before. Great idea.
Happy creativity to you!
So clever. Love them.ReplyDelete
Great new stuff Kelly! You decorated both to perfection. I've never heard of Shape EZ so I'll have to look that up. Anyway you did an outstanding job!ReplyDelete
These are just too cute for words Kelly, love them to bits. Fabulous imagination you've got hon.ReplyDelete
Suzi x
Hi Kelly! These are beautiful! Love how you decorated each one! Where can we get these Shape EZ?ReplyDelete
This is so cute, Kelly. Love the vintage look of your clothes hanger and the fabulous umbrellas. Your baby Maggie looks adorable.ReplyDelete
Cathy Lee
Kelly - these are really neat Kelly - you clever lady you. This went into my trash mail and it took a while to find -- Yep - these two cards are wonderful. My favorite? The one with the moon!!!ReplyDelete
Aw, these little flip cards are so darling Kelly. They will make an elegant deco!!!ReplyDelete
LIke the umbrella shaped cards. The shape is a cool creative idea. I host a weekly challenge at Mark's Finest Papers Simple Salutations. This wk the challenge is Anything Goes. Membership in MFP is free. Please join, enter & let them know I sent you.ReplyDelete
"Sunshine HoneyBee"
MFP SS Hostess
Sooo cute! I love the shape! Beautiful! :) NanceeReplyDelete
These are precious!ReplyDelete
Laura C.
These are awesome! Love the shabby chic feel. May have to try one.ReplyDelete
Wowwwww wat een hele mooie creatie heb je gemaakt. bedankt voor je deelname bij TFMC. Groetjes Marga.ReplyDelete
This is such a great card shape Kelly! I love the way you've decorated them. Thanks for sharing at Simply Magnolia.ReplyDelete
XX Inge
This is beautiful!ReplyDelete
Thanks for joining us at Simply Magnolia!
Hugs Karin
wow what a gorgeous creation. Thank you for joining our challenge at the Time for Magnolia challenge!ReplyDelete
Hugs Margreet


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One of the most coveted things when you are in the UK is the UK employment. As a result of the collapse all 1,400 employees lost their jobs and Mr Malik and Mr Mahmud successfully sued for injury to their reputations and their employment prospects as a result of association with a dishonest and corrupt employer – damages will only be awarded where the employee's difficulty in finding new employment is attributable to the dismissal.
The payslip should include the gross pay, all deductions made, such as tax, social security payments, etc, and the net pay, or take home pay. Total maximum two years per employer and employee combination, then it automatically counts as a normal employment. Palace Sports and Entertainment is firmly committed to equal opportunity in employment at our company and all of our venues.
Some employers will only tell you or disclose to you what your monthly net income is. Make sure they disclose or express in the employment contract what your gross monthly remuneration is, as well as under what tax article they will be taking any withholdings from you.
If the Tribunal decides that the offer of alternative employment was suitable in all the circumstances (an objective test), and if the employee unreasonably refuses the offer (a subjective test), the employee will lose his/her right to a statutory redundancy payment (s. 141 (1)-(3)).
As per the rules and regulations of the Singapore law and Ministry of Manpower (MOM), an employment pass application is mandatory to be filled in for a foreign candidate who wishes to work in Singapore. The real difference begins to emerge with what is written into the contract for employment. So, if your company also plans to hire the services of employment screening companies, you should see to it that the company you choose will use only the latest technology to better achieve accurate results. All employers are legally obliged to provide their employees hired for more than one month with a written statement of employment no later than two months of their start date. The claim must be presented to the Employment Tribunal within 3 months of the deduction (s.23(2) ERA 1996).


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Well, if threads are a gateway drug, I'm already graduating to new addictions. Fabrics! In my sponge-like quest to absorb everything I can about embroidery, I have been seeking out bloggers who are writing about it. I found a wonderful Flickr group and a blog called Feeling Stitchy which brings together some really talented stitchers and provides a platform for a great community of people to sbow off their work. One thing they do which is really fun is a monthly Stitchalong, where everyone works on the same pattern or project at the same time. Such a fun a idea. This month they are doing a project where everyone picks a patterned fabric to embellish with stitches. I am totally up for this - a great project for someone who is just getting started in embroidery, like me!
I tried trusty old eBay, figuring I'd find some cool vintage fabric remnants there. I soon got weary of trolling through pages and pages or ugly fabrics, and the prices weren't cheap either! So I found a great online fabric store, Fabric Inspirations, who sell tons of cool retro style and new prints. I chose these two - a bright birds/flowers pattern, and a zoo animals pattern. Although I like the colours on the top fabric better, I think I might go with the bottom fabric as it seems that lots of people have chosen bird-based patterns for the stitchalong.
I'm going to take a few days to decide.


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Swirly whirly Viennese butter cookies/
Creating a varied menu and testing out the possible goods for an afternoon tea or special occasion brunch, lunch or what-have-you is an ongoing project of mine (Yes, I'm getting there). As I research recipes and ideas, I invariably come across something I haven't made for a long time. This cookie is one of them.
Years ago I had a cookie press with the various discs that allowed one to create butter cookies in different shapes or designs, including a simple swirl . I've since moved on from the cookie press, but these whirled Viennese cookies remind me of those days of yore. It's a classic butter cookie made even more enticing by sandwiching with raspberry jam and buttercream.
Most of the recipes I've seen call for equal (or nearly so) weights of butter and flour along with some confectioner's sugar, cornstarch (or cornflour, as the Brits call it), vanilla and maybe a bit of baking powder and salt. As is the case with pretty much all recipes, the quantities of each ingredient vary a bit from recipe to recipe. They're all good if you ask me!
I opted to use white rice flour instead of cornstarch, being curious about the final texture (Spoiler alert - good!).
Here's the recipe I used for these:
- 200 g / 1 stick plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 50 g / 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 200 g / 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 30 g / 3 tablespoons white rice flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
- 1-2 tablespoons whole milk
- Heat the oven to 325ºF. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Cream the soft butter and confectioner's sugar with the paddle on medium-high for several minutes until pale and light.
- Add the vanilla extract and blend in.
- Sift the flour, rice flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl; add 1 tablespoon milk and blend until smooth and well combined.
- Add the additional tablespoon of milk only if the mixture seems a bit stiff.
- Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe whirls onto parchment lined baking sheets. Leave some space to allow for spreading, although in my experience they don't spread too much.
- Place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before baking. This step sets the dough and makes it more likely your cookies will hold their shape nicely.
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes until the edges start becoming golden brown. Cool on wire racks.
Once cooled, pair up the cookies, overturn them, pipe a swirl of your favorite buttercream on one side and a smear of raspberry jam on the other. Sandwich 'em together and c'est fini!
A little dust of powdered sugar before serving gives them just the right elegant touch.
I find the powdered sugar/butter version of buttercream (which is found all too often on cupcakes, in layer cakes, on cookies) to be too sweet for my taste, so I prefer to make a Swiss meringue buttercream which is lighter and less sweet. It's a little more work, but, once you've done it, the next time will go so smoothly. It's worth the effort for me.
For this project I made my orange honey buttercream as follows:
- 3 large egg whites
- 140 g / scant 3/4 cup cane sugar
- 185 g / 1 stick plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature
- 84 g / 4 tablespoons honey
- pinch sea salt
- zest of one orange
- Have a stand mixer with whisk attachment at the ready.
- Place an inch or so of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Have a thermometer on hand (a digital probe type works well or a standard candy type thermometer).
- Meanwhile, place the egg whites and sugar in a medium bowl that sits nicely in the top of your saucepan and whisk them together. Reduce the heat to a simmer and whisk until the sugar is dissolved, the mixture starts to thicken and whiten and the temperature reaches 150-155º F.
- Transfer the meringue directly to the bowl of the stand mixer and whisk on high until cooled and thickened to nice shiny stiff peaks.
- Gradually add the room temperature butter, a few pieces at a time, until incorporated and the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
- Blend in the honey, sea salt and orange zest. I usually do that with a hand held spatula and make sure everything is blended nicely.
- Pipe or spread as desired. This keeps well in the fridge for several days and can also be frozen. Once chilled or frozen the cream should be brought to room temperature and may need a bit of rewhipping to soften and smooth it out again for use.
And how did these taste, you might ask? Delicious. Melt in your mouth cookie with a delightful texture from the rice flour, along with the hint-of-orange-creamy and tang-of-raspberry-fruity. These keep very nicely in the fridge for several days and can also be frozen.
Feel free to create your own combos of buttercream and jam for something just a little different. I know I will and why not, eh?


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Grootveld, M, Claxson, A, Naughton, Declan and Blake, D (1991) A biochemical investigation of auranofin nephrotoxicity by high field proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. In: Satellite Symp Of The 9th International Congress Of Pharmacology : Drugs In Inflammation; 28-29 Jun, 1990, Noordwijk, Netherlands. (Agents and Actions Supplements, no. 32)Full text not available from this archive.
High-field proton NMR spectroscopic analysis of urine and plasma has been employed to study the biochemical effects and nephrotoxic action of an intramuscular dose of auranofin in rats. Auranofin induced a characteristic profile of proximal tubular damage as evidenced by aminoaciduria, lactic aciduria and increased urinary acetate concentrations. In addition, ethanol was detectable in both urine and plasma obtained from auranofin-treated rats. Auranofin-mediated elevations in the plasma and urine concentrations of 3-D-hydroxybutyrate indicated an increased utilisation of fats for fuel in rats treated with this novel therapeutic agent.
|Item Type:
|Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
|Event Title:
|Satellite Symp Of The 9th International Congress Of Pharmacology : Drugs In Inflammation
|Research Area:
|Allied health professions and studies
|Faculty, School or Research Centre:
|Faculty of Science (until 2011) > School of Life Sciences
Faculty of Science (until 2011)
|Related URLs:
|Depositing User:
|Declan Naughton
|Date Deposited:
|29 Feb 2012 11:26
|Last Modified:
|29 Feb 2012 11:26
Actions (Repository Editors)
|Item Control Page


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Embedding community engagement
Challenges and opportunities
In 2008, local authorities were being encouraged to embed a culture of engagement and community empowerment when developing services, with the view to achieve real service improvement and more economical delivery. Buckinghamshire County Council (Bucks) asked Engine to help them realise this approach through a practical project that would give them the opportunity to learn new skills and approaches to community engagement while improving the access to health and social care services for both urban and rural residents in the 50+ age range, which can be stressful, time-consuming and expensive.
Engine delivered a capacity-building programme which engaged residents and council staff to create HealthConnect, a service development proposal designed to improve access to health and social care services in Buckinghamshire. Aspects of the service were adopted by over five local authorities and health bodies, to improve the experience of residents accessing their services.
What we did
To help Bucks engage their residents and community in the development of services, Engine demonstrated a co-design process to show how tacit insights could be drawn from residents' needs and experiences and translated into efficient and effective services.
Engine developed this into a best practice methodology, using service design research, tools and methods to explore the problems and opportunities in the day to day lives of older residents, and used the insights to help elected members, residents, officers and service providers to co-design ideas and propositions to meet those needs.
The methodology, which came to be known as SHAPE: Services Having All People Engaged, also addressed the organisational challenges around how a local authority and its delivery partners plan the process of engagement and organise themselves to benefit from that process to see real and sustainable change. Engine approached this by balancing SHAPE to reduce complexity through managing expectations and establishing clear and focused objectives with tangible results, and to also be flexible enough to adapt to changes and ranges of involvement by keeping people with different interests engaged.
The methodology was demonstrated through the programme of work which would improve how 50+ residents could access health and social care services from all over the county, taking into account times, availability and public and private transport. The teams all worked together to generate, organise and plan the development of the service, with clear input from residents throughout.
The result was HealthConnect, a service development proposal to improve access to health and social care services in Buckinghamshire. It includes a range of channels and ways of accessing more useful information and how healthcare and transport providers can work more efficiently together to support the access of residents to their services.
Engine also documented and refined the process itself to produce the SHAPE methodology for people-centred service innovation, which can be downloaded here. It contains the benefits and results of the process and details team roles, tools, methods and examples to achieve the best results.
The SHAPE methodology had immediate impact, with Wycombe District Council, Chiltern District Council, Oxford City Council, Bucks Primary Care Trust, and Wycombe Hospital Trust all integrating concepts from HealthConnect, such as journey planning information on their websites.


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Boring bumpkins not City slickers
game and the contest ebbed and flowed like two punch-drunk heavyweights going toe to toe in the ring. The match may have lacked that little bit of quality in front of goal, but it definitely wasn't for the want of trying.
It had everything that was good about the English game - plenty of pace, fullbacks pushing forward, old style wingers, strength and passion and a bit of controversy thrown in for good measure. England's top flight might lack the skill and technique of La Liga but there's still plenty to get the heart racing, particularly with the title race as wide open as it is this year.
It must be soul-destroying for Carlos Tevez to be running back and forth on the halfway line when he should be wreaking havoc in the opposition's penalty area, although it is difficult to feel any sympathy for the money-grabbing mercenary, talented and all as he is.
On the other hand, the way Man City defended against lowly Wolves on Saturday, maybe it's wise to shut up shop against the big boys like Man United and Arsenal, as on that evidence they'd be torn to shreds by their title rivals if 'INSIDE RIGHT' enjoyed an evening of reminiscence over a few pints during the week with a long-time friend who had returned to our shores for a short sojourn.
As the beer began to flow apace and lubricated tongues loosened, conversation, as it so often does, switched to the goings-on in the world of sport.
The subject matter quickly turned to Manchester City as our football-mad friend has been a fan of the Blues for as long as this writer cares to remember.
Yours truly, being a stubborn old goat at the best of times and particularly after a few beverages, argued vehemently that the lack of ambition shown by Roberto Mancini's merry men in the big games is nothing short of a disgrace, given the king's ransom that the proud old Manchester club has splashed about willy-nilly over the past couple of seasons.
It may seem strange to criticise a side who are level on points with Man United at the top of the table for being too negative, but it's the games against the other big guns that supporters look forward to most and it is blatantly obvious that Mancini's aim is to give nothing away against the title challengers, beat the lesser lights and keep his fingers crossed that will be enough.
That calculated approach obviously prevents the main challengers from putting daylight between themselves and you, but conversely it also stops you from stealing a march on them and damaging their title ambitions.
My childhood comrade asserted that he didn't care one whit if they didn't play pretty football as long as they went on to claim the title, or any piece of silverware for that matter, given that they haven't won anything since Adam was a boy.
'InsideRight's mind is rarely for turning and even in the fuzzy-headed cold light of day Man City's approach still rankles and churns the stomach, although yours truly would have to begrudgingly admit to understanding the polar viewpoint of a win at all costs mentality.
When, like Man City, you haven't won as much as a field day raffle in aeons, even garnering a bottle of TK lemonade from the bottle stall would seem like a worthy triumph, so entertaining the neutrals would hardly be high on your list of priorities.
However, it still doesn't excuse the kind of snooze-inducing performance like the one they put in at the Emirates a few weeks back or their ultra-negative 00 draw against Spurs at White Hart Lane on the opening day of the season.
Or worse again, the display against local rivals Manchester United at the City of Manchester Stadium.
At least against the Gunners and Spurs it was in away matches, so there's some mitigating circumstances, but to settle for a scoreless stalemate against their biggest rivals in front of their own fans has to leave a bad taste in the mouth.
Contrast that with the game between Spurs and Man United on Sunday. It may have also ended in a 0-0 draw but that's where the similarities end - the approach couldn't have been any more different.
Both sides clearly wanted to win the they tried to give as good as they got.
Of course City are not the first to take a cautious approach, Chelsea didn't exactly play the most attractive football under Jose Mourinho, but their negativity was never quite as pronounced as Man City under Mancini, where they park the team bus, cars, tea ladies and anything else they can get their hands on in front of their goal.
The Chelsea faithful, given their desire to get their hands on the coveted Premier League crown, were never too bothered as long as the trophy cabinet was brimful of lucre, but in the end the lack of champagne football led to Mourinho getting his marching orders, although it was billionaire owner Roman Abramovich who felt he wasn't getting enough value out of his expensive toy rather than the fans calling for his head.
There are plenty of clubs out there where negative tactics wouldn't get the nod of approval from the fans; at the likes of Real Madrid or Barcelona you'd be quickly shown the door for such insolence.
At Real Madrid in particular, managers have succeeded in delivering trophies only to get their marching orders pretty much as soon as the glittering prize was lifted aloft, Fabio Capello and Vincente del Bosque being cases in point.
And it's not exclusively a Spanish trait; fans of Man United, Arsenal or Spurs like to see their teams play an attacking, attractive brand of football, so a manager that oversees snore-fest soccer wouldn't last much more than a wet weekend.
'Inside Right' will have to own up to having double standards though, as when Wexford won a pretty uninspiring All-Ireland hurling final in 1996 yours truly will confess to not caring one jot as complete strangers were held shoulderhigh, as the sacred sod of Croke Park was used as a giant, grassy dancefloor for overjoyed purple and gold bedecked children and adults alike.
Similarly, during the Jack Charlton era Ireland played some of the worst sort of football imaginable but as a nation on the crest of a wave we didn't give a damn, although in hindsight when you look at the players at Big Jack's disposal, the style of play could have been far more palatable.
Giovanni Trappatoni is guilty of similar tactics, where midfield is pretty much bypassed, but at least he has the excuse of having a limited pool of talent at his disposal - Irish players of the calibre of Paul McGrath and Roy Keane are thin on the ground these days.
Back to the happenings at Eastlands, where there's no doubting that they do have talented players in their ranks. City need look no further than across the divide to their local rivals Manchester United to see that you can have style and substance - they're still unbeaten in the league with a positive approach.
Football supporters would love to see a new name on top of the pile in England, but City's attitude in the marquee games won't win over many neutrals to their cause.
Success-starved fans mightn't demand panache until they feel their side has really earned the right to truly mix it with the big boys by delivering silverware.
However, having seen wads of cash dished out on players, Man City fans could be forgiven for feeling a little shortchanged.


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This Halloween, from 4pm to 6pm, children and families are welcome to walk Haunted Huguenot Street, trick-or-treating at our historic houses (the houses will be otherwise closed during this time).
From 7pm to 10pm, Historic Huguenot Street will transform into Haunted Huguenot Street with special interpretations of the Jean Hasbrouck House, the burial ground, the Deyo House, and the Abraham Hasbrouck House. Guests will hear legends of hauntings, participate in Mrs. Gertrude Deyo-Brodhead's infamous Conundrum Party, and explore the art of haunted interpretation.
Pre-registration is encouraged for interpretations.
Members, seniors, and military $20. Register here.
Non-members $25. Register here.
Without pre-registration, $30 at the door.


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When a homeowner is building or renovating the kitchen, one of the most important decisions for the heart of the home revolves around the stovetop and oven.
Until recently professional cooking tools were the domain of chefs, but with more people wanting to cook restaurant-quality meals at home, high-end appliances are being purchased by homeowners.
"People are becoming better cooks because of the food networks," says John Jackson, co-owner and co-chef of Calgary's Charcut Roast House. "Cooking is fun and trendy. Homeowners are learning about different ingredients and are trying different things. The more homeowners expand their culinary interests, the more need they have for similar setups as a professional kitchen."
As a chef, picking a stovetop and oven for his home was as important as choosing one for work.
Jackson says because he was trained to cook with a gas cooktop, and is used to using it, he wanted to have a gas stove at home.
"I'm a chef so obviously I have a particular preference," he says. "Basically I have cooking with gas worked out to a science, and I didn't want to adapt to another form of cooking."
Jackson says the reason he prefers gas is that it provides instant heat, and the cook is able to see how high the heat is because of the flame.
Many homeowners are choosing to include a second oven in their kitchen to allow for more flexibility.
"I love the versatility of having two ovens," says Jackson. "I can be cooking in one and keeping something warm in the other. There is also the option to have two things going at the same time, whether it is roasting a whole chicken in one and having the dessert finishing in the other. For homeowners it is very convenient and I am seeing it more and more often now."
Even though including two ovens is becoming a common request, Vancouver interior designer Tanya Schoenroth says the biggest challenge in accommodating additional appliances is space.
"If they want two ovens, but also want a microwave, a warming drawer and a built-in cappuccino maker, they will have an elevation in their cabinetry that will typically include the refrigerator, but will also hold the ovens so everything is full-height and full-depth. Everything is just more streamlined," Schoenroth says.
Prioritizing what appliances are most important also helps allocate space for cooktops and ovens, while appliances such as microwaves can be moved to a pantry. A range, which is a stove and oven, can also be used, allowing for a second wall oven.
Schoenroth says with so many brands and options available, one of the most important questions homeowners can ask a salesperson is whether the stove and oven can be easily serviced.


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100cameras Gives TEDx Talk
It was an amazing opportunity for 100cameras and our co-founder, Angela Popplewell, to have been invited to speak at TEDx in Seattle.
Angela's TEDx talk focused on changing perspectives and choosing to be shaped by the bright moments in life. Choosing hope, choosing joy, choosing gratefulness- traits we learn from each and every one of the kids who have become a part of our lives. Our students have taught us and challenged us to see the life-altering power of perspective, and we'll never be the same.
Watch the talk here, be inspired, and please share the link along!


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Use the booking form at right to find the best deals and book a room online with IrishTourist.com!
Alternatively, browse all of the accommodation by selecting from the links below:
Click on an icon to see full details of that listing, or scroll down to view all listings.
Earlsfort Centre, 14-17 Lower Leeson St, Dublin 2
Located in the heart of Georgian Dublin, Premier Suites Plus Dublin, Leeson Street are set on Lower Leeson Street. These elegant suites are ideally set within easy reach of the city's most popular sights. Just around the corner from St.
Read more about Premier Suites Plus Dublin Leeson Street | View Map of Area | Photos


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I've only gone and done it/
A mere 5 years after starting up I've finally got with the twenty first century and have 'done' a website. Well, I didn't do it Jon Freeman did (he's very good if anyone out there wants a site built).
Now, having once drunkenly stated that only people with humungous egos wrote blogs (I said it to a blogger of course, there was no second date), here I am writing ludicrously long sentences and throwing them into the void.
I expect I'll write more..... eventually.


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She's raising four children and helping her husband run a successful auction business, but that isn't preventing Glenwood's Korrina Hughes from pursuing her passion of raising horses and competing as a barrel racer on the regional rodeo circuit.
A native of Utica, Neb., Hughes competes in at least two dozen rodeos a year and has worked her way up to become one of the top barrel racers on the Prairie Circuit of the Women's Professional Rodeo Association.
"It is a challenge," Hughes said. "It's probably a little more difficult for me because most people I rodeo against don't have kids or their kids don't go with them. Most of them are full-time rodeo girls.
"The kids are my main priority. If I'm going to a rodeo, they're going to go with me. If they can't go or have some sporting event, I'm not going to the rodeo."
Korrina has been riding horses since she was a child, but didn't get involved in rodeo until she was a college student at the University of Nebraska.
"I got my first horse when I was 8 years old," Korrina recalled. "The first week, she bucked me off and broke all my ribs. Mom threw me back on when I was healthy and ready to ride."
Korrina wanted to do rodeo in junior high and high school, but her parents told her until she could afford to buy her own truck, trailer and rodeo horse, she wouldn't be competing.
"I worked on the farm and in the fields and bought a truck in high school," Korrina said. "When I was a sophomore in college, I had enough money saved up and bought my first rodeo horse and trailer."
Ironically, Korrina and her husband Allan were both members of the University of Nebraska rodeo team but were not in school at the same time. Allan is five years older than Korrina and was on the team in the late 1990s. Korrina joined the team after Allan had graduated. Korrina and Allan met through a mutual friend involved in rodeo after Allan had returned to his hometown of Glenwood to work in his family's real estate and construction business and start his auction service.
In college, Korrina did some roping - Allan's specialty – but her primary focus was on barrel racing.
"Barrel racing is kind of an adrenaline rush – just something I like to do," she said. "It takes a heckuva of an athlete of a horse to do it and I like that."
As a Nebraska native, Korrina is familiar with many of the rodeo arenas in the state and that's one of the reasons she opted to compete in the Prairie Circuit after she became a professional rider. The Prairie Circuit includes the states of Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. The state of Iowa is actually in the Great Lakes Circuit with Kentucky, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri, but rodeo competitors are permitted to compete in neighboring circuits if they desire. For Korrina, going to rodeos in Nebraska requires less time traveling than going to many of the arenas in the Great Lakes Circuit.
"I grew up in Nebraska so I know the arenas," she noted. "They're larger, sandier pens. When it rains, you have a better chance of running and not ruining your horse. Some rodeos are co-sanctioned so a rodeo in Iowa, like Sidney, counts toward circuit standing."
Rodeo's calendar year runs from Oct. 1 – Sept. 30. To get on the professional circuit, participants must purchase a permit and then must win a minimum amount of money during the season while competing at sanctioned rodeos. Because Korrina competes in the neighboring Prairie Circuit, she's required to ride in at least 24 rodeos each year. Those who compete in their home circuit are required to compete in only 15 rodeos.
"This summer, I'd say the kids and I went every weekend," Korrina said. "Some were during the week."
Korrina tends to her horses 5-6 hours a days, sometimes riding late at night after the children – Logan, Haylee, Kelsey and Tessa - have gone to bed. She also works out regularly in the gym, but said being mentally tough is as important in rodeo as being in good physical shape.
"You have to be a good athlete, but you also have to have ice running through your veins," she said. "You have to know your horse, the conditions you're riding on and there's just a mental toughness that you have to have when you go through that gate. You've got the crowd, the announcer and all that noise outside the fence and you've even got kids climbing the fence. You, as a rider, have to keep that horse in your hands."
2017 was the most successful season of Korrina's rodeo career. It was also the most heartbreaking.
When the season ended on Sept. 30, Korrina and her prized mare, 12-year-old Streakin' Miss Oak, affectionately nicknamed "Turtle," had enjoyed their most successful season together and earned enough winnings to compete in the Prairie Circuit Finals in Duncan, Okla. Turtle was one of several horses Korrina has raised and trained in the arena outside the Hughes' home. Korrina calls herself "old school" because she believes the prime age for a horse to compete is the 10-18 year-old range. Korrina did a few rodeos with Turtle when she was younger and Allan occasionally saddled her up for some roping events, but for the most part Korrina didn't start riding Turtle regularly in rodeos until the horse had matured to her satisfaction.
"This last year was just like a Cinderella year," Korrina said. "She won so many rodeos, It's not uncommon to go out there and place at a lot of rodeos, but she won them. One of the big rodeos last summer, she won by four tenths of a second, which is huge."
The summer rodeos Korrina and Turtle competed in were all outdoor events, but the Prairie Circuit Finals were held in an indoor arena. Korrina and Turtle adjusted to the indoor environment just fine, sitting in second place after two rounds of competition. Tragedy struck in the third round, however, as Korrina and Turtle were making their final push for a first or second-place finish.
"When she turned the third rail, she turned it clean and all the barrels were up so I was guaranteed a second-place spot in the average and with a fast enough run we could have won it."
It wasn't meant to be, however, as Korrina realized Turtle had been injured after they rounded the third barrel.
"I knew something wasn't right and I was actually trying to pull her up as she was running home," Korrina said. "She ran home because of her heart.
"She kept running through it and when we got to the back gate, one of the stock contractors that lets us in and out said, 'Can you get off of her?' I said something is wrong and he said, 'Yes, her leg is broken.'"
Understandably, Korrina was devastated. She finished in fifth place, but she and Allan were left with making an agonizing decision about a horse they and their four children considered to be a part of their family.
"We had to make a decision about her that night," she said. "Some horses they can save and they can fix. With her being a mare, we could have brought her home and bred her if they could have done surgery to fix the leg, but it was broken bad enough that the surgery option was to give her a peg leg. With a 1,200-pound animal, I didn't see that as very feasible. If she were spooked in the pasture, she wouldn't have been able to bend and could have broken another leg easily. She would have also felt pain.
"We made the best decision for her and the worst decision for us. It was tough. The kids rode her and I fed her three times a day. I run these horses all day and they become part of the family. She was hitting her stride. I can't think of one rodeo this year we went to that she didn't win or place at, which is crazy. You just take what she taught me and hopefully the confidence she gave me rolls into what I have here."
Korrina isn't sure if there's another young horse in her stable that will run like Turtle, but she intends to find out.
"It's not over. I've set myself up to do my dream in the future and she (Turtle) was a huge step in that," Korrina said. "I feel a little defeated right now, but it's not going to stop me."
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Welcome to Brooky-Indicators.com
I personally trade Forex and have done so for several years. Over this time I have as I am sure you have come across many indicators and strategies that are designed to help us all trade profitably.
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This site is a growing culmination of my own indicators, ones that I have modified and some stock standard ones. You are welcome to use them or purchase them if I have made them commercial.
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I hope you enjoy your visit. As usual be aware of the Forex Disclaimer as per below.
Losses can exceed deposited funds.
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It seems that every second of every day there are new rumors being started about this star or that. Whether it be if they are headed for Splitsville with their hubby or hiding a bump, there are always plenty abound! Most are easily spotted as garbage but every now and then you hear one that stumps you. These are the stories that seem so crazy that you have to wonder: Is it just more paparazzi trash or it something that is so crazy it's got to be true? This week was quite a busy week with almost ever star being scrutinized under the magnifying glass. Are these stories below outrageous rumors or unbelievable truths?
The first two outrageous stories both involve . Now that details of the goings-on in her delivery room are being leaked, it's being said that she refused an emergency C-section even after being told that she was risking the health of her and the baby. Normally, I wouldn't think to refute this rumor but the fact that I've only seen the story printed this one time, it makes me wonder.
The second story in the Spears' saga is that is jealous of her younger sister. There are actually two different versions of this story. The first is that Britney is deeply upset that Jamie Lynn gave birth to a girl, Maddie Briann. Apparantly, Britney has always wanted a girl. I totally discredit this entire story as just ridiculous. The second version goes that Britney did in fact become extremely upset while at home for the birth but that it was because everyone was gushing about what a great mother Jamie Lynn will be. Britney felt badly allegedly because she has had her boys taken away from her. And a birth would always remind a mother of the happy times when they birthed their own children. This I can actually see happening.
And up next in the parenting rumors department, there is . It's been no secret how happy she and fiance Joel Madden are together with baby Harlow and she has mentioned in interviews past that she wants to have another baby right away. So is this story simply bored reporters? Or did Nicole and Joel really get a jump on things? While my instinct is to dismiss this as well, it would provide me with an explanation as to why she hasn't gone back to her old ways.
And one rumor that has nothing to do with babies but everything to do wtih crazy is that of the twisted love triangle between , Alex Rodriguez, and Alex's wife, Cynthia. With huge speculation surrounding the about-to-be-divorced singer and the still-married baseball player, Cynthia is now leaving her husband. What I don't understand about this is that she's saying that Madonna used the Kabbalah religion to brainwash Alex. I believe the story that she's actually claiming this. What I don't understand is how she thinks that's possible.
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VILLA operations director Steve Stride has threatened to report agents who step out of line to FIFA after Nolberto Solano was seen to be touted to clubs on the Continent.
An agent, Horacio Jauregui, was claiming to act on behalf of the former Peruvian international when he revealed there had been considerable interest in Solano, particularly from Atletico Madrid and others in Spain.
Jauregui was quoted as saying: "I have just come from Madrid and a big club is interested in Nolberto.
"I cannot say the name of the club because we are in formal talks. This will be his last season at Aston Villa and there are several interested clubs."
But Solano, who joined Villa in January 2004 in a cut-price #1.5million deal from Newcastle, still has 12 months on his contract and is a major part of David O'Leary's plans.
Stride said: "Nobby has one year left on his contract and we are very happy with him, and likewise he is very happy with us.
"If any agent is working beyond their jurisdiction and is offering him around, then we will report them to FIFA."
Solano flew out to Holland with Villa today for tonight's friendly in Utrecht denying any imminent move.
He said: "I have one year left on my Villa deal and maybe we will extend that, but at the moment I just want to concentrate on having a good season."
Meanwhile, Solano says he hopes to be left in the shade by Villa's strikers this term.
His nine goals from midfield matched Juan Pablo Angel's haul but he said: "I want to score goals again, but I don't want to finish the season as top scorer. That would mean the strikers have struggled again.
"I want the strikers to score a lot of goals and I will be trying to create the goals for them.
"Then, if I score some goals myself, that is a bonus.
"It was great that we got goals from midfield last season, but the strikers will want to do better."
Solano should play an even more significant role this term after retiring from international football.
The decision has been welcomed by David O'Leary and Solano added: "I told the manager I would retire from international football once Peru had no chance to qualify for the World Cup finals and that's what I've done.
"It's difficult to travel all that way for games during the season, especially now the remaining qualifiers are meaningless.
"It was a very hard decision to say no to the national team because everybody is proud to play for their country, but I want to concentrate on Aston Villa.
"Maybe this could help me play in the Premiership for longer.
"I look at people like Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham, people who carry on playing for longer and longer and I can understand that.
"It's difficult saying you will stop playing football, because we are born with this."


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2011 was a busy year, two trips abroad, one US vacation, putting the house up for sale and much, much more.
We started with a brand-new granddaughter in January (a big welcome to Avery Lynn), a trip to Florence, Italy (March 10-21) and fell just in love with everything. Besides spending lots of time walking, eating, drinking wine, visiting museums – oh so much fun – we also checked out a few neighborhoods that we might like to live in. We found the perfect place to have our morning capuchino and cornetto for around $6, and went there daily.
MARCH: FLORENCE | During our stay we toured the Uffizi Gallery that is just up a side alley from the Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace – former Medici Palace before they moved into the larger one on the other side of the Arno River). We saw Michaelangelo's "Deposition" ("The Florentine Pieta") which is generally regarded as a self-portrait and his tomb in the Sante Croce Church, toured the Boboli Gardens (lots and lots of cats), and Alan braved the 463 steps to the top of The Duomo – Basilica di Santa Marie del Fiore (Basilica of St. Mary of the Flowers) [the main basilica in each city is called the Duomo] and the return trip while I sat outside and enjoyed un caffe (an espresso) and took photos of the outside of the building. We rode a train to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower, although just getting the tickets from the man at the train station who didn't speak English was quite an adventure in itself! One of the highlights of the trip was seeing the "Gates of Paradise" in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Cathedral Museum) [the doors on the Baptistry outside are a reproduction, the original is in the museum – well worth the price of admission]. We studied art history and graduated together in 2009 and this was one of the pieces that was own our art "bucket list." As with any great vacation it was over way too soon.
MAY: SEA WORLD | In May, Tracy and her sister, Tammy, spent a weekend in Loma Linda, CA, visiting Danielle, Joe, Lorelei and Lillian (who was still in the hospital at the time). They had the opportunity to kidnap Lorelei for a trip to Sea World. Such a great time. Tammy and Lorelei were so funny, arguing and laughing – Lorelei really LOVES her Aunt Tammy! See them in action: Tammy and Lorelei at Sea World
JUNE: LORELEI | In June, we had our granddaughter, Lorelei stay with us for a week. She loved the idea of having her own bedroom and bathroom and made sure that we knew that the dog was not welcome on the bed. That didn't stop Kiara from jumping up on the bed to cuddle, though. Even though Kiara is only two pounds having a platform bed that is only eight inches off the ground makes it possible for her to levitate right up and into the middle of things. Eventually, Lorelei and Kiara worked out a system that worked. Kiara could be on the bed while Lorelei played in her bubble bath, but after that she had to go and Lorelei kept the door closed to ensure that no sneakiness happened when she wasn't looking. Nonni was working all week, but Grandpa had lots of free time for fun things, movies, Reno's new Discovery Museum, lunch with friends, hot chocolate at Starbucks. Our little angel is so much fun to spend time with.
JULY: VACATION WITH FAMILY | In early July, we went to Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and Debbie and Gerry's place in Wyoming (an amazing log cabin on a beautiful piece of property not too far from Cody). While in Yellowstone saw bears, elk and bison – lots and lots of bison – in fact we ended up on the wrong side of a pasture change and had to wait while a herd of approx. 300 crossed the road right in front of us, an amazing site even if a little scary (Alan was hanging out of the car window taking pictures and a couple of times had to duck in quickly due to oncoming bison horns). There was water on the Terraces for the first time in a long time – very nice! Great time spent with family, Mom, Trina, Glen, Etta-Kimiyo, and Braeden were there too. That's Braeden's photo on the Year in Review page taking on a lot of water (Alan captured this photo with a disposable, waterproof camera – he's good!) while we were on a rafting trip on the Shoshone River, not white water but still a lot of fun. All in all, a great family trip.
JULY: HOME | Mid July saw Alan beginning the week-long process of cleaning out the garage, thankfully Tracy had to work (bummer – so sorry to have missed that!). After two 6-yard and one 14-yard dumpsters, the garage was finally cleaned out as well as the house and by August the house was on the market in hopes of selling it before we retire and move abroad.
JULY: HOMECOMING | Our daughter, Dallas, safely returned from Afghanistan in late July, which had us on the road again to welcome her home. Fort Carson in Colorado Springs did a very nice welcome back ceremony, not that it mattered, everyone was so excited to have their daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers home and that was all that truly mattered. We got to meet some of Dallas friends and had an extra couple of days for some side trips to the Garden of the Gods, Royal Gorge and a skyline drive to see fossil dinosaur footprints, a ride on a mini train to see the Gorge from a different perspective. Oh, and a trip to the Coach store for an early anniversary gift for Tracy.
AUGUST: WEDDING | Mid August we were celebrating with the family at Lyssa's wedding to Chris Mumme. They held the wedding at Lavender Ridge in Reno near the Truckee River. Uncle Gerry, with a one-day license, did the ceremony — he was fabulous. Lyssa was in tears when Tracy showed her the surprise we had brought with us to the wedding — her cousin, Dallas, on leave for a couple of weeks. The wedding was beautiful and so was the bride. Lyssa had a gorgeous dress by Alfred Angelo and looked just lovely.
FALL SEMESTER: RENO | August through mid-December was right back into the fall semester and then we left Christmas morning for two weeks in Rome.
DECEMBER: ROME | Rome at Christmastime was amazing! Piazza Navona hosts a Christmas fair that is not to be missed, including a photo op with LaBefana (the lovely Christmas Witch that leaves gifts for children on Epiphany – what's not to love about that!). We toured the Colosseum and Roman Forum with a talented and lovely guide in a huge tour group of four =) which included private entry to the top tier of the Colosseum, from where amazing photos can be taken, we walked through the Jewish Ghetto and ate deep-fried artichoke (tastes a little like cardboard), had an audience with the Pope, went to Epiphany Mass at St. Peter's Basilica, toured through the Vatican Museum, walked on the Appian Way, went through the catacombs at St. Sebastian Church, rode the metro, took buses, got to see the Ara Pacas (Altar of Peace) in person [this was another art piece on the "bucket list"], and knelt on the Scala Sancta (Sacred Steps) [according to the Christian tradition, the steps that led up to the home of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem, which Jesus Christ stood on during his Passion on his way to trial], visited all four major basilicas.
Of course our luggage was slightly delayed (two days) however, we found that the hotel concierge, Nikko, was a magician because once he found out we were without luggage, it seemed to magically appear a few hours later. Had a wonderful time, met some very nice people, drank good wine and ate great food and as always found ourselves on the return flight way too soon.
What a great year.


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I must subconsciously be "on" something because this is yet another Monday where I'm up early and not in the mood to murder anyone!
How was your holiday weekend? I hope you had great fun, food, time with family and friends. I hope you survived (or even relished in) your food comas. Do you get food comas? AKA the "-itis"? AKA sleeepy as hell after a big meal?
My holiday was great. Went to John's family for Thanksgiving, and my family for the weekend. Gained about 74.9 pounds in the past 4 days I'm sure.
Oh, before I forget, you've gotta come by tomorrow and enter the giveaway. It's an AWESOME one!! I wish I could enter!
Anyway, on to the official Mind Right Monday
My goals for the week:
- run my errands that I've been putting off
- go through my clothes
- finish Xmas shopping
- hunt for new furniture
- go to gym at least 3 times (but aiming for 5)
- make video posts 🙂
I am grateful for:
- Family & Friends
- The Holiday Season
- Florida Soon
- The Library
- Bob's Furniture Store 🙂
- Cyber Monday "deals"
- Being 1 day closer to hearing back from school
- Health & Well-being
- Options
- The Internet
- The Stock Market
- Life
- Water
- Grapefruit Juice
- Leather Riding Boots 🙂
What are you grateful for? How was your holiday weekend and what are your goals for the week? Have a fantabulous day!!


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In recent years, the world has come to witness what appears to be an unprecedented level of destruction caused by a series of devastating natural disasters that have leveled entire cities, taken the lives of hundreds of thousand of people, and displaced even more. Stoking the popular imagination with dramatic images, the global media has come to depict hurricane Katrina, the 2004 Indian ocean tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and most recently the tsunami that hit northeastern Japan as the work of an unpredictable, uncontrollable, and essentially chaotic force.
Although true in some respects, this way of understanding earthquakes, tsunamis, and other events tends to obscure the social, political, and historical side of these so-called "natural" disasters. When, in fact, did we begin to regard these events as the work of "nature" as opposed to, say, God or some other supernatural agency? On what basis do we classify a certain event as a "natural" disaster? Can we ignore the influence of class, ethnicity, education, and power on the making and outcome of these disasters? This course will bring these and other questions to bear on the historical and comparative study of natural disasters in East Asia and elsewhere.
Intended Audience:
There are no prerequisites for this course, but some background in the history and culture of East Asia is recommended.
Class Format:
Two 90-minutes meetings weekly


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Although the Lancaster ISD schools have experienced no major damage, there are LISD families that have experienced damage to their homes. Bus routes are not being run at this time.
Elementary campuses that have experienced power outages have been moved to the George Washington Carver 6th Grade Learning Center at 1005 Westridge Ave. The following schools have been relocated:
Rosa Parks Millbrook - Carver
Belt Line Elementary - Carver
Houston Elementary 2nd Grade - Carver
UPDATE: Lancaster High School Students (5:30 p.m.)
UPDATE: Houston Elementary 4th Grade at West Main Elementary
Parents may come pickup up their child with a current valid ID at the Carver Learning Center.
Please check back for more information. It will be posted as it becomes available.


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Introducing the Transit Custom, built for small business. With the advanced Euro 6 certified 2.0L EcoBlue diesel engine, 6-speed automatic transmission option, and a choice of over 100 paint options, it really is the van that can.
We always have a great selection of cars available. Please contact us now for more details!