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Dating someone new can be so exciting. You get the feeling of butterflies flying around in your belly every time you are around this person. You feel all fired up whenever you see this person and when you say goodbye you know you are going to lose your mind until you see that person again. Eventually, that feeling wears off and it can go a few different ways. One way is that the initial excitement wears off and you begin to feel completely comfortable around this person, breaking down barriers and you simply enjoy spending time with this person and want to be with him and no one else. Or, things begin to fall apart, arguments ensue, and suddenly you don't enjoy being around this person anymore and it may eventually turn into an abusive relationship if it is not ended quickly.An abusive relationship is more than just being hit by your partner. It can be emotional abuse where your partner calls you names, belittles you, manipulates you, lies to you, and tries to control you. Of course, we don't always see the red flags of abusive relationships right away. He or she may come off initially as being very charming, funny, and witty. They may appear to be too good to be true, and sometimes they are just that.
When we are young and naive, we may not pick up on these red flags as easily as those of us who have experienced the worst. You may be like I once was which is trusting everyone until they prove that they can't be trusted. Now that I'm older I've learned that a lot of people are evil and selfish and not to trust anyone until they have proven that they are worthy of my trust. This goes for both friendships and relationships but I'm focusing on relationships right now.
You need to learn these red flags of an abusive relationship. Remember them. These are important to your future well being.
Red Flags of A Toxic Relationship
- He seems overly charming. They seem almost too perfect. They compliment you non-stop to the point that it can get annoying or makes you uncomfortable. Showering you with large gifts from the very beginning is a huge warning sign.
- They want to rush the relationship. If by your second date, he is talking about getting married or what your future family is going to look like, run. Normal people don't move that quickly. You may get sucked in because they are so amazingly charming and seem so perfect but don't let them cloud your judgment. No good relationship is rushed this way.
- He snaps at you easily. It probably won't happen on the first date because he will be too busy laying on the charm but you may notice that he snaps back at you quickly about something you have said or done that you thought was minor. That's a sign that he has a short temper and eventually his short temper is going to get out of control either physically or mentally or both.
- He talks nasty to other people. You notice he talks very rudely to the waiter at a restaurant or to his mother when she phones him. If he doesn't have basic manners and respect for other people, he won't have it for you, either.
- Bragging and high self-confidence. There is nothing wrong with someone being confident in who they are but if he goes overboard with it, you may want to end things now. Do you catch him bragging a lot about how he is the best at this or he knows everything there is to know about that? He may also brag about how he met various celebrities or that he grew up with this famous actor. That is going to get old real quick. If you fall for his initial charm, you may drown in his bragging and look at him with your dreamy little eyes thinking that you caught the best catch when in reality, you caught a dud dude!
- While talking about past relationships, you notice that he has had a lot of relationships, I mean A LOT. One right after the other without any time in between. And all of his exes are crazy psycho. Every single one. Typically it's the other way around.
- Excessive lying. You may notice little white or gray lies. You might observe the stories he tells always changing. He might say one thing today and then the opposite tomorrow or you hear him telling someone else the same story with a completely different ending. If you confront him about the change of story he will always twist things around in an attempt to get you to believe him without him looking like the bad guy. They are manipulators and will say anything to win you over or to keep you from seeing the error of his ways.
Abusive people are master manipulators and liars. They will say just about anything to win you over. They will pretend to be someone you want to love and be with. They will study you. They will study what you like, don't like, and your insecurities so that they can use them against you eventually.
I know it's difficult when you are so overwhelmed by this person and you think they are your "soul mate" because they win you over with their charm and you don't want to acknowledge these red flags. You have to learn to think with your head and not your heart. If the person you are dating exhibits many or all of these red flags you should get out now.
Don't wait until he hits you or belittles you to get out. These are classic red flags of a dangerous abusive narcissist. The best thing that you can do for yourself is to get out now before you are in too deep. These people will attempt to manipulate you and talk you into doing things that you don't want to do. They want to control you and you shouldn't give that control away to anyone.
I've been through it and know that every single one of these red flags is true. I wish I had been told about these red flags of abuse before I wasted so many years with someone who never truly loved me; he only loved himself. He tore down my self-esteem and my self-worth and I wish I would have gotten out when everyone warned me to, but instead, I defended him and his behavior. He always knew exactly what to say to win me over and make me believe everything he said. These people are monsters in disguise.
Have you dated someone with these red flags? Did you follow your gut instinct and get out quick or did you stay in for too long?


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People often ask me if I ever tell original stories or if I ever write my own stories. I usually bristle at this question, as if it suggests that I'm just parroting other people's stories word-for-word. When I find a story I like, it goes through a transformation as I learn it, change it, drop details, add new details, and slowly make it my own.
You may be able to see a thread in the story that connects it to its traditional source, but the story I tell is mine.
La Chasse Galerie, but the presence of the devil's canoe as a plot-device is the only thing I re-used. The rest of it is my own creation.
I don't tell this story often enough, mainly because it's a story I associate with this time of year. It was recorded before a live audience at Chateau Ramezay in Old Montreal in December of 2010.
The Devil's Canoe (11:35) told by JD Hickey
Friday, December 7, 2012
Yuletide Story: The Devil's Canoe
Posted by JD Hobbes at 10:49 AM
Labels: French Canadian, story, yule
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subset: commoncrawl


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Well it's been a good week all things considered. I'm not sure how much I'm making a comeback in terms of running, but life has been good. So let's catch up, shall we?
What's been going on
It was my birthday!! On Monday I turned the ripe old age of 26, and brought in a new year with friends at the most gorgeous Italian restaurant. Aside from that it's just been a fairly standard week at work with some exceptionally hot weather in London.
Workouts & Fitness
This was the second week of my new morning workout regime, and I have to say it didn't get off to the best start. Monday it was my birthday – and no way am I getting up to do a 6am workout on my birthday, thank you very much. Tuesday was the aftermath of slightly too many glasses of champagne, and so despite swearing blind to my Uber driver that I was getting up at 6am the next morning to go for a run … that didn't quite materialise.! Nonetheless, these are the workouts I did manage to squeeze in:
- Monday: Rest day – my birthday!!
- Tuesday: Rest day – sliiiiightly hungover
- Wednesday: Sandbag circuits, 30 mins cardio + abs
- Thursday: 30 mins cardio + abs
- Friday: Short circuit 30 mins cardio + abs
- Saturday: Dog walks
- Sunday: 4 mile run in the sweltering heat
I stayed off the ankle for the most part this week, as everything was feeling very achey from The Comeback 10K. Today however I managed two loops of a 2 mile loop near my Mum's house. It was glorious if not swelteringly hot, and so I ran mostly thinking about the iced coffee that was waiting for me at home!
Food & Nutrition
This week has to be one of my proudest weeks, nutrition wise. I got bought a gorgeous vegan birthday cake by my new colleagues, and I had the most scrumtious chocolatey-fudgey slice. Now this may not sound like a win, but for someone who's typically struggled with food, even avoiding birthday cake in previous years, I was pretty damn proud of myself! Cake and prosecco are what it's about sometimes – that's why it's called balance. And also, as if my colleagues went to the effort of tracking down vegan cake for me?! They may be keepers.
Everything else
From an emotional point of view, things have been better. Whilst I still have the Family Drama going on, I'm now in a job which is a better fit for me culturally, and overall I feel more relaxed. I have a bit more headspace, and I'm able to process some of the things that have happened over the past few months – which can only be a good thing!
How's your week been?
Lots of love,


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Here are some ways to maximize the results from attending a conference:
1. Be prepared
You are going to a conference to learn, so take the necessary tools with you – don't count on the facility or conference to provide. This includes a pen, paper, sticky notes, highlighters. Have electronics? Don't forget your charger and know that you may have limited access to power during the day. Don't rely on a conference bag or that it will be useful for keeping organized. Bring a bag where you can keep your important papers, easily access business cards and keep gum, snacks, a water bottle or whatever you need to get yourself through the day.
2. Read the Materials
Take time BEFORE the conference to learn the logistics of the event and the content being offered. Highlight the sessions you are most interested in attending. Have a backup in case your first choice is full, or you go to a session and find out it doesn't meet your needs. Make sure you know about any ancillary activities or social media that will be in place.
3. Dress for Success
Remember that going to a conference isn't time off – it may be time on! You could be meeting a future boss. Dress for learning success as well. Wear comfortable shoes for walking from session to session and dress in layers to adapt to rooms that are too hot or cool.
4. Have a Plan
Think about what you want to accomplish during the conference. This could be information you want to learn, skills you want to improve, questions you want answered, people you want to meet, resources you want to learn about. Write down these goals and hold yourself accountable for them at the end of the day.
5. Leave Work at Work
With today's technology it is getting more and more difficult to be "away." Responding to calls during the breaks or during lunch makes you inaccessible for networking. Checking email during the sessions distracts you from hearing the important information being relayed or actively participating. By not being 100% present at the conference you are greatly reducing your return on investment and you should really just stay at the office. Tell your staff that you can't be disturbed but will check your email at designated times.
6. Be Engaged
Raise your hand, volunteer, ask questions, participate in activities. Take an active role in your learning and your experience. If you are with a group from your office, know when to separate from them and when to use the time to build relationships.
7. The Conference Doesn't End at the End
Revisit your notes and action items. Don't let all the knowledge you obtained disappear in a manila folder. If you promised to follow up with someone, do it. Share the information you learned in a staff meeting or special presentation.


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Talk radio, a force that is never seen but heard in every corner of the nation, may be one that the Obama campaign will have difficulty countering. That one factor, has the potential to be an invisible force like the winds of an offshore hurricane. When it hits land, it levels everything in its way. President Obama may be standing on the shoreline today, his finger to the wind, his instinct pushing him to the security behind him. If the offshore power increases, however, the President may have a bad day. If the winds lose their power as they approach land he may be smiling when day is done.
Fred V. Lucas is making the rounds of talk radio to discuss his forthcoming book. The Right Frequency: The Story of the Talk Radio Giants Who Shook Up the Political and Media Establishment and the impact talk radio may have on the upcoming election. When he visits with Barry Farber on August 8th, the upcoming election will undoubtedly be a topic of discussion.
"There is no doubt that talk radio has had an effect on elections" says Lucas "If history is a guide, talk radio can play a huge role in national and state elections. Bob Grant had a huge effect on the governors races in both New York and New Jersey during the 1990s and talk radio was the driving force behind the California recall race in 2003. Perhaps the most pronounced effect was the new Republican majority that won control of Congress after the 1994 elections being called the 'Limbaugh Congress.' That was for the impact Rush Limbaugh's show had on the campaign. Rush was even named an honorary member of the freshman class of congressmen that year. Certainly in 2010, talk radio helped fuel the Tea Party movement to sweep the Republicans to victory in the House."
But Lucas who is also a White House correspondent for CNSNews is not sure about the effect talk radio has on presidential elections. "The medium's sway on presidential races is hard to determine," he says. "The drumbeat of conservative radio hosts didn't stop the elections of Bill Clinton or Barack Obama. This year could be different. Conservative voters are unhappy with President Obama, but are not enthusiastic about Republican nominee Mitt Romney."
Lucas is quick to add. "That might put extra pressure on leading conservative talk hosts to rally the troops about the importance of this year's race. Most of the leading talk radio giants like Limbaugh and Mark Levin had reservations about Romney in the primary season. But Romney will need their support in the general election. Will he get it? The answer may well determine who shows up for the inauguration."
That answer may be pre-determined in The Right Frequency. Lucas delves into the depth, reach and power of the talk radio giants in the American political landscape and provides some insight into the personalities of those larger than life figures among us.
For a copy of The Right Frequency, click here.


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Today, I am providing you with an overall update on The Epic of Sadko. As you may know, I am developing The Epic of Sadko as part of my course credit for a class I am taking on game engine design. One of the upcoming deadlines for this is our final design document and a presentation of the game design. Of course a design document is never really done (I've submitted my "final" one twice already), but having submitted this document, I feel like I have a good idea of how a lot of the game will work and what people should expect. With that in mind, I'm going to give an update on some ideas I've come up with over the past few weeks.
Tag Archives: skills
Making the Epic of Sadko: Skills (Part 1)
Hello all. This post I'm going to discuss skills in The Epic of Sadko, which I said I would in the last post. I've spent a lot of time thinking about skills for this game, and I'm still not done thinking about it yet. It is for this reason that this is Skills (Part 1), as I will need to update this later. Additionally, the skills for the game are one of the largest parts of the game, so there will be many updates down the road as skills become implemented. Before I get right into the skills, though, I'm going to give a brief update on the status of the game overall.
Making the Epic of Sadko: Using Mindmaps and Making Changes
This is an overall update on the work I've done for the Epic of Sadko over the last week. This one will be a bit less technical than usual, as I'm still mostly in the planning phase and haven't started really writing any code specifically for the game. Instead, I've been spending a lot of time getting all the details worked out, and changing some things that weren't quite working when I was designing the game the last time. I'll detail all of those changes here today, and explain my overall planning process. I'm going to start with the process first, and then go onto the more specifics. Future posts might focus on one of the topics discussed below.


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"When you shop with your community, you better your neighborhood and nonprofits" explains Travis Sawyer, COO of Creative Approach. That quote defines the core of Creative Approach's business model, as well as being one of the first things you see on their website. Small business gives back to their community, while also being just as much a part of the community's betterment.
Founded in 2004, with humble beginnings in a garden apartment by Sawyer and partner and Creative Approach President, Cale Hall, Creative Approach is the realization of a dream for a local print shop that was fast, efficient, and convenient. Since then, the company has been plugging away for over twelve years, growing from a tiny print-shop to the quintessential printing powerhouse with multiple locations in Savannah and Atlanta. The company includes a full range of print and promotional material, graphic design, and social media management solutions for small businesses.
We were lucky enough to sit down with Travis Sawyer for a quick interview on the success that the company has seen over there years.
The Creative Coast: Talk to us a bit about the decision to start Creative Approach–what need or gap did you see it filling?
Travis Sawyer: I originally had the idea for Creative Approach when I was a student at SCAD. There was no place to print that had flexible hours, a knowledgeable staff and immediate turnaround. It wasn't until i met my business partner Cale Hall did i find somebody who had the same passion and needs. We started the company in 2004 and opened our doors in 2005 where we were met with open arms that SCAD and small business community.
CC: Why did you decide to start a business here in Savannah as opposed to elsewhere?
TS: SCAD for one reason and the second is because Savannah is a city full of innovation, ideas and a need for print. Savannah was home and the niche that our company initially filled is still a valuable market that our company caters to.
CC: What about Savannah do you feel is a benefit to folks starting their business?
TS: Savannah is a wonderful town for new businesses. Anything goes here in our beautiful city. There are so many different people from all walks of life and Savannah is a melting pot of culture and diversity. I recommend to anyone if they have an idea and a passion to start their business do it wherever you can and if you can do it in Savannah.
CC: What seems to be Creative Approaches strength is that you are this multi-city business but with a really small business feeling–everything is incredible personal from the design of the website to the interaction with staff. Can you talk about the work culture y'all have created at Creative Approach?
TS: Our culture is of course the customer first. We want our team to truly appreciate and see their project from the customer's point of view. We all know what it's like to walk into a print facility or design company. It can be scary. Our vision is to have it be a fun, memorable and comfortable experience. I always want people to have a laugh but know that their getting a terrific product that is custom to their needs. I feel that with this culture as a business we treat every guest with a personalized experience.
CC: We also love that your motto for your blog is "create locally" -what does that mean to y'all?
TS: It is a nod at creating, buying and using local vendors for your needs. We as a company try to use as many local vendors as possible. We encourage people to seek out local companies for their needs and keep Savannahian's employed.
CC: What would you say to folks who are either locals and interested in starting their own business or even folks outside of Savannah who are thinking of becoming locals and starting a business here?
TS: Be prepared to have the best, worst and yet rewarding time of your life. Owning a business is a struggle. You wake up with ideas, you try your best to make them succeed and influence your staff, friends and clients to invest in your dream. If you truly love what you do then you'll never work a day in your life. Make sure that your passion is contagious and that you surround yourself with a good team that shares or adds to that passion. In the end have fun and stick to your dream it will pay off.
To find out more visit: https://mycreativeapproach.com


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Filipino American Performs in The Nutcracker at the Lincoln Center this Holiday Season/
Every morning, Emil Jose Kelso, 12, wakes up at 5:45 am to be on time for the 8:00 am opening of his public school. Three times a week after school and also on Saturday mornings, he rides the subway to go to Lincoln Center for a 90 minute ballet class from 5:30 pm to 7 pm. These days, however, Emil is staying up later. Since last November 29, Emil has played the role of the Nutcracker in NYC Ballet's, yearly performances.
Emil, whose mom Tricia Capistrano is an immigrant from the Philippines, is one of three boys selected to play the role of Nutcracker who turns into a Prince. There are three rotating casts of principal children for the ballet company's 49 shows. The performances started on November 25 and will end on January 3.
Emil has been going to the School of American Ballet for 6 years. He is currently in the Boys 3 class of the School of American Ballet where he attends ballet class four times a week. His teachers include former NYC Ballet Soloist Arch Higgins, Principal Jock Sotto, and Children's Ballet Master Dena Abergel. SAB and New York City Ballet were founded by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein.
Emil has been in the following New York City Ballet shows: Sleeping Beauty (2013), Swan Lake (2013, 2015), a member of the party scene in The Nutcracker (2013, 2014), and La Sylphide (2015). This is the first time he is playing the role of the Prince.
It is a taxing schedule for a 12 year old but for Emil and the other children at the School of American Ballet, it is worth it. After each show, at midnight, in a small NYC apartment, Emil is still dancing.
Tickets are available here:
Emil Jose Kelso's upcoming Performance Dates/ Times:
Thursday, December 24 (2 pm)
Sunday, December 27 (1 pm)
Tuesday, December 29 (2 pm)
Wednesday, December 30 (7 pm)
Sunday, January 3 (5 pm)


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Taking advantage of Final Cut Express, I have made a revised version of my Guns 'n' Ratties video, where I cavorted about with a modified Wii guitar for the amusement of MiDFur X attendees:
Hopefully this enhanced version gets across my intent more clearly. I think this performance is well worth remembering as this was easily the highlight of MiDFur X for me; that moment of magic that makes it all worthwhile.
Unfortunately, MiDFur this year doesn't include a talent show, so there's no opportunity for anyone else to showcase their talents and hopefully experience the same high I did. A talent show, regardless of whether I'm in it or not, has always been a high point of any con for me: It drives home the sense of community we have in this fandom. I have a lot of competing commitments on my time, so I think I'll give MiDFur a miss this year. I wish everyone who does go all the best.


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BIO International Convention attendees filled the Food & Agriculture Pavilion on the Show Floor Wednesday to hear Dr. Neal Carter of Okanagan Specialty Fruits give a presentation he delivered at a TEDx event last October in Penticton, BC on the value of biotechnology in agriculture.
Okanagan Specialty Fruits has developed a non-browning apple known as the Arctic Apple – just one of the many examples of ways biotechnology is improving agriculture. After spending many years as a farmer in the orchards and also in small, rural farming communities, Neal has seen firsthand how important biotechnology is in helping feed our hungry world.
Many consumers however have a negative perception of ag biotech. The problem, he said, lies in the fact that many people are very far removed from agriculture now, so it ' s necessary to reach out and educate them about the food on their plates.
900 million people out there face a daily hardship of being underfed, so how can we not afford to have biotech crops when they give us tools to address the problems these people face. Neal relayed to the audience a powerful sentiment that he once heard in an emerging country, " You in developed worlds have ability to debate the merits of GE food, but could we please eat first? "
Biotech crops can help reduce food waste, increase yields and reduce water use. Farmers are rapidly adopting them and have seen the benefits for years. Since their introduction, $80 billion has flown to families growing biotech crops – half of that money has been in emerging countries.
Despite the unprecedented acceptance by the farming community, many consumers remain skeptical. Neal believes too many of their concerns have not been addressed so they just proliferate out there. He's doing what he can to address concerns by getting out and doing more educating.
We are already on to the second wave of biotech crops, so it ' s time for opponents to stop referring to it as a science experiment, he said. These crops have been around for a long time. They are well tested. It ' s not an experiment anymore.
There are too many benefits currently and in the pipeline to ignore this technology. Golden rice, for one, addresses vitamin A deficiency. This single trait has the opportunity to save thousands of lives and improve millions more. It ' s hard to be against that. The word just has to get out there, he believes. Too many people don ' t realize how much good is happening because of this technology.
A little education goes a long way and is necessary because a lot of misinformation is out there. The most reputable scientific, food and health organizations in the world speak to the safety and value of biotech crops. There have been no safety issues involving biotech food to date. Yet people are still passionately against the technology. That needs to change.
Neal stressed that modern crops have been created by humans not nature. The term natural is generally used to infer that it ' s better for you, which he believes is a short-sighted use of the term. The cell phone in your pocket isn't natural, yet we don't question that. Innovation in agriculture has been going on for the last 10,000 years. Nothing we eat today is natural. It's what has allowed us to thrive. It ' s what will allow us to continue to feed ourselves and sustain our planet. The technology of agriculture is what has changed during that time – it's gotten better.


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Oregon Trip--Part two, chapter one. After my relatively brief introduction to the waterfalls of Umpqua National Forest, the rest of the drive back to Beaverton was relatively unremarkable. The four of us (Ben, Lori, Leo, and I) got back early enough on Sunday to hang out at their apartment pool for about an hour or so. Then, Ben and I headed over to the local Asian grocery to pick up some beer, some ingredients for homemade sushi (discussed below), and a Hawaiian delicacy called poke, a dish that Ben has been raving about.
This is about the point of chapter one that I start speaking only in superlatives. For example, the meal we had that evening, Sunday, August 28th, 2011, consisting of a poke appetizer followed by round after round after round of homemade sushi (rolled by Lori) was the most I've ever consumed at one sitting. Ben and I ate until we were absolutely stuffed, and then we ate for like another hour after that. His facial expressions gradually evolved from satisfied to uncomfortable to exhausted to, finally, defeated. We were pathologically full.
By all indications, it was an incredibly delicious meal, but honestly, I have no idea. As I mentioned before, I had caught cold during our weekend camping trip to Diamond and Crater Lake, and I was congested to the point of having no sense of taste or smell. So there I was, trying my best to keep up with the seemingly endless deliveries of sushi by Lori, and I couldn't taste a thing. I can only hope that I get another chance in the future to relive it (well, about half of it).
Superlative number two: That night, I got the least sleep I've ever gotten despite going to bed at a normal hour and getting up at a normal hour. I could not breathe at all through my nose, and my throat was sore and swollen, giving me a constant sensation of asphyxiation. I figure that I fell asleep between 5:15 am and 5:30 am. But that was it.
The following morning, I was in sort of a zombie state. The plan was take Ben's son Leo to his daycare and then hit the road toward the Oregon coast, but at some point in the wee hours of the morning, Ben's car had been towed from his normal parking place because of failure to display his parking permit (the injustice of which is beyond the scope of this article), and we spent the next several hours on the phone and driving around the Portland area in Lori's car trying to get it back; picture the movie Adventures in Babysitting, but without Elisabeth Shue.
A few hours later and hundreds of dollars in towing fees poorer, Ben and I were on our way toward the coastal town of Newport, Oregon, where the real adventure would begin—a thirty-six-hour whirlwind tour of the Oregon coast, from the Oregon sand dunes in the south to Ecola State Park and Tillamook Head Lighthouse in the north, and all points in between.
Our first coastal stop was at the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse in Newport. From there, we crept our way south along Highway 101 (one of the most beautiful routes I've ever taken), stopping to take pictures at nearly every state park, wayside, recreation area, lighthouse, scenic viewpoint, and "special interest area" that looked interesting. And there is no shortage of these; indeed, the 363 miles of Oregon coast has 80 state parks and recreation areas, about one about every 4.5 miles. So this means that almost all of the dramatic landscape/seascape along Oregon's coast is actually accessible, rather than locked up as private property. Why aren't there more places like this?
Of all our stops during that initial trip south on Sunday, we probably spent the most time at Seal Rock State Wayside and Cape Perpetua (or at least those are the places I remember most distinctly). The latter was especially impressive; a precipitous walkway leads down to a powerful scene called Devil's Churn, where a long split in the coastal rock channels each incoming Pacific wave, and violent explosions of seawater are common as swells collide with each other and the surrounding rock. I did my best to negotiate the sharp, wet rocks with my tripod and camera (10-stop filter attached) and to stay just outside the reach of the spray.
The only real items that pressed us for time toward the end of the day included stopping for clam chowder at Mo's in Florence (Ben was right; it was delicious) and making it to Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park in time to get the keys to the yurt Ben had reserved for us. If you've never seen or heard of a yurt, it's equal parts tent and cabin. Ours even had power!
We knew that our camp site would be within walking distance of the Oregon sand dunes, and we were excited to head there for some sunset photography, but it was a bust. After climbing one of the tallest and steepest dunes imaginable, we found a relatively uninteresting view of a snowmobile area. So back down we went, to start a fire at our campsite and to have a few beers.
What followed must have been an interesting/annoying (entertaining?) experience for our neighboring campers, as we photographed ourselves by the light of the campfire with long exposures. Explaining them would do no justice, so I included a few examples below.


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Once, the office was just the office. No more.
Today, in the P&L of corporates, not only are property costs second only to those of staff, but also the office itself is an intrinsic part of the business model, function, brand and staff retention strategy. It is as vital a part of the operation as the very products and services that the business provides.A market-leading team, we work with clients to ensure that every aspect of real estate chimes with their overall business objectives.European Corporate Consulting forms part of European Corporate Solutions and works exclusively with Corporate Occupiers across the UK and Europe to deliver strategic projects across a variety of disciplines. We seek to answer the difficult questions that our clients have regarding their portfolio or strategic direction they wish to take to support the business.Pragmatic and practical, we work right across the spectrum of property issues, from where workplaces should be located to how workspaces can be best used; from how property portfolios should be planned, to improving the performance of CRE departments and overall change management. The results are always success focused but can involve a significant reduction in real estate costs, and marked improvements in the efficiency of the clients' portfolio. Our mantra is the right property for the right business.
A representative will be in contact with you shortly.
Need help? Connect with one of our experts. We look forward to helping you with your real estate needs.
A place of work is more than a property. It is a living environment that helps individuals and businesses craft and experience a rewarding fusion of life and work.
Find out more
Find out more about the range of services we offer our clients.
Project & Development Services
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Energy & Sustainability


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This is the teaser for the upcoming Southern Safari tour, a 2 week long fixed-freestyle road trip through the deep south with the Loose Nuts Cycles crew. If this teaser has got you excited, we hear there's real some big things going down in the actual video, as you might have guessed from line-up of riders. Check out Miles Mathia, Kareem Shehab, Torey Thornton, and Tom LaMarche getting absolutely buck in this short clip and be sure to be on the lookout for the official digital download to drop.
[via Loose Nuts Cycles]
Follow @ComplexRides for more news and commentary.


text: Cycads (Class Cycadopsida) represent the most primitive seed plant living today. Cycads are also commonly known as sago palm even though it is very distantly related to a palm (Class Liliopsida), which is actually a flowering plant. Cycads are tropical or sub-tropical plants with a thick, woody trunk with a crown of large, usually pinnate evergreen leaves. Seeds are borne in cones that emerge from the center of the crown atop the plant.


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A kitchen is the most important place in a house, as it is here that the health of the family is determined. So you need to keep your kitchens clean and use the best quality kitchen products. Kitchen products consist of a wide range of items like serving trays, glass, coffee mugs, cups, spoons, bottle opener, spoon holders, cooking utensils, bake wares, dining sets, tea and coffee pots, knife, containers of various sizes, gloves, cutting board, multipurpose food processors, juice extractors and so on.
Earlier, the utensils that you use in the kitchen were made of stainless steel, brass, copper etc. But now you get them made of top quality plastic. Now many use cook and serve dishes, which are very attractive to look at and easy to clean. You can cook your food in them and also use them for serving food. When you buy kitchen products, check the quality and then buy. There is also the option to buy online kitchen products. This makes it easy for you to go through various products and buy according to your requirements. You may also get them at lower prices when you buy online. Often a lot of discounts are offered, especially during festival seasons.
The containers that you buy for storing food items must be of good quality plastic or made of stainless steel. Glass containers are also used, but they may break easily if you are careless with them.
Kitchen products price start from INR 141 and may go up to more than INR 5000. They vary from one item to the other. The brand of the product also determines its price. If the product is of a well known and reliable brand, the price is also high compared to low quality products. The material used also makes a difference in the price.


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Join us and over 60+ local vendors at Art & Flea!
HONOLULU – Hawaii's Favorite Urban Market kicks off 2016 with a bang! After the success of their Chinatown Holidaze shopping market in December, Art + Flea brings it's monthly urban market to Ward Warehouse starting Thursday Jan 28th 2016. The event will take place from 5pm – 10pm and will feature 60 of its local artisans, crafters, entertainers and foodies to the shopping destination and will also include the established shops at Ward Warehouse. The event will be free and all ages, will feature local musicians and the debut of their new shopping spaced called the "Hide Out".


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By Ella Chan
Can you name the original "cougar" in the Bible? This'll stretch your memory of song lyrics from the late '60s but... can you hear Simon and Garfunkel singing, "Coo-coo-ca-choo, Mrs. Potiphar!" You recall the story found in Genesis 39.
Joseph responded to her sexual advances well, didn't he? "Come to bed with me!" she said. But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:8-9) Joseph refused on the basis of his respect and honor of her husband and second, because of his great love and respect for God.
But, Mrs. Potiphar did not give up. As she continued to press, Joseph remained strong while also doing a very smart thing. Gn. 39:10 tells us, And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.She stayed after him, so Joseph stayed away. His plan was to completely avoid being around her. A wise move, wouldn't you say? Sexual temptation often has a "range of force." In other words, stay out of range of the object of temptation. Let me ask, do you have a plan? We're not often blindsided by sexual temptation. And, you can probably list the ones in your life with the most powerful "range of force." But, do you have a plan to stay out of range? Make a plan!
Unfortunately, we can't always avoid it. Joseph worked his plan and did his best to avoid Mrs. Potiphar. But, she clearly had a plan of her own- a plan to catch Joseph all alone in the house. Gn. 39:11-12, One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. I don't know whether a sprint was part of his plan, but it should be part of ours. As an old friend once said, "There comes a time when all good men... should run!" And, when Mrs. Coo-coo-ca-choo has a vice-grip on your grungies, it's TIME! Paul said it this way in 1 Cor. 6:18, "Run from sexual sin!" Have a plan!
There's something else very helpful in the struggle. Sadly, Joseph was essentially on his own in his situation, no fellow God-followers in Egypt to lean on. But, not so with us- gratefully. Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." In your battle with sexual temptation, pastor, you also need a friend! Yet, having a friend in this particular struggle is a challenge for many pastors. But, what about looking to fellow pastors for a friend? That's one of the great benefits of CPR- Celebrate Pastors in Recovery. It's a group of fellow pastors safely sharing fellow struggles with one another and finding help, hope, and healing in the process.
If you're interested in finding friends in a CPR group, let us know by completing the survey on this site: cprpastors.com. We're also hoping to start online CPR groups via Google+ (or similar) in the very near future as well. Let us know of your interest in that by emailing me at hess. Have a plan, and, have a friend!
From pastors.com.
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Steve Gallagher: The Insanity of Sexual Sin
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Steve Gallagher: The Dangerous Mindset of Lust
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Tom Blangiardo: Masturbation...What Does God Think?
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Jeff and Rose Colón: Is It Possible to Restore Purity in Our Marriage Bed?
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Justin and Trisha Davis: One Pastor's Fatal Mistake
Pastor Rolfe Westendorf: Saying 'Yes' to Sex
Dr. Ryan MacPherson: Saved Sex Is the Only Safe Sex
Mike Johnston: Dancing with the Devil
Same Sex Attraction: God's "Special" Path to Freedom - Ed Buch
Ex-Porn Star Brittni Leaves Sex Industry and Gives a Testimony for New Life in God
Crissy Moran Ex-Porn Star on Leaving the Industry for Christ: Adult Films Were 'Unnatural'
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"OPEN" Book Video Trailer // Famous Confessions // When Sins Find


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Partner With Us
Design, Engineering & Architecture Partners
With the goal of removing the barriers that keep industry partners and students from connecting, SDC meets with industry partners to assess their needs and potential for alignment with our students, teachers, and staff.
Partnerships are an integral part of the Urban Assembly model.
Please fill out the form below to join our partnership list and we will reach out to you with more information.


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Ridgetown College Connects to Grid!
Ridgetown College Anaerobic Digester Connects to Grid
For the last two weeks, the University of Guelph's Ridgetown College has been generating renewable energy produced from manure and other organic wastes, for the local electrical grid. The anaerobic digester project is part of the 'Centre for Agricultural Renewable Energy and Sustainability' (CARES) renewable energy hub at the RidgetownCollege campus. CARES is a hub for applied and adaptive research, training and education, technology transfer, and rural community development in bio-energy and the bioeconomy.
CARES, with the support of FedDev Ontario and the Economic Action Plan, began the digester project in the summer of 2010. Construction was completed in spring 2011, at which time the digester was filled and heated to begin producing biogas. The project struggled to obtain connection approval with Hydro One, once the project was complete. Over the last year, PlanET has worked with Hydro One and RidgetownCollege to attain the proper authorization to complete connection to the grid. The biogas plant has now been producing electricity for the grid for the last two weeks!
PlanET is proud to be involved with the RidgetownCollege anaerobic digester project. PlanET, in conjunction with the college, designed, built, and commissioned the 250 kW biogas plant. With help from PlanET's microbiology department, Ridgetown operators will ramp up their feeding schedule to maintain full gas production and engine output. The project generates 250 kW of continuous electricity for the local, rural electricity grid. The biogas plant is equipped to receive solid and liquid off-farm materials for digestion with the manure produced on-site. The plant will feature a PlanET 1,526 m3 anaerobic digester, a PlanET 18 m3 Dry Feeder system, a Martin Machinery biogas combined heat and power unit, a 2 m3 PlanET Pasteurizer Unit, and a PlanET control system.
Individuals interested in anaerobic digestion are welcome to contact Gregory Gray at 289-214-2651 or firstname.lastname@example.com or the offices of PlanET Biogas Solutions in St. Catharines, Ontario at 905-935-1969.
PlanET Biogas Solutions designs, constructs and services anaerobic digestion systems which produce biogas for use in combined heat and power packages or for sale to natural gas distributors.


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Heather Mills, ex-wife of musician Sir Paul McCartney, has called for greater control over the tabloid media as "the public believe the lies".
Mills, who has regularly clashed with the tabloids over privacy, told the Leveson Inquiry into press ethics that editors were not concerned about libel settlements.
She said she had more than 65 hours of filmed abuse and harassment by the paparazzi. Some of it was shown to the inquiry.
"It's rare that [the tabloids] will pay out what they have made out of their sensationalistic stories and headlines," she said.
"So you might get a postage stamp apology, but we have had more than 5,000 negative headlines about us in the last 12 years.
"You may get £100,000 or £200,000, but that's peanuts compared to what they will have made thanks to those headlines."
Mills described how she was treated well by the press for her charity work, which was often described as "inspirational and about overcoming adversity".
"But after I met my now ex-husband I became the one-legged bitch and everything awful you could think of," she said.
"Until there's a disincentive for them to write so many lies and untruths and abusive comments, it's going to continue. The public believe the lies.
"If I was an editor and knew I was going to be embarrassed every week with front-page apologies, I would make sure every story was correct."
She also refuted Piers Morgan's claim that she had shared a voicemail message with him of McCartney singing to her after an argument.
"I can't believe that he would even try and insinuate, a man that's written nothing but awful things about me, would absolutely relish in telling the court if I had personally played a voicemail message to him," she said.
She said she had been contacted by a former Trinity Mirror staff member who described hearing the message, which she claimed was never copied and had been deleted.
A story on the message, which was left by McCartney in 2001 following an argument, was never published.
Before leaving the inquiry, Mills called for the Press Complaints Committee (PCC) to be completely overhauled and made into a public body.
"On investigating the PCC I found that the big decision-makers were editors themselves, who set their own code. That seemed ludicrous to me and I couldn't believe that could exist. Why would they rule against themselves?" she asked.


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Pat Young
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An interesting non-scholarly article on anti-Chinese groups in California and Oregon that declared themselves part of the Ku Klux Klan. The author says the Klan brand appeared as early as 1868 in the West.


text: From: Nancy O'Donnell <email@example.com> To: 'www-html' <firstname.lastname@example.com> Subject: Re: Proposal for an Outlining Markup Scheme For HTML 3.0 Date: Fri, 14 Jul 95 14:33:00 gmt Message-Id: <firstname.lastname@example.com> On July 13 1995 17:41 at 17:41, Chris Tilbury wrote [snip] > Let's look at how these compare with elements already present in the > HTML 3 draft[1]. Obviously enough, we have no <OUTLINE> element. The > closest we can come to is one of > > <OL>, <UL>, or <DL> > > both of which generate lists of one form or another, and which all > have the capability to be nested within each other (although how <DL> > should behave when nested is rather unclear, since the "concept" of a > definition does seem to rule out having further definitions within > it.) And again, later in the same correspondance: [snip] > What we don't appear to have is an equivalent to the <OT> item, > except for <DD> in a definition list - since the exact behaviour of a > cascaded <DL> is rather undefined (do not the natures and semantics, > if not syntax, of a definition list item rule out further definition > lists within itself?), even this is a rather tenuous comparison. [snip] My question is, should a cascaded <DL> not be defined - at least for a second level? For example, if you have a term that is defined as a union of two other terms, it could make sense to provide a summary definition of the two subitems in a second-level definition list. Of course, this example assumes that the author wishes to maintain hierarchical groupings of the terms and not simply link to other terms at the same level. Nancy O'Donnell Technical Writer Eicon Technology email@example.com


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Allah criticized the Jews who lived in Al-Madinah during the time of the Messenger of Allah . They used to suffer, because of the armed conflicts between the tribes of Al-Madinah, Aws and Khazraj. Before Islam, the Aws and Khazraj worshipped idols, and many battles took place between them. There were three Jewish tribes in Al-Madinah at that time, Banu Qaynuqa` and Banu An-Nadir, the allies of the Khazraj, and Banu Qurayzah, who used to be the allies of the Aws. When war erupted between Aws and Khazraj, their Jewish allies would assist them. The Jew would kill his Arab enemy, and sometimes they also killed Jews who were the allies of the other Arab tribe, although the Jews were prohibited from killing each other according to clear religious texts in their Books. They would also drive each other from their homes and loot whatever furniture and money they could. When the war ended, the victorious Jews would release the prisoners from the defeated party, according to the rulings of the Tawrah. This is why Allah said,
﴿أَفَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتَـبِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍ﴾
(Then do you believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the rest) Allah said,
﴿وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَـقَكُمْ لاَ تَسْفِكُونَ دِمَآءِكُمْ وَلاَ تُخْرِجُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ مِّن دِيَـرِكُمْ﴾
(And (remember) when We took your covenant (saying): Shed not the blood of your (people), nor turn out your own people from their dwellings.) meaning, "Do not kill each other, nor expel one another from their homes, nor participate in fighting against them.'' Allah mentioned the word `your own' here, just as He said in another Ayah.
﴿فَتُوبُواْ إِلَى بَارِئِكُمْ فَاقْتُلُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ عِندَ بَارِئِكُمْ﴾
(So turn in repentance to your Creator and kill yourselves, that will be better for you with your Creator) (2:54) because the followers of one religion are just like one soul. Also, the Messenger of Allah said,
«مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَوَاصُلِهِمْ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْجَسَدِ الْوَاحِدِ إِذَا اشْتَكى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالْحُمَّى وَالسَّهَر»
(The example of the believers in their kindness, mercy and sympathy to each other is the example of one body, when an organ of it falls ill, the rest of the body rushes to its aid in fever and sleeplessness.) Allah's statement,
﴿ثُمَّ أَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَشْهَدُونَ﴾
(Then, (this) you ratified and (to this) you bore witness.) means, "You testified that you know of the covenant and that you were witnesses to it.''
﴿ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ هَـؤُلاَءِ تَقْتُلُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَتُخْرِجُونَ فَرِيقًا مِّنكُم مِّن دِيَـرِهِمْ﴾
(After this, it is you who kill one another and drive out a party of you from their homes). Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah,
(After this, it is you who kill one another and drive out a party of you from their homes) "Allah mentioned what they were doing, and that in the Tawrah He had prohibited them from shedding each other's blood, and required them to free their prisoners. Now they were divided into two camps in Al-Madinah, Banu Qaynuqa`, who were the allies of the Khazraj, and An-Nadir and Qurayzah, who were the allies of the Aws. When fighting erupted between Aws and Khazraj, Banu Qaynuqa` would fight along with the Khazraj, while Banu An-Nadir and Qurayzah would fight along with the Aws. Each Jewish camp would fight against their Jewish brethren from the other camp. They would shed each other's blood, although they had the Tawrah with them, and they knew their rights and dues. Meanwhile, the Aws and Khazraj were polytheists who worshipped idols. They did not know about Paradise, the Fire, Resurrection, Divine Books the lawful and prohibited. When the war would end, the Jews would ransom their prisoners and implement the Tawrah. Consequently, Banu Qaynuqa` would ransom their prisoners who were captured by the Aws, while Banu An-Nadir and Qurayzah would ransom their prisoners who were captured by the Khazraj. They would also ask for blood money. During these wars, they would kill whomever (Jews or Arabs) they could, while helping the polytheists against their brethren. Therefore, Allah reminded them of this when He said,
(Then do you believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the rest) This Ayah means, `Do you ransom them according to the rulings of the Tawrah, yet kill them while the Tawrah forbade you from killing them and from expelling them from their homes The Tawrah also commanded that you should not aid the polytheists and those who associate with Allah in the worship against your brethren. You do all this to acquire the life of this world.' I was informed that the behavior of the Jews regarding the Aws and Khazraj was the reason behind revealing these Ayat.''
These noble Ayat criticized the Jews for implementing the Tawrah sometimes and defying it at other times, although they believed in the Tawrah and knew what they were doing was wrong. This is why they should not be trusted to preserve or convey the Tawrah. Further, they should not be believed when it comes to the description of the Messenger of Allah , his coming, his expulsion from his land, and his Hijrah, and the rest of the information that the previous Prophets informed them about him, all of which they hid. The Jews, may they suffer the curse of Allah, hid all of these facts among themselves, and this is why Allah said,
﴿فَمَا جَزَآءُ مَن يَفْعَلُ ذلِكَ مِنكُمْ إِلاَّ خِزْىٌ فِي الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا﴾
(Then what is the recompense of those who do so among you, except disgrace in the life of this world), because they defied Allah's Law and commandments,
﴿وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَى أَشَدِّ الّعَذَابِ﴾
(And on the Day of Resurrection they shall be consigned to the most grievous torment) as punishment for defying the Book of Allah that they had.
﴿وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَـفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَأُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُاْ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا بِالاٌّخِرَةِ﴾
(And Allah is not unaware of what you do. Those are they who have bought the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter) meaning, they prefer this life to the Hereafter. Therefore,
﴿فَلاَ يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ﴾
(Their torment shall not be lightened) not even for an hour,
﴿وَلاَ هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ﴾
(Nor shall they be helped), and they shall find no helper who will save them from the eternal torment they will suffer, nor shall they find any to grant them refuge from it.
﴿وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَـبَ وَقَفَّيْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِ بِالرُّسُلِ وَءَاتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَـتِ وَأَيَّدْنَـهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ أَفَكُلَّمَا جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ بِمَا لاَ تَهْوَى أَنفُسُكُم اسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ فَفَرِيقًا كَذَّبْتُمْ وَفَرِيقًا تَقْتُلُونَ ﴾
(87. And indeed, We gave Musa the Book and followed him up with a succession of Messengers. And We gave `Isa, the son of Maryam, clear signs and supported him with Ruh-il-Qudus. Is it that whenever there came to you a Messenger with what you yourselves desired not, you grew arrogant Some you disbelieved and some you killed.)


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Hello cousins! This is you cousin Brucie here to announce this special offer from K-Tel records Meet the Bushes!
Yes cousins for the first time anywhere you can get these fabulous hits from that Famous First Family of Politics and song and their friends.
You get Papa Bush singing "Carry on my wayward son," and of course his classic rendition of
with Barbara accompanying of "Paradise by the Dashboard Light."
You'll get Scooter Libby singing"Do you want to know a secret?"
Who could forget Dick Cheney's version of "Money, that's what I want" and the equally popular "Happiness is a Warm Gun."
And if you order now you'll get the Democratic Senate Glee Club singing :Won't get fooled again."
How much would you pay for a collection like this? It's yours free with a tax deductible donation to repealthe22ndAmendment.org of $2,000.00.
Plus we'll throw in this bonus track of Jenna and Barbara singing "Papa don't Preach."
Please order now.


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Berkshire Hathaway is getting lots of love recently. As a core long-term holding, if you do not own BRK.B, now could be the time for a starter position.
We all know of Mr. Buffet and his stock picking acumen. However, the real value in BRK.B lays in its base business as an insurance company and the investments its makes with its substantial cash flow, also known as the insurance float.
The insurance float is the described as the moneys collected by insurance companies that are not paid out in claims. For example, when you pay a premium on your auto policy, they cover operating costs of keeping the lights on and of the claims being paid for other policyholders who have accidents. The difference between the two is the insurance "float".
Berkshire Hathaway has amassed a sizable amount of insurance float. At the end of 2013, BRK has $77 billion on the books, up $7 billion in just the previous 3 years. In other words, BRK had generated $2.3 billion a year in new investable cash. Since the early 1970s, BRK has grown its insurance float by 19% compounded a year.
Most other insurance companies invest their float in fixed income instruments, such as bonds. BRK, on the other hand, buys companies and operates them for the additional cash flow they can provide. The media puts the spotlight on BRK's publically traded stock holdings but the most compelling investment thesis is the privately held companies that are subsidiaries of BRK.
As of Dec 2013, BRK held $115 billion of listed companies in its insurance portfolio. This compares with holdings of $166 billion in other assets such as railroads, utilities, energy and financial firms. BRK has more than 80 units that operate airplanes and power plants, manufacture mobile homes, bricks, and chemicals, and sell products from furniture to chocolate to running shoes. Links to the websites of 60 of these companies can be found below.
For example, BRK recently closed on the purchase of largest privately held auto dealer in in the country, located in Dallas. From the press release, "Berkshire Hathaway Automotive is fifth among all U.S. auto dealership groups with over $9 billion in revenue and 81 independently operated dealerships with over 100 franchises in 10 states, including Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas. Through its affiliated administrator MPP, Berkshire Hathaway Automotive is able to offer its auto retail customers a unique, industry-leading portfolio of proprietary vehicle service and ancillary contracts, which are insured by its two affiliated insurance underwriters, Old United Casualty Co. and Old United Life."
BRK has accomplished quite a feat by building an economically sensitive portfolio of assets from its growing base of insurance float. The downside is this strategy adds economic growth risk while other insurance companies have higher interest rate and bond default risk due to their fixed income portfolios.
Nonetheless, BRK has shown the ability to manage its assets for both higher investable cash flow and the purchase of companies at reasonable prices for reasonable growth. This difference will continue to aid in BRK to continue to grow earnings by 7% to 9% a year.
Of question is wither BRK is getting too large to keep up with its rich history. Even after spending $26 billion on acquisitions in 2013 and 2014 combined, their cash hoard still grew to $63 billion or $22 billion more than at the end of 2012. Management has pegged $20 billion as a comfortable cash cushion for its business profile, leaving a potential investable fund of over $43 billion. For comparison, this excess capital would be enough to buy half of Boeing, United Technologies or 3M – for cash.
With rising earnings trends in place, BRK is getting more attention from brokerage houses. Over the past 90 days, earnings estimates have been rising and now stand at $7.61 for 2015 and $8.22 for 2016.
BRK is one of those stalwart American companies that belongs in every investor's portfolio. Why? Because it makes money for its shareholders hand over fist, has done so for the past 50 years, and will continue to do so going into the future. BRK very infrequently goes on sale and now is a good time either to add to an existing position or to begin a starter position.
This article first appeared in the May issue of Guiding Mast Investment
Thanks for reading, George Fisher


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From Denny's to Denny's I made my way to Los Angeles. Sometimes I'd throw in a prime rib at some steakhouse on old Route 66, but only when I was tired of driving and needed to hole up somewhere, sleep like I was dead. When I drove out there, the plan was to stay awhile, which I did, several years. You don't head out to tinseltown and environs without a few stars in your eyes or a loose cog or two, but those are pluses for anyone planning to make a life there. Everyone is "in the industry." Real estate is laughably expensive. Looking for a place to live is your first shocker. "Fixer-upper, million-five." Stayed with a friend in West L.A., did some freelance, got burned more often than not, old story out there.
Fell into a job by doing a Nokia newsletter, both designed it and wrote it--the guy looks at it, takes me to Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample, says "Look at this." The ECD hired me on the spot. That was over in Torrance. After driving to work for a few days from West L.A., sitting on that freeway parking lot, I just moved over to Palos Verdes, up the hill from the agency. I found one of the few rentals there, a quiet town house, and settled in, happily. Got to work about 5am, left at 3pm, my MO for the rest of my life in the ad racket. The building housed the agency and a brokerage, Merrill-Lynch I think. The only cars in the lot at that time of morning were mine and the brokers. It was like four hours later in New York and they worked on the NY clock. So there we were every morning, nodding at one another as we entered the big glass doors, they heading for their ground floor office to the left, me to the elevator for my 7th floor office. An actual office with walls and a door, good view. And a typewriter.
Before that, however, I was a man of leisure. I walked the streets of west L.A. looking at the world through RayBans and seeing, again, the hand-tinted postcards I'd discovered in a shoebox at my grandmother's in KC. That L.A. was trim lawns, yucca plants, bungalows and red tile roofs, palm trees, sprinklers. I discovered meaner streets as well, looking for a warehouse downtown, where I could live and also drive my car and Harley into the living room, a minor dream of mine, one of many unfulfilled. I found a soldier-of-fortune bar. Some old eateries with chicken fried steak on the menu. A pawn shop with wonderful guitars on the wall and old Shure microphones.
Over by UCLA, in Westwood, I entered a dusty Egyptologist shop, where I bought two large plaster Horus statues with papers that showed they were made for DeMille's Cleopatra. I was, essentially, broke but these were must-haves, and I'm an optimist. Things'll get better. I still have these things, about 40" tall. And things did get better. I expected to see Sidney Greenstreet in a fez, there. Followed by Peter Lorre. Lauren Bacall pulling a curtain back in a nearby apartment window.
I took a screenplay course under Robert McKee, the legend, and watched a tape of Chinatown about 50 times, along with other movies. Sometimes I'd watch four or five movies in a day, for story structure. I did write some screenplays, one of which got me and a Beverly Hills ad-guy into a conference room with some portly individuals in good suits who said, "Trust me..." Got option offers for small amounts. Nothing ever came of it. Talk about an old story in L.A.
Then I got a tentative offer to write a book about Harley-Davidson's comeback; long story, but to shorten it, I didn't want to give up my ad job, and the pres wanted a business writer anyway. So that went away, too. As did a screenplay adaptation of an acquaintance's novel, when the agent passed away. So it went, but L.A. was, in the final lookback, hellaciously good to me. And I love it. And all that writing out there...great practice.


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Well what can I say about Valentine's Day.
We had an absolutely fabulous day.
I was greeted in the morning by a note on the coffee pot --
We are going on a cruise!!
And before anyone says anything yes I have heard about the "floating toilet" cruise -- HAHAHA!!!!
Now this is a big dealio here as HB has always and I mean always has said
"nope never going on a cruise"
Maybe this retirement thing is a good thing!
Spent the day doing Thursday type stuff.
HB and a friend of ours were doing supper for his wifey and me.
I was in charge of the table scape and dessert.
She was in charge of cocktails!
Good deal hunh?
So here was the menu
The starter was
Pan seared sesame scallops with black bean sauce served with a parmesan crisp
Prepared by HB
The Main
Beef Tenderloin served with a carrot horseradish jam
with Roasted fingerling potatoes and asparagus
Prepared by HB (veggys) and Paul R (Beef and jam)
Of course HB made teeny bagettes
The Boys deep in Preparation.
They did a terrific job and it wasn't too bad a clean up!
Unfortunately I did not take pics of dessert but will take a few when we serve the rest on Sunday.
It was a flourless chocolate cake with cream and raspberries.
Stay tuned!


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Carla Ainsworth, M.D.
After a childhood growing up in Kansas and Tennessee, Carla Ainsworth completed her undergraduate work at Kenyon College in Ohio and medical school at Washington University in St. Louis. She pursued additional training in public health at UC Berkeley, with a focus on maternal and child health, before moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2000. She completed residency training at Swedish/Providence and the geriatrics fellowship here at Swedish Family Medicine before joining a community health center practice in central Seattle.
In 2007, Carla joined the faculty to combine full-spectrum practice with the opportunity to help train the next generation of family physicians. She became the medical director at the First Hill clinic in 2008. Her clinical interests include geriatrics, chronic disease care, and palliative medicine. Her academic interests include practice management, leadership and advocacy work. When she's not at work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and being active, which usually involves playing with their two children, Quentin and Cassandra.


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ANNA BALCH -- dyed to order yarn
"Anna Balch"
The Story of Witch's Castle
Witch's Castle is the site of a tragic haunting. Business partners, Danford Balch and Mortimer Stump developed a feud when Stump eloped with Balch's daughter, Anna. Danford shot Mortimer dead and was later hanged for his crime, thus leaving the homestead to Anna and her mother, Mary Jane. Rumor has it the women used their spells to get rid of the men and inherit the wealth.
Get the companion darker colorway, "Mary Jane Balch" here. (Last 2 photos, show both Balch yarns and Blackbird.)
***Processing Time 2-3 weeks***
Learn about our yarn bases here.
This listing is for 1 skein of hand-dyed yarn. Please check the quantity to see how many are available.
Please select your desired base yarn and quantity. All yarns are superwash merino unless noted otherwise. Sock yarns contain 25% nylon.
We do our very best to ensure quality and consistency, each hand-painted skein is unique work of art for you! Photos show Broadway sparkle sock yarn. Please note that some variation may occur when dyed on other fibers. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
See all yarn in this colorway here.
Looking for a coordinating mini-skein, check out our selection here.
We Also Recommend
CUSTOM PAINTED SOCK BLANK -- your own unique hand-painted design -- dyed to order yarn


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Digital Dental X-Rays at Our Raleigh-Area Dental Practice
At Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we strive to provide our patients safe, interactive tools that take family dental care to the next level. We have patients who venture to our Cary, NC dental practice from Raleigh, Apex and beyond to experience the ultimate patient care experience and to benefit from the latest dental technologies–including our state-of-the-art digital dental x-ray system.
DEXIS® Digital X-Ray System & Intraoral Camera
Dr. Patrick Lawrence and Dr. Shanup Gundecha use the DEXIS® Digital X-Ray System, a filmless system that provides up to 90% less radiation exposure than traditional dental x-rays. This digital dental x-ray system stores extremely clear images on a computer for easy access and viewing. Our Cary dental office's digital x-ray system can provide detailed views of the teeth and jaw structure to accurately diagnose painful TMJ disorders caused by teeth grinding and other dental issues.
Our Raleigh-area patients will also benefit from our intraoral camera, which helps our dentists detect dental problems in their earliest stages, such as gum disease, cracked teeth, cavities and more. The intraoral camera also serves as a valuable patient education tool by providing close-up pictures of your teeth and gums.
Find the Latest Dental Technology at Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
When only the most accurate, up-to-date dental care will do, call on the dentists of Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in Cary. We treat our patients with the latest dental technologies, including the DEXIS® Digital X-Ray System and an innovative intraoral camera. Get in touch with us today and make an appointment by calling (919) 859-1330.
Visit Family & Cosmetic Dentistry for all your family's dental needs. We are proud to use the latest dental technology to treat our patients with a variety of general and cosmetic dentistry services. Our practice serves patients in Cary, Raleigh, Apex, Morrisville, Fuquay-Varina, Durham and beyond.


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This hotel is found in the heart of del Palmeral next to the Huerta del Cura gardens, the well-equipped bungalows are laid out along a palm-lined path. Offers 86 twins rooms, 1 suite and 8 junior suites well-equipped rooms with television, phone, air-conditioning and bathroom. The entire Els Capellans Restaurant is designed so that, while you�re enjoying a delicious meal, you can appreciate the views of the palms that fill the outdoors at the Huerto del Cura Hotel.
In addition, the restaurant has a spacious terrace next to the pool, where you can take pleasure in a delicious meal outdoors with the good weather. At night, it turns into a unique chill-out lounge.


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August 19, 2013
a gift for you...
Hi there! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We were busy little beavers around the house which was good because the south seems to be one large rain puddle this summer. Not complaining though - give me rain over sweltering drought any day of the week.
During my down time, I played around with iFontmaker and came up with my favorite font to date - called Swirlie Girl. I know. There's nothing swirlie about it but, in my defense, you have to name the font before you create it and Swirlie Girl was what popped into my head. So Swirlie Girl it is - contradictory or not.
As always, this is a gift for your personal use only and is copyrighted by little old me.
You can download Swirlie Girl here.
Enjoy your day!
14 comments:
Awesome font! Thank you for sharing. I am surprised that they make you name the font before designing it as the name of anything created is inspired by the materials, design process and end result!ReplyDelete
Kathleen, in all honesty, I think there should be a way to change the title but I've been too lazy to figure it out. Maybe some day. :)ReplyDelete
You are so smart...I had no idea that one could even make something like ones own font!!ReplyDelete
I do thank you and will try to be a brave girl and give it a whirl. xo
- AnonymousAugust 19, 2013 at 1:01 PM
This is a gorgeous font! Thank you for sharing it!ReplyDelete
Beautiful font Lori!! Thank you so much!!!ReplyDelete
now if i could figure out how to save it to my computer.......it has to be mondayReplyDelete
Rose, you just click on the link in this post and on the left side you'll see a download button. Click that button and it automatically downloads to your computer! I have a macbook, so I just add the font to Font Book and then I can use it in Photoshop, Word, etc. Hope this helps someone!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 19, 2013 at 6:06 PM
Awsome font. Thank you.ReplyDelete
this is awesome, Lori! I love it!ReplyDelete
Thank you! :)ReplyDelete
So much fun! Thanks!ReplyDelete
Thank you :)ReplyDelete
This is great - has all the looks of a whiteboard!!!ReplyDelete
Thank you so much
It' really beautiful, Lori, and thank you so much for sharing it here!ReplyDelete


text: When it comes to your home décor, what do you really know about arranging your home décor accessories? This can actually be one of the most difficult aspects of home décor. So many people struggle with where to arrange accessories on their shelves, tabletops, bookcases and more. You want to find a balance between clutter and boring and sometimes the line between can be difficult to spot. One of the… Read Article →


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Kartchner Caverns Tours Review
If you enjoy exploring caves and caverns, then one of the best tours to take in the USA is one of the Kartchner Caverns tours. These tours can give you a unique caving experience, one that is both thrilling and memorable. One of the pros of these caves is that there are fewer safety risks because there is always an experienced guide on the tour. You cannot take a self guided tour, which may be a drawback for some, but this does not detract from the beauty and wonder of the Kartchner Caverns tours. All ages are welcome on the tours. But if you have children who are young, around six years old or younger, your child may become frightened and you may be allowed to leave with the child instead of finishing the tour. The size and atmosphere of the caves can make Kartchner Caverns tours scary to younger children, while being the reason that older children and adults enjoy the visit to the caves.
If you are going to Kartchner Caverns reservations are advised, because the tours are quickly reserved and you may not be able to take one when you arrive if you have not reserved space on that specific tour. Without reservations, you will be on a first come first serve basis for any of the available seats left for the Kartchner Caverns tours for the day, and often there are no seats left after the reserved space has been used. The popularity of exploring these caverns is immense, so the number of people on the Kartchner Caverns tours must be limited for safety and the best experience. The pros of these caves include the fact that they are open almost every day of the year, and the caverns are easy to get to. Kartchner Caverns tours are a fantastic experience for almost every age, and the pros of these caves are much more numerous than the cons are.


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Happy Birthday Kendrick Lamar/
Happy Birthday to Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987), known simply as Kendrick Lamar. He is an American hip hop recording artist from Compton, California. In 2004, Lamar signed to the Carson-based indie record label Top Dawg Entertainment and in 2012, Lamar and the label signed a joint venture deal with Aftermath and Interscope Records. Lamar is also a member of West Coast hip hop supergroup Black Hippy, alongside his label-mates and fellow California-based rappers Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and Ab-Soul.
Lamar first began to gain major attention in 2010, after the release of Overly Dedicated, his first retail-release. The following year he released his first independent album, titled Section.80, exclusively through iTunes. The album received critical acclaim and instantly ranked as one of the top digital hip hop releases of the year. Early in his career, before releasing his major-label debut, Lamar amassed a large internet following and had already worked with prominent artists such as Dr. Dre, Game, Drake, Young Jeezy, Talib Kweli, Busta Rhymes, E-40, Warren Gand Lil Wayne, among others.
His major-label debut studio album good kid, m.A.A.d city, was released October 22, 2012, to widespread acclaim. The album spawned the Top 40 hits "Swimming Pools (Drank)", "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe", and "Poetic Justice". Upon its release, the album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In early 2013, MTV crowned Lamar the No. 1 "Hottest MC in the Game", on their annual list. Lamar also received a total of seven Grammy nominations at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards (2014), including Best New Artist, Album of the Year and Best Rap Song.
Artwork by Hanksy
Watch Kendrick Lamar - "Swimming Pools (Drank) "


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Sego Canyon Ghost Town: Fun Day Trip from MoabThings to Do, What's New — By julietrevelyan on February 21, 2012 at 3:29 pm
About 30 minutes north of outdoor adventure town Moab, you'll find the old ghost town known as Sego Canyon. This spooky (okay, it's not really) place boasts forgotten old mine structures, ancient rock panels, and just fun explore-y type things that can fill a nice little chunk of your time in one day.
photo: Matt Lavin/Flickr
Ancient rock art panels will be some of the first things you see, right from the road. Anasazi (Ancestral Puebloan), Barrier Canyon style, and Ute artwork all grace the canyon walls here and there. Take your time to admire these enduring depictions of life then; they are beautiful, clearly different in style, and should send your imagination spinning. Many of the humanlike Barrier Canyon images seem spectral or even otherworldly, with their oversized eyes.
photo: Alaskan Dude/Flickr
The ghost town part of Sego Canyon consists of the remains of an old coal mining camp. Rickety wood structures, tumbled-down stone walls, and half-standing old railroad bridges lie scattered about. It's fascinating to wander through and wonder about what it was like to be there in the town's heyday at the turn of the 20th century.
image: es.photopedia.com/Google Images
How to get from Moab to Sego Canyon: Head north on the 191 out of Moab. When you hit I-70, go east. Take Exit 185 north through the itty-bitty town of Thompson. Continue about three miles to Sego Canyon Road and voila, you are there. You will see of the rock art panels right from the road. The Sego Canyon ghost town is about a mile and a half up the road. A parking area and outhouse are available at the first large rock art panel (on your left).
Note: the Sego Canyon area, including the old mining structures and many of the rock art panels, is mostly located on private property. While the property owners graciously allow public access, please remember to treat the area with respect.


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alpine nursery
Introducing... the Alpine baby girl nursery reveal!! Although this has been our website for a while, we are finally getting around to blogging about it! We are extremely excited to show you the details in this gorgeous nursery set-up and hope that they might inspire some ideas of your own. We had so much fun designing this together and are looking forward to the next kid's space that we get to do!
The design process took its own path on this one - once I saw an image of this crib I knew that was our starting point. We had this crib custom made locally and couldn't be happier with how it turned out! The walnut accent with the painted off-white is a combination that almost makes me cry it's so perfect. The artwork from Minted was up next and exactly what we were looking for. We loved its innocent femininity.
For some reason, the crib sheet was the hardest to find. We knew we were looking for a blush pink, but definitely wanted something that would play nicely with the rest of the textures and textiles in the scene. This crib sheet from Dwell Studio finely popped up on my screen and we knew it was the one! The pillows were also custom made from some of our favorite materials.
The other piece that this nursery was based on was the swaddle blanket from Little Unicorn. If you ever have a free second, check out their beautiful baby products - so inspiring.
Other favorite moments included the dresser knobs from Anthropologie, the fun reading nook, and the art above the changing table (all pictured above). We had so much fun designing this nursery space! We hope you love it as much as we do!


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The Arrivals' Spring 2015 Is Here!/
If there is any way to summarize The Arrivals' brand, it's precise design, uncompromising quality, and adjustability.
For their very first spring collection, they made a few classic denim pieces, versatile coats (including my favorite AANDO Modular Duster, where removing its sleeves transforms the garment into a vest), and (not surprisingly for the company) a few lighter-build leather jackets, perfect for adding a bit of spring-time cool to one's wardrobe. Their BREUER Explorer Jacket, will keep you dry and stylish in the whimsical (even if more than welcomed) spring weather. Their geometrically cut jackets look good on a hanger, but great on a body.
You will notice that quite a few jackets have parts that detach (modular pieces)- sometimes sleeves, sometimes detachable pieces at the bottom of the garment that will allow you to adjust coverage for current weather. Thanks to this, The Arrivals offer a great variety to a wardrobe with only a few items.
I like slightly oversized outerwear, and I would totally go for their men's raincoat FULLER Modular Storm Coat in dark blue (which is modular as well–it has a detachable bottom part connected with a zipper).
The colors of the new collections are striking in their subtlety when seen in real life- be it "Dry Concrete" hue of the MODULAR DUSTER, the "Rose Gold" of LASSEN SUEDE, or "Leaf" of BREUER. Memorable is also the matte finish of the WREN Leather Biker.
The Arrivals' uncompromising quality, use of the finest materials, and attention to detail manifest in their collaborations with industry's leading companies such as Libra Leather, whose owner Mitch Alfus is known as the Leather King. The Arrivals are only available online at the moment (that's why the prices are so pleasant!), but customers are welcome to schedule an appointment to try anything on in their NY showroom!
Photography by Stephen Tang @realstephentang


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Yoga Leela
In the Parish Hall. Yoga Leela is a form of Sangha (Community) Yoga. Sangha Yoga (as opposed to commercial yoga) is focused on bringing people of different backgrounds and ages together to form a wellness community. There is no set fee but a donation is requested. We have additional yoga mats if you don't have one. You …
Men's Prayer Breakfast
Meet at the Frisch's Big Boy Hartwell location for prayer, fellowship and breakfast.


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Remember This When the Holiday Demands Pile Up
2 Minute Read
If there's one thing I want you to remember as the holiday demands ramp up and 2015 winds down, it's this:
Your life is up to you.
It's so easy to fall into the blame game trap and point a finger at others when things go wrong. But the harsh truth is that no one other than you is responsible for your life and your decisions.
And guess what? That's awesome!
You have complete control of . . .
Whether or not you go into debt.
Whether you use credit cards to pay for Christmas gifts.
Whether you take out a mortgage you can't afford.
Whether you lease a car.
Whether or not you overspend on Christmas dinner.
Whether you take out a student loan.
Whether you travel cross-country to see Aunt Irene, who guilted you into coming.
Whether you save and invest for your future.
Whether you give generously.
You get to celebrate your successes and accept the consequences of your poor decisions. When you finally pay off all your credit card debt, pat yourself on the back. You did it! On the flip side, if you can't make the payments on the new BMW you just bought . . . well, whose fault is that?
Ready to start saving? Download our free budgeting tool today!
We all make mistakes. Believe me, I know I have! The trick is to make sure we don't let that feeling of entitlement creep in—the idea that we "deserve" something just because other people have it.
You can't wait around and rely on the government, the president, a pastor or a spouse to change your life. Only you can do that.
So, with the holidays here and with a new year on the way, I want you to remember this simple truth: No matter what money mistakes you've made in the past, it's never too late to turn your situation around . . . even during this time of year when it's so easy to overspend.
Take control and be wise with your money. You've got this!
Rachel Cruze is a seasoned communicator and presenter, helping Americans learn the proper ways to handle money and stay out of debt. Her new book Smart Money Smart Kids, co-authored by her dad Dave Ramsey, released April 2014 and debuted at #1 on the New York Times best-sellers list. You can follow Rachel on Twitter at @RachelCruze, online at rachelcruze.com, or at facebook.com/rachelramseycruze.


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High School Sports
Holle's career night helps Braves withstand Falcons' fast start
KENNEWICK -- Case Rada is Kamiakin's leading scorer this season at just over 15 points a night, but in the Braves' high-energy, motion offense, he isn't necessarily the first scoring option.
Junior Tyler Holle drove that point home in Kamiakin's 68-53 win over Hanford on Friday night in Kennewick, hitting 11 of 16 shots for a career-high 24 points.
The 6-foot-1 guard scored 18 points in the first half, including a pair of 3-pointers, to lift the Braves (10-1, 4-1) into a 3-way tie for first in the CBBN Cascade Division with Richland and Walla Walla.
"Our team has so many weapons. Any of us can go off on a given night," said Holle, who added four assists. "(The win) feels really good. It's tough to win in this league. You've got to bring it every night."
Hanford (5-4, 2-2) brought a slew of good shooters and a pair of tough post players in Brady Haynes (6-7) and Aaron Neary (6-3).
The Falcons got off to a strong start, hitting four 3-pointers in the first quarter and were 7-of-13 from the field to take an 18-12 lead after eight minutes.
"I said before the game that we would have to shoot 50 percent," said Hanford coach Paul Mayer. "With Kamiakin's firepower, we knew we had to sustain that shot percentage."
But the Braves came out firing in the second quarter. Holle scored eight points during a 14-3 Kamiakin run, capped by Justin Pedley's jumper on the low block for a 26-21 lead with 4:03 left in the half.
The Braves also made some good adjustments on defense and held the Falcons to just 34 percent shooting over the final three quarters.
"I'm proud of the kids' mentality tonight. Down 12-18, they could have hung their heads," said Kamiakin coach Brian Meneely. "But fortunately we changed our defense and then started making some shots. We executed on a pretty high level over the last three quarters.
"Any time you come out and see the stuff you worked on in practice being executed on the floor, you feel good."
The Falcons didn't make things easy, as Marcus Manderbach hit a 3-pointer off the glass with 32 seconds left in the second quarter to cap a 7-4 mini-run and cut the Braves' lead to 35-30 at the half.
Manderbach, who hit 4-of-10 from 3-point range, and Pete Zachara each had 15 points to lead Hanford.
"Marcus and Pete, we knew they were really good shooters, and both their big guys are athletic and good with the ball," Holle said. "But our big guys did a good job against them, and we worked on helping out in practice."
Holle hit an 18-foot jumper from the left wing at 4:48 of the third quarter to cap an 8-2 run that gave Kamiakin a 43-32 lead. Rada converted a three-point play to extend the Braves' lead to 54-38 to open the fourth quarter.
"We got hot and got some stops," Meneely said.
But the Falcons weren't done fighting.
Zachara scored six straight points over the next 59 seconds to bring Hanford to within 54-44 with 6:41 left to play.
"I don't think we ever quit," said Mayer. "We certainly believed we could compete."
But Holle hit a floater on the right baseline with 5:50 left in the game to start an 8-0 run that all but iced the game for Kamiakin at 64-46.
Marcus Manderbach 15, DeVine 3, Pete Zachara 15, Neary 12, Haynes 6, Shintaffer, Bowser, Rueter 2, Funk. Totals 19-48 8-14 53.
Rada 16, Fletcher 2, Tyler Holle 24, Anderson 12, Pedley 8, Hayfield 2, Tumlinson, Welch 2, Wilmoth, Hunt 2, Petragallo. Totals 31-58 4-7 68.
Hanford 18 12 8 15 -- 53
Kamiakin 12 23 16 17 -- 68
Highlights -- Rada 8 rebs; Neary 11 rebs; Pedley 3 steals; Fletcher 5 assists; Holle 2x4 3-ptrs, 4 assists; Manderbach 4x10 3-ptrs.


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Advent: Awake
During the season of Advent, we offer daily meditations, activities, prayers, and music, Monday - Friday, for you and your family. We also offer services and celebrations here at St. Paul's for you to enjoy. Please contact us for more information, subscribe to our weekly newsletter, or come to St. Paul's for worship and prayer.
Dec. 3rd - Advent 1: Holy Communion at 8:00 am & 10:30 am
Dec. 10th - Advent 2: Holy Communion at 8:00 am & 10:30 am
Dec. 17th - Advent 3: Holy Communion at 8:00 am & 10:30 am; Lessons and Carols service at 3:00 pm
Dec. 24th - Advent 4: Holy Communion at 9:00 am; Family Christmas Eve Service at 4:00 pm; Choral Celebration at 8:00 pm
Friday, December 22nd
Family Activity: Try a Christmas recipe from a different country.
Ily Holbrook shares stories, scriptures and recipes from the website 'Make Ready the Feast'.
Read more about German spritz cookies and try making them at home.
Try your hand at Filipino Chicken Arroz Caldo (chicken porridge)
Thursday, December 21st
'In Night's Dim Shadows Lying', arranged by George Guest and performed by the Cante Deo Chamber Choir
In night's dim shadows lying,
Our limbs fast lock'd in sleep,
To thee, with faithful sighing,
Our souls their vigil keep.
View full hymn text here
Wednesday, December 20th
Pop artist Sting sings his version of 'Gabriel's Message'.
The Angel Gabriel from heaven came,
his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
'All hail,' said he, 'thou lowly maiden Mary,
most highly favoured lady.'
View full hymn text here
Tuesday, December 19th
Allison Olsson shares a beautiful arrangement of 'O Come, O Come Emmanuel' for cello and piano.
O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.
View full hymn text here
Monday, December 18th
'Pray and Watch': Allan Cole shares a video from The Work of the People, a website dedicated to films for discovery and transformation.
German Theologian Jürgen Moltmann has been heavily influential in my thinking about God and Jesus, and you have surely heard his influences in my preaching. His understanding of Advent and God's coming into to the world captures for me what I believe what the true Advent means and how we might enter into it.
View the video on the website here.
Friday, December 15th
'Esperar' - In Spanish, The word for "to wait" is the same as the word for "to hope." Esperar.
In this blog post on Episcopal Church Foundation's website, Anna Olson, rector of Saint Mary's Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, contemplates hopeful waiting and waitful hoping during Advent.
Read the full blog post here.
Subscribe to ECF Vital practices for articles, blog posts, and helpful tools.
Thursday, December 14th
'AdventWord' - A Global Event calendar from the Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion provides a word for each day of Advent. You can subscribe to the calendar, and even upload your photos and connect to the calendar using the hashtag #AdventWord on social media.
View the calendar here
See their facebook page
Subscribe to the daily email
Wednesday, December 13th
'Comfort, comfort Ye my People'
Allison Olsson, Director of Music at St. Paul's, shares a piece by Claude Goudimel, sung by the Compline Choir of St. John's Cathedral in Los Angeles.
See full text here
Tuesday, December 12th
Ily Holbrook shares a great activity for older children and teenagers
Here are some ways to be generous in spirit, being mindful, and living with gratitude in this season:
Take a photo or a draw a picture a day for all of Advent. Be inspired by words of Advent:
1 - hope, 2 - community, 3 - prepare, 4 - faith, 5 - journey,
6 - wisdom, 7 - wait, 8 - peace, 9 - justice, 10 - listen,
11 - promise, 12 - unity, 13 - mystery, 14 - awake, 15 - joy,
16 - freedom, 17 - grace, 18 - comfort, 19 - delight, 20 - gratitude,
21 - gift, 22 - good news, 23 - welcome, 24 - love, 25 - light
Monday, December 11th
Ily Holbrook gives us a way to prayer for other families throughout the year
Christmas card prayers
As Christmas cards arrive during December, place them in a basket in a noticeable area. Once a day, pull out one card and pray for that person or family together. Keep the Christmas card basket out all year and pray regularly for other families.
Friday, December 8th
The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of the Apostles – The rock stars of chant
In today's Advent offering, our rector, Allan Cole, talks about discovering the Benedictines of Mary and their gift for chant:
"A few years ago during Advent, I came across the Benedictines of Mary and their music. All it took was one listen to their collection of Advent hymns called Advent at Ephesus. For me, that collection of chant is my Advent meditation. Take a moment to learn about them through the links. I know this music will mean something to you and stir in you a feeling of Advent." In peace, Allan+
LISTEN on Spotify
ORDER a CD on their website
Thursday, December 7th
'Keep Awake' - a sermon by Br. Lucas Hall, Society of Saint John the Evangelist
The sun is setting. The night has begun. The season of Advent marks the start of the new Church year, and, like the Jewish day that begins once the sun has descended, our year begins with the night season. CLICK HERE to begin
Wednesday, December 6th
'E'en so Lord Jesus'
Allison Olsson, Director of Music at St. Paul's, shares a favorite Advent piece, sung by the Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge.
Peace be to you and grace from him Who freed us from our sins,
Who loved us all and shed his blood That we might saved be.
Sing holy, holy to our Lord, The Lord, Almighty God,
Who was and is and is to come; Sing holy, holy, Lord!
Rejoice in heaven, all ye that dwell therein, Rejoice on earth, ye saints below,
For Christ is coming, is coming soon!
E'en so, Lord Jesus, quickly come, And night shall be no more;
they need no light nor lamp nor sun, For Christ will be their all.
Tuesday, December 5th
Family activity - Make your own 99 cent Advent wreaths (includes prayer for each week), using the Building Faith website. CLICK HERE to begin
Older youth - Subscribe to d365 Advent series, 'Follow the Star'. CLICK HERE to begin
Monday, December 4th
'Advent in 2 minutes'
Watch this short video from Busted Halo, which gives a framework to view all of Advent.


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The State Worker
From the Notebook: Department winners, losers during Jerry Brown's administration
Our story in today's Bee looks at which California state government departments have increased payroll and which have cut it during Gov. Jerry Brown's third term. Here's a complete list of employee counts and wages paid them over the three-year period, according to state controller's payroll data.
From the Notebook posts give State Worker blog users more of the notes, quotes and research that inform news stories we write for The Sacramento Bee.


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