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There are a lot of afternoon tea choices in Tsim Sha Tsui, from buffet to hightea set, while having a comfort afternoon tea with a nice bird view of Hong Kong Island, would be not that easy to find or book. A decent and lazy afternoon with everything just easy? I made a try to Sheraton's in Sky Lounge, and the new Afternoon Tea Set for the coming autumn was a bit different by its French-style with oriental elements.
Going up by the old-style life in a golden-bronze color, and each slice of strong sun light was going through the mirrors, the metal-wall inside, it was quite nice and kind of Gatsby right?!
The same, Sheraton keeps their 'old-gentleman' style with a harmony of dark brown furnitures, starting from the stairs to the end of Oyster Bar. Sky Lounge is in the middle, a long-slim space, with a lot tables facing to the harbour, which provides the nicest view throughout the whole day.
Afternoon Tea Set for One with Port Cobbler
Port, Grand Marnier, Fresh Lemon Juice, Fresh Orange Juice
Sky Lounge Mojito & Mango Magic
Chinese Grasshopper
Matcha Tea, Fernet Branca, Vanilla Ice Cream, Cacao Blanc, Peppermint Liqueur & Cream
The new Tea Set is tailor made by the crew for the coming autumn. It keeps the French-style as what Sheraton always do, but creates something new with Oriental ideas by making pastries with Asian materials, or making 'Dim Sum' with Western ingredients.
Plus, the afternoon tea is served 3-7-30 (3 hours, 7 days a week, and the whole month). I know afternoon tea is not a man's choice, while gentleman still needs to go with his love sometimes, and in Sky Lounge, the individual Tea Set could choose even bubble/wine/special cocktail or mocktail!!!
The one I tried was their Top 3 cocktail, Mojito, which cheered me a lot at my first sip by its strong rum flavor. It was rarely made in Hong Kong with such a satisfying flavor to be alcoholic-friendly, plus I had it in such a fine late summer Sunday in Hong Kong, what should I comment more?!!
Raisin scone with Devon Cream and Strawberry Jam, it was comparably smaller size but nice looking with glorious baked surface. I wouldn't say the taste is perfect but it's in a decent quality. Cream was much nicer, the lovely lighter taste without reducing the milky flavor to me.
We had Smoked Salmon Dumpling, Foie Gras Moussee with Sichuan Pepper, Chicken Salad Sandwich with Black Sesame Seed and Rice Paper Roll with marinated Italian Seafood, as our savouries. Such a Western-Eastern presentation by just reading the ingredient list. My favorite was Rice Paper Roll, for its crystal slightly-sticky rice roll and the fresh shrimp inside. Foie Gras was also impressive, but not moisture and smoothy enough to make it into the top group; so does dumpling, which I appreciated a lot to the idea but having space to improve for the smoked salmon filling.
Matcha Green Tea Cookie paired with one cute hand-made chocolate, it's very nice, but not too difficult to make it good. Gula Melaka with Fresh Berries, was a bit disappointed, because I was craving a lot to the coconut flavor, while the pudding tasted just a little but not strong enough.
Ginger Creme Brulee, was really nice for anyone loves ginger. It heated up the overall flavor, and even lighted up the milky and caramel sweetness of the original cream brulee. In fact, it tasted quite spicy but I still loved it simply coz of the well matched taste.
Passion Fruit and Banana Dome, was a bit more banana than passion fruit; Layered Ganache and Jasmine Tea Cake was another delicious pastry. Jasmine Tea was not strong compared to the very outstanding flavor of dark chocolate. It was using sponge cake as the thin layers between the thick, moisture and smoothy chocolate mousse layers; and overall gave a moisture but not too wet or sticky experience of chocolate cake.
* Afternoon Tea Set for One
Mon to Fri. Freshly Brewed Coffee, Tea or Juice $218
Weekend & Public Holiday. $238
Bubble Afternoon Tea (A glass of Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut NV) $298
Relaxing Afternoon Tea (Sommeller's selection of Wine Flight) $298
20 Nathan Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Hong Kong
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Botswana metal heads on show
Put together as part of his thesis during his fourth year at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) in 2010, Frank Marshall's photographs that form part of his Renegades exhibition have since garnered him international attention and elevated him to "one-to-watch" status.
Marshall's captivating exhibition made its way to the avant-garde Newtown-based Rooke Gallery last July and now the 26-year-old Nelspruit-born young artist is making international headway in the United States. His work is currently showing at the Bekris Gallery in San Francisco until January 27 and is tipped to move onto another space in the country.
Renegades is an exploration of the small yet highly expressive black metal head sub-culture in Botswana.
"I came across this interest group while touring Botswana with a South African band in late 2008. I too am into heavy metal and rock music and had been taking pictures of various bands for a while up until that time."
Marshall decided to revisit the idea in 2009 and got working on the project in 2010. It took him almost five months to complete the project, where he spent most of his time travelling, road tripping and doing the social scene with his various subjects.
Both men and women are captured in his pictures but men dominate, often clad in black leather pants and biker jackets or waistcoats and mean facial expressions to match. They usually seal the deal with cowboy hats, slogan T-shirts and various accessories, which include knives and bullets strapped across their well-built bodies.
Marshall's former university and the Rooke Gallery describe his work as exploration of the "notions of performitivity, authenticity and mythology" and "creating an emergent rootedness in a geography where tradition, politics and tribalism create sensitive grounds of expression".
Marshall perhaps puts it best and simplest when he says: "I just took pictures of the guys because I thought they were interesting and different. Botswana is a great cattle-dependant country with a low-ranging landscape and open fields and I guess that's where the cowboy and biker influences in their attire come from. This sub-culture is also highly driven by who can customise their threads the best and be the most unique and catchy out of the lot."
As a freelance photographer for the newly launched South African Rolling Stone magazine, Marshall notes that while music is something that's very close to his heart he's also very interested in portraiture and documentary photography. He's working on other projects saying: "It takes me some time to work on a particular project and that's something I'm not willing to compromise on."
While we might not know exactly where his Renegades exhibition is moving to next or what new exciting project he's currently cooking up at home, one thing is for sure, Marshall is one of the country's most exciting young photographers to look out for.
Marshall was head-hunted and his work picked by the Brits Gallery whose mission was to expand the audience for African contemporary art. To that end the gallery presented work by emerging, mid-career and internationally acclaimed African artists, both those living in Africa and those who are a part of the vast African diaspora.
Mediums presented by the gallery included paintings, sculpture, works on paper and photography. The gallery's rigorous exhibition programme presented eight shows a year including individual, two artist and group exhibitions.

subset: commoncrawl


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Dress them up & dress them down. Your favorite joggers 2 ways.
One thing that is so important to me and something I always consider when getting dressed is comfort. I'm one of those girls who will not wear heels that kill my feet, can't stand a pair of jeans with a button that digs into your stomach and am one of those girls who's sweatpants are on within seconds of walking into her door.....
Most day's you'll find me in (comfortable) jeans but one thing that I praise and have started to incorporate into my outfits more and more is the jogger (bow down)! Whoever decided to make a tailored sweat pant in silk is definitely one of my heroes.
One of the things that sold me on the jogger is the versatility. They're so easy to take from day to night in only a few simple steps. THIS specific pair of joggers I found a few weeks back. I was actually shopping with my Mom and she was searching for trousers. The sales woman brought in a few more options and this was one of them. It was love at first site and (depending on who you ask) I may be wearing them more than one should wear any one piece of clothing... not sorry!
For daytime, I paired THESE joggers with a black bodysuit, black leather jacket and white sneakers. To take your favorite joggers from day to night it only takes a couple simple steps!
First, swap out your sneakers for a pair of classic heels! Next, nix your jacket for a super sleek, simpler look and third and finally, pull your hair back into a chic low pony! WA-LA! You have gone from downtown, daytime cool to uptown, night out chic in 3 simple steps!
Photos by: Julie Kennedy Photography


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Affiliate Marketing
← Back to E-Commerce Marketing
A short introduction to affiliate marketing
Affilliate marketing is a type of online marketing where the online store (advertiser) pays the affiliate (webmaster) for every lead or sale generated via their website. The affiliate programme is a way for the advertiser to increase sales by directing traffic to their website. Afilliate marketing is efficient, because it offers the possibility to operate according to a "no cure no pay" principle. Only when a sale is generated through the affiliate programme, the online store pays a certain amount of money to the webmaster.
An affiliate advertisement may appear in multiple forms. You probably know the annoying pop-ups and the eye-catching banners. A subtle link at the bottom of a text can also be an affiliate's.
There are 3 parties engaged with affiliate marketing
1. The advertiser
2. The affiliate (you)
3. An affiliate network
How do I get affiliates?
This is where the affiliate networks come in. You can join one and they take care of tracking and arrange payments. Some of the leading affiliate networks include LinkShare, AvantLink, CJ, and ShareASale.
1. Visitor visits affiliate website
2. Visitor clicks the link to your online store
3. Visitor buys a product
4. The network makes sure the affiliate gets his compensation
Pricing and Payment models: CPC, CPC, CPM, Lead and Sale
If you launch a program with an affiliate network, you can expect to pay a one-time set-up fee for the integration into the network and a percentage of the commissions. When comparing affiliate networks a third costs criteria is a possible fee for contacting affiliates. There may be fees for contacting "non-joined" affiliates.
CPC: Cost Per Click. You pay for every visitor 0.01 to 0.50 EUR (0.01 to 0.70 USD / 0.01 to 0.40 GBP)
CPM: Cost Per Mille. 1.000 showings of a banner. 0.20 to 4.00 EUR (0.30 to 5.50 USD / 0.15 to 3.30 GBP)
Lead: Subscription for a news letter or website. 0.50 to 3.00 EUR (0.70 to 4 USD / 0.40 to 2.50 GBP)
Sale: Per sale. 3.00 to 50.00 EUR (4 to 70 USD / 2.5 to 40 GBP)
Nowadays online store almost only pay for leads or sales. I advise you to do the same!


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Your Car Color Can Determine Your Personality – Take the Test!
Have you ever bought something that came in multiple colors and debated over which one to buy? We all have done that at least a time or two, whether it was over a color of a sweater, jacket or even a car. Well, according to a recent Farmer's Almanac (which I just happened to come across), scientific research done in Great Britain has discovered the color of your car can reveal your personality.
Black cars denote a person to be aggressive, an outsider or a rebel.
Silver cars denote a person who is cool, calm, and slightly aloof.
Green cars indicate a person to be someone with hysterical tendencies.
Yellow cars signify an idealistic and novelty loving person.
Blue cars are chosen by people who are introspective, reflective and cautious.
Grey cars represent a person who is calm, sober, and dedicated.
Red cars depict a person with zest, energy, and drive.
Pink cars are chosen by people who are gentle, loving and affectionate.
White car drivers are status seeking extroverted people.
and Cream colored car owners are self contained and controlled people.


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We're opening up our entire menu!
Every bottle, every flavor, every style. You pick.
$7 gets you a tasting of 6 wines and meads of your choice. All weekend long, noon-5pm
- Keep it classic. Try our 2012 Chardonnay, our 2013 Petit Manseng, and our 2011 Merlot.
- Discover Mead. Try Blacksmith [berry mead], Lumberjack [apple cider mead], Highlander [hop mead], Archer [cinnamon, clove mead], Monk [long-aged rose petal mead], and Hunter [chile pepper mead]
- Spice it up. Try Hunter [chile pepper mead], Big Game Hunter [extra hot chile pepper mead], Fish Hunter [fish pepper mead], and Ghost Hunter [ghost pepper mead].


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For her current project Naomi met with a lebanese female taxi driver and wrote a poem/ballad based on the interview. The words discuss the dangers, mundanities and gender politics that come with the job. The poem plays over an experimental video which uses props and performance to blend this woman's strength with society's preference that she stay safely at home, rather than working in a predominantly male field.
Naomi Moser is an American video artist based in Detroit. Moser's current video work discusses her insider/outsider identity both as a privileged white person and as a Jewish person who has inherited anxiety. Moser has been researching the Jewish traveler as a historical figure, as a fluid archetype and as herself. Because of Judaism's long history and the far reaches of its diaspora, Moser has found that she represents different things in different places to different people. Her content and aesthetic contend with the intersection of travel and the performance of Jewish American identity. Setting her scenes to themes of escapism, in the forms of vacation and nightlife, she disarms the viewer with an approachable and campy aesthetic, while simultaneously discussing her anxiety around her unstable subjectivity and the inheritance of memory.
Naomi Moser
Dates of residency: Apr 4 - May 15, 2016
Born: 1987
Lives and works: Detroit
URL: http://www.naomivideo.com/
Education: BA Media Studies/ Film at Scripps College
Selected Shows and Screenings:
2015 Catalhoyuk Woman, Linea de Costa at ECCO Cadiz
2015 The Roughest Toughest Frail, Screened at Blackbird Film Festival
2015 Run Darlin Run, Screened at: New York Eurasian Film Festival; On the Line Film Festival; Broken Knuckle Film Festival
2015 Would the Miracle ever come, Screened/performed at Spectrum New York
2013 Talk Over ME, Nominated for the BAFTALA Student Awards, Winner of Peyton Watkins '09 Media Studies Award


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Jam Recipes
Meyer Lemon MarmaladeHomemade Meyer Lemon Marmalade, only 3 ingredients! Meyer lemons, sugar, water. No added pectin needed!
Apple ButterHomemade apple butter recipe, complete with step-by step instructions. Apple butter spiced with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and lemon. Great on toast!
Rose Hip JamMarmalade-style rose hip jam with rose hips, orange, apple, lemon, and sugar.
Easy Microwave Fig JamEASY Fig Jam made with figs, orange, lemon, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. Small batch, takes only a few minutes to make in the microwave!
Membrillo (Quince Paste)Dulce de Membrillo recipe, a popular Spanish paste made from quince and served with Manchego cheese.
Microwave Strawberry JamSo easy! Small batch strawberry jam that you make in a microwave oven. Cooks in 15 minutes! Easy cleanup.
Quince JamRecipe for a simple quince jam made with grated fresh quince, sugar, and lemon juice.
Pear ButterHomemade pear butter spiced with star anise, ginger, lemon, cardamom, and nutmeg.
Apricot Riesling JamVibrant and tangy fresh apricot jam, seasoned with Riesling wine.
Seville Orange MarmaladeHomemade Seville orange marmalade, made with fresh Seville oranges, lemons, and sugar. No commercial pectin needed!
Mixed Berry Chia Seed JamThis mixed berry chia seed jam is so quick and easy to make! No elaborate jam-making or canning required. Perfect for using up your summer fruit.
How To Make Jam in the MicrowaveEasy microwave jam! Ready in under 20 minutes. Strawberry jam, peach jam, blueberry jam, or any other fruit jam you like.
Bacon JamIf bacon makes everything taste better, then bacon jam makes it taste AMAZING! Whether you serve it on burgers or with a cheese plate, this jam will take your party to the next level.
Tomato JamEver made tomato jam?! With farmers' markets and gardens overflowing with ripe tomatoes, now's the time! This chunky, jammy spread is a great addition to sandwiches or burgers, or spread it on crostini for an appetizer!
Plum Conserve JamPlum Conserve Jam! made with tart plums and pluots, orange slices, raisins and chopped walnuts.


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Chronologically speaking, this particular post should have come after the post on my UK visit which I have been planning to write since last one year. The reason is of course my laziness. But then I am tired of procrastinations and stale ideas so writing this out now.
This is my second visit to Europe and first one to The Continent. The Netherlands is a lovely country. I guess so is most of the Europe. And the Dutch are very friendly people. The best part is most of them speak English and they speak with a neutral accent unlike the crazy accents of British or American English. So, their English is as incorrect and as neutral as ours. This is especially important for a Hindustani guy like me who even after working for 4 years in this industry has trouble in understanding the way the goras pronounce their 'a's and 'o's. Coming to accents, last Friday I was having a discussion on accents with a British lady from my client's side and here's what she had to say about British accent. Many Brits have difficulty in understanding the English spoken by Indians because you Indians speak very correct English while we have combined an awful number of slangs and connotations in our language such that the end result is what we speak is no longer English. Well, I was, to put it mildly, surprised.
Now coming to the topic of the post.
When we desi guys hear of The Netherlands, the first thing which comes to our mind is of course Sab Kuch Legal Hai as if we are the most law abiding Indians born after Gandhi. As expected, before leaving, my buddies gave a lot of back slapping to me with the usual cheers of 'Kuch Kar Ke Aana'.
The problem this time is, unlike The UK visit last year, I am completely alone. There's absolutely no one to give company for weekend outings or drink beer with on weekday evenings. So this time its going to be all strangers clicking yours truly's solo photographs unlike the group photographs of 'Desi IT Guys' from The UK days.
Last Saturday was my date with Amsterdam. As expected, I enjoyed the whole day and Amsterdam all alone, armed with a camera and a map. What was most reassuring was that I could see more tourists than locals. Every third person had a camera and a map in hand. And most of them were solitary tourists. One thing to keep in mind in Amsterdam or rather whole of The Netherlands is that the cyclists rule. In fact, it is said that Amsterdam's cycle population is equal to or more than its human population which is close to 700,000. And every year close to 100,000 cycles are stolen in Amsterdam alone. So, even the ricketiest cycle is secured with a good lock. Every road has a separate path for cyclists, which runs in between the motor way and pedestrian way and cyclists have to follow all the traffic rules. Cyclists generally don't give a damn to pedestrians and cycle pretty fast as if everybody is practicing for Tour De France. I have actually seen a cyclist hitting a small boy just when the boy had ventured into cyclists path by mistake.
I took a canal bus (essentially a boat) ride much like the Hop-On Hop-Off bus ride of London. Before doing my usual research on the country (before coming here), I didn't know that Amsterdam is virtually a city built on canals. I used to think that Venice is probably the only city with such a unique distinction. Well, Amsterdam is full of canals and consequently bridges some of which are of very low height (The city of 100 canals and 1000 beaches). The central waterway is of course River Amstel from which the city derives its name and most of the canals are not natural. These canals came up with the phenomenal expansion of the city in 17th Century. There are 3,500+ Houseboats and municipality has put a moratorium on building of fresh houseboats. Well, the factual gyan in this post is not a copy paste from Wikipedia. I heard this on board the boat.
Then of course, the visits to Anne Frank's House and Van Gogh Museum were a part of my itinerary. 'The Dairy of Anne Frank' was one of the first works of non-fiction that I had read. As expected, the visit to Anne Frank's house was very moving. The place houses the attic where Anne and her family hid from the Nazis for close to 2 years.
But then again my mind started drawing parallels with India.
World War II was, without doubt, one of the most traumatic events of Europe's long history but still they have preserved their history so well and so thoughtfully. There were German visitors as well. But nobody says that showcasing how Jews were persecuted by Nazis hurts the feelings of a particular community. It's like it was a traumatic chapter which we all want to leave behind but that doesn't mean that we push the uncomfortable truths of our past under the carpet. Their perspective is something like this – Let this be a constant reminder of what the tyranny of one man coupled with apathy and indifference of many reasonable men can lead to.
Compare that with India. We had (and continue to have) our share of tyrant rulers, gross human rights violation, ethnic cleansing etc. but how much of it is well documented, how much of that history has been preserved for posterity. Take Partition for example, it has left an indelible scar on the lives of people impacted by it. But for people of my generation it was something which happened long back and has nothing to do with us anymore. Why should it be that way? Our present is inextricably linked with our past. Agreed that people want to move on but shouldn't we preserve the past, however uncomfortable that may be, as a lesson for the future generations, if not anything else? I guess the debate is probably too controversial. Of course, there is a plethora of books on Partition and its consequences. Again most of them have been written by Westerners with a third person's point of view.
I came across a very thoughtful statement by Otto Frank, Anne's father and the only member of the family who survived the war – 'You cannot build the future without understanding the past'.
Coming back to my visit, I visited Van Gogh Museum in my second visit to Amsterdam. Amsterdam, as the rest of Europe, has museums at almost every kilometer. But the not-so-good thing about Amsterdam is the entry to most of its museums is not free, unlike the museums of London. The entry to London's British Museum and Imperial War Museum are free, an added bonus for a history buff like me. But let's keep those visits for another post.
Although, I am not an art enthusiast and understand hardly anything about art and its nuances, I wanted to see the original of Van Gogh's 'self portrait with bandaged ear'. But apparently, it is with some private collector. The museum has around 200 of Van Gogh's 900 paintings, most of them oil on canvasses. It houses some of the famous works of the artist like 'The Potato Eaters', 'The Sunflowers' and 'Crows in the wheat field' (considered by many as the artist's last work). Vincent Van Gogh was one of the most prolific painters in terms of sheer output. He finished 900 paintings in a span of just 10 years before committing suicide at the age of 39.
So, I guess Amsterdam is much more than canals and the famed red light district. Undoubtedly, it is one of the loveliest cities of the world. And if one wants to see how a liberal society thrives and functions, The Netherlands is the place to visit. I hope that Muthalik and company read blogs.
3 October 2009
My First Attempt at a Travelogoue
Chronologically speaking, this particular post should have come after the post on my UK visit which I have been planning to write since last one year. The reason is of course my laziness. But then I am tired of procrastinations and stale ideas so writing this out now.


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My Wild Love
Dario and Paul struck cycling gold when they found 32 unridden or re-conditioned Columbus SLX frames while exploring bike shops in Treviso, Italy. What do you do when faced with such a bounty? Well, Dario and Paul started My Wild Love to re-paint these "nude godesses" and find new owners for them. It's quite a story.
Paul was good enough to answer some questions for me about the amazing project.
My Wild Love is two people: Dario and Paul (me). Dario is Italian, by way of South Africa. I'm Dutch, by way of Australia. Really, we're just two simple boys from the South trying to make good in Europe. We're both cyclists from way back. I bring a mechanical background, having volunteered a lot in cycle co-ops in Australia and the Netherlands. Dario brings a feel for Italian flair, with outspoken design coursing through his steely, art-director veins. We both love road cycling and touring, preferably on vintage steel. We've always done our own thing as far as cycling concerned and we're more about grooving on the ride than joining the club. Unless it's our club, then we're 100% signed up, and at least 80% present on at least 60% of all rides.
Dario was living in Treviso at the time. I would often fly down to see him there and we'd cruise around visiting frame builders and bike shops. Half the time we'd find empty buildings where bikes were once built, other times we'd find awesome old bike people that loved to chew the fat. Treviso used to be a real steel-bike capital, with loads of hand built bikes coming out of the region. The most well known today is Pinarello. But there used to be heaps more. The cycling culture is still rich, though. Your average whip on the streets of Treviso is old-school steel with chrome accents and a single speed. They're ridden by everyone from kids to grandmas.
Back in the Summer of 2015, we paid a visit to a local bike shop named San Marco. They used to have their own team in the 80s and were at the time considered to be one of the local big boys. Well, times change and things are now a little slower at San Marco. We headed out the back and couldn't believe what we saw hanging from the roof - 32 sexy-as-hell steel road frames, unpainted and chromed; nude goddesses calling to us from the rafters. They looked too good to be true. The shop owner was proud to tell us that they were old SLX frames that were either new or reconditioned. They also had SLX tubing lying around, but that's another story.
We slept on it for a few nights, but couldn't get them out of our heads. So we went back and loaded up the back of Dario's Seat Punto with every last one of them.
The exact details are hard to come by. They were built by San Marco in the mid 80s for their team. The exact builder we haven't been able to trace, but each frame is stamped 'AR'.
The tubing is also a little bit of a mystery. San Marco swears that each frame is Columbus SLX. But not every one has the trademark swirl in the seat tube, which we always thought was the defining feature of SLX. We've asked a couple of frame builders that now work with us - and who were building with SLX in the 80s - and they were of the opinion that SLX didn't have the twisted butting through its entire life cycle. This was news to us. And certainly isn't on the Internet. So, all we can say for sure is that some frames are definitely SLX and others are SL or SLX.
Another unique trait of these frames is internal reinforcements in the seat tube. They have little internal bridges that give lateral stiffness, with two in each frame. It's a hidden detail that you only feel in the ride. Most of the lugs and BBs are Cinelli and the drops are generally Campagnolo. All of them are chromed front and back, some are chromed all the way through.
With steel, rust is always a potential issue, but thankfully these frames were stored really well and kept up away from moisture. The main tubes are clean and rust free, with only a little surface oxidation. Some of the stays and forks have a few trapped particles, but nothing to write home about. Each frame has been checked (and realigned) by a local builder and given the double thumbs up for quality and workmanship.
Interestingly, in the process of building new frames, we've tracked down the painter San Marco originally used and the pantographer. Our current painter has the steel masks originally used by San Marco. He inherited them with his spray shop. And our pantographer is the guy that originally pantographed the San Marco frames. Both are the last in the their field in Treviso. And both do amazing work.
Once we'd discovered the frames, we knew we had to finish them. We could take the traditional route and paint them up as San Marco of Treviso frames. But, that seemed too easy and lacked creativity. We wanted to make something that was shocking and extravagant, but still timeless and jaw-droppingly beautiful. We wanted to make people feel something strong when they looked at the frames, be that love or hate. We figured if we couldn't get some real hate, we would't get any real love.
The Grado frames pictured here are one of the first three colorways we've released. Combining metallic black with shiny green and pop yellow, they're part classic, part in-your-face attitude. The yellow accents are applied with brush and masks to create extra texture and give a bit of a punk, rough-and-tumble feel. Then it's all wrapped up in clear coat for a glossy, long-lasting finish. Our other frames are entirely sprayed, so these are the only ones that use this technique.
Because the frames are in such a limited quantity, we decided to paint them in small batches of five. To our minds, this pays tribute to their limited edition status. Deciding how to paint them has been a lot of fun. We've honoured the time-old tradition of unseemly amounts of chrome on the front and rear forks. But then we've filled the bodies of the frames with bold stripes and loud colours. They're the kind of designs that we want to ride ourselves.
Swing by www.mywild.love and check out the listing of frames. If you see something in your size, shoot us a mail to reserve it. We'll ship anywhere, even Australia.
We can't imagine stopping anytime soon, so we've started building new frames. In the coming few months, you'll be able to order new, lugged frames off the peg, built with classic Columbus tubing. We're also busy with our first custom orders in modern, oversized Columbus tubing. We're finishing up a tig-welded adventure frame with couplers for a client in the UK. And are now building a fillet-brazed CX frame for a racer in Amsterdam. Both use ENVE forks and are built to take loads of rubber. True to our first frames, they'll stand out from the crowd with unapologetic graphics and a rock-and-roll feel.
For all our new work, we're staying true to our Trevisian roots, and are working exclusively with local artisans. We're working with three builders, all of which have have more than 30 years of experience each. And are from the generation of builders that started in the 80s. Their work is truly amazing. And they're super-nice, humble guys to work with. Our paint is also sprayed locally by a very talented husband and wife duo. They've been at it for almost as long as our builders, and when they're not spraying, they're racing crits or winning prizes at bike shows. Likewise our pantographer has also been working in his field for thirty or more years. And to our sheer delight, is still etching with original pantograph machines from the 50s. I think he's etched logos into lugs for just about every Italian bike brand that has ever existed.
We're incredibly lucky to have tracked them all down and to have them working with us. They're the last of Treviso's bicycle artisans and they're an endangered species. We hope that through My Wild Love, we can help to keep their art alive in Treviso, long into the future.
Check out the full gallery of pictures
What do you think of the My Wild Love Project? Would you snap up one of these frames? Let us know in the comments below.


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Smart Living
We live in a world of Apps. Apps can simplify and stimulate how we exist – controlling everything from lighting, sound, curtains and blinds to security, heating and cooling systems.
At Roak, our experienced team will offer smart solutions that reflect your individual needs and lifestyle. We will also focus on future-proofing the infrastructure and systems, so that they can incorporate new technologies as they emerge and evolve. By forward planning in this way, your investment is maximised – new technologies can easily be introduced, without the need to reinstate new infrastructure and services.


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26 August 2014
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LASTLOOK Team
Tags: 5 Questions, Fashion, New York City
For our 5 Questions series, we ask creative professionals five questions about the nature of creation and collaboration. This week we spoke with fashion designer Susan Hengst, owner of Hengstboutique in Manhattan's East Village, and the designer for her own label, HengstNYC.
© 2019
Maag Dretti, Inc. All rights reserved.


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The hiatus is over! We're back with a brand new episode, and we've got a nice stack of them up our sleeves for the coming weeks. This week we're discussing the following chapter from A Clash of Kings:
# 55 - Catelyn VII
# 56 - Theon V
Catelyn's chapter is rough, with her having just learned of Bran and Rickon's (fake) deaths. We try to not to be too judgy as we evaluate her decision to free Jaime Lannister.
In Theon's chapter, Asha comes to rescue his dumb ass, but he very, very stupidly declines her offer. What follows is a prescient, psychedelic dream that tells of horrors both past and future. We have a fun time breaking it down, and while we fucking hate Theon, we can't help but feel a little badly about what shall soon befall him.
You can download or listen to the episode here, on iTunes, or Stitcher, or your podcast app of choice.


text: January 29, 2016 Samantha Smith Shotgun Floral Studio Does Not Disappoint January 29, 2016 Samantha Smith There is nothing we love more than talented and creative vendors!Last week we visited Shotgun Floral Studio to see a mock-up they had prepared for us for an upcoming ocean-themed party. We had asked them to create arrangements playing off the theme of the Great Barrier Reef and the deep sea.They nailed it with these colors and textures, everything from the vases to the materials in the arrangements. What they came up with could not be more spot on! These floral arrangements are the perfect accents to bring our ocean theme from an idea to a reality! Stay tuned to see the final product...Best,Michelle Samantha Smith


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Some properties of sodium fluoride include its molar mass of 41.98 grams per mole, density of 2.55 grams per cubic centimeter, melting point of 1,819 degrees Fahrenheit and boiling point of 3,099 degrees Fahrenheit. Physical properties of sodium fluoride include its appearance as a green or white solid.
Sodium fluoride is a compound containing one atom of sodium, which is positively charged, and one atom of fluorine, which is negatively charged. It is represented by the chemical formula of NaF. It is an inorganic compound and is soluble in water. It is considered a salt. Structurally, a molecule of sodium fluoride is octahedral in shape, while its crystal structure is cubic. Sodium fluoride is not flammable. It can be created through a reaction of hydrofluoric acid and sodium hydroxide. Medical properties of sodium fluoride include its ability to strengthen teeth by increasing resistance to bacteria and acids that can cause tooth decay. Due to these properties, sodium fluoride may be used to fluoridate drinking water. Sodium fluoride is lethal to humans in high doses, and is classified by the Dangerous Substances Directive as both toxic and an irritant. Other applications for the compound include use as a cleaning agent, an insecticide and an enzyme inhibitor. It is also used to treat osteoporosis.


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Is there demand for on-demand learning?
In a recent role leading a design team it was one of my responsibilities to ensure the team was equipped with the skills required to rollout design assets.
I went to a training course to up-skill and scope out the course for the rest of my team — sitting there I felt like I knew 40% of the course, 20% was already superseded by new technology about 30% was content that I didn't know but didn't answer my questions leaving only about 10% of content that I could really see being useful in the future.
I don't want to sit in a class room and learn things that I might use, or more to the point, probably won't use and I certainly didn't want to waste my teams time sending them to a few full days of being lectured.
It got me thinking about the way that we train and the way I actually learn. Dr. Neil Fleming would call me a Kinaesthetic learner who learns by doing (Know your learning style)and I would take that one step further to say that I not only learn by doing but I need to being doing something useful to my immediate circumstance. E.g. I could learn to knit by doing it but I don't think I would retain it unless knitting was immediately useful to my situation (seriously unlikely).
By immediate situation I'm talking
• Code that has an error just before deadline?
• Layers in photoshop not working as expected?
• Implementing poor workarounds late at night for work due tomorrow
We've all been there.
I want to have someone (some magical support person) to call at 1 minute to the deadline when something breaks, I want someone to confirm that specs when provided contradicting information
I want on-demand learning. Don't get me wrong, I don't want it for free — I want it to be quality, someone I can call for Photoshop. Someone else for something else. Someone different for different services — experts on tap.
This need is met, to a degree with services like Lynda.com that do an excellent job of outlining course content down to the minute so that you can select what you would like to learn and skip what you know.
Maybe what I'm really after is actually on-demand troubleshooting. It's ongoing, coaching on the job — not just a one off training day.
To paraphrase from Suzanne Robert for IBM who wrote an excellent paper about blended learning for todays workforce.
In order to build a training program that suits today's learner, we first have to understand their characteristics.What do they value most in their work climate? How do they approach work and life? What are their preferences?
Expert analysts, considering factors such as the social and technological state of their world, have written about the characteristics of Generation X and the Millennial Generation. Their analysis reveals a new set of workforce values that includes:
• Relevant development – Can-do-go-getters who seek out knowledge
• Rich experiences – There is an expectation that learning is stimulating
• Flexibility — Expert multi-taskers eager to fit learning into their busy lifestyle
• Community — eagar to seek opinions and support from cross-cultural, social and geographic points of view
• Technology — a built-in acceptance and understanding of new technologies
• Instant results – They are driving the on-demand part of learning.
In so many sections of Millennial and Gen Y's lives they have instant access to information and products that the areas that haven't kept up, even in such a fast paced economy feel like they are badly lagging.
Maybe there won't ever be an on-demand trouble shooting service in the 'unicorn' style that I would like but as the amount of information at out finger tips explodes at an alarming rate, should learning be focused on both, how to search for skills and how to utilise this wealth of information to create new ideas, concepts and thoughts.
The days of companies producing a piece of software or product, then having third parties learn the technology, then develop a course, market the course and have people attend the course are numbered. Teams that are up to date are using the software on release, learning as they go and those of us with the resilience to keep up will be will be the winners.
.. because, the moment you have just got your head around one new software, the next is already being released and it's that drive to keep learning that will be one of the most employable skills.
If you have an on-demand style learning service that you would recommend I am keen to hear about it and any success that you've had with it.


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Popular to baby carrier toy of Good Quality and at Affordable Prices You can Buy on AliExpress.
We believe in helping you find the product that is right for you. AliExpress carries wide variety of products, so you can find just what you're looking for – and maybe something you never even imagined along the way. If you are interested in to baby carrier toy, AliExpress has found 5 related results, so you can compare and shop! Try finding the one that is right for you by choosing the price range, brand, or specifications that meet your needs.
Looking for something more? AliExpress carries many to baby carrier toy related products, including الطفل روضة للأطفال , لينة عضاضة , التبعي الطفل , دمية يد , rattl , دمية الزي , الناقل لعبة , طفل هدية الوليد , دمية تخزين. Quality service and professional assistance is provided when you shop with AliExpress, so don't wait to take advantage of our prices on these and other items!


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Bombshell Blowout Weekend! On Site Yard Sale!
Just for our fans - Now until midnight Sunday use coupon code cc0827 for 40% off selected items! Tons of markdowns from all categories: Dresses, shoes, jewelry, tees, accessories, lingerie, and more. This code will apply to items on the page that are already marked down for even deeper discounts!
The discount will be applied when you use the code upon checkout. If the item is already on sale, the code will give you another 40% off!
Here's just a sampling so be sure to check out ALL the Bombshell Blowout items here!
"Moon Bunny" Sailor Girl Cardigan Sweater from Lucky 13
Shiny Black Jelly Flats
Vintage-Style Cylindrical Top Handle Lucite Purse in Gold
Retro Grosgrain Ribbon Hair Bow Set in Navy Blue
Greta Dress in Navy from Bettie Page Clothing
Act fast - quantities and sizes are extremely limited! These items will either be reverting back to their original pricing or (most likely) be gone for good after this weekend. We need the room as we bring in new, exciting stuff! Use coupon code cc0827 to save 40% off on anything on this page!
Happy Friday!
xo Vanessa
Team Pinup
Place your order before 10am PST and it ships the same business day. All orders over $150 will receive automatic free U.S. FedEx ground shipping!


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sir the labelShop now
nikkou (pronounced neek - ko) from the japanese translation meaning sunlight. inspired by the lifestyle and fashion of the 70's and 80's where life was carefree, relaxed and slow. nikkou is a purveyor of beautifully designed and thoughtfully curated fashion and objects for woman, child and home. we represent designers and creators who we believe to have an independent and thoughtful sense of beauty and design.


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The Bank of Namibia just put out a great explainer on monetary policy that anybody can understand.
On Wednesday, the Southern African country's central bank raised its benchmark repo rate 0.25% to 6.50%.
And its biggest concern explains exactly why central banks raise rates.
Here's the key portion of the statement:
The decision was taken to contain high growth in household credit particularly that of installment credit. The MPC [Monetary Policy Committee] noted that a large portion of these loans continue to be primarily used to finance unproductive imported luxury goods, hence putting additional pressure on the international reserves of the country. With this increase in the Repo rate, the expectation is that the deposit-taking institutions will also increase deposit rates by the same margin, thereby encouraging saving.
Basically, people are taking out too many loans, too often, to buy too many things they don't need.
This is exactly what central banks don't want.
What central banks want is for their economies to work. They want people employed, inflation under control, and money moving through the economy with appropriate ease.
Right now, the US Federal Reserve is keeping interest rates pegged near 0% in an effort to stoke economic activity.
Instead, it seems like Namibia has folks borrowing money to buy unproductive assets which the bank thinks pose a risk to economic stability. And so to combat this, the central bank wants to "tighten the screws," so to speak, on financial conditions.
And to do this, Namibia's central bank raised interest rates by 25 basis points, or 0.25%.
Another issue facing Namibia is that a lot of these loans are not being paid for in Namibian dollars. The central bank doesn't specify which foreign currencies, but it notes that its reserves are still sufficient to defend the current exchange rates with the US dollar and the South African rand.
If the bank's reserves get depleted, the central bank will lose the arsenal it needs to defend the local currency if it starts to weaken.
However, the bank's overall assessment of the economy was positive — inflation is low and stable thanks to cheaper oil prices. It seems, then, that with low prices but borrowing costs that are encouraging excessive loan taking, what the Bank of Namibia wants to avoid is a credit crisis.


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Facility Assessment
Successful building projects involve a thorough process of information gathering in which user needs, budgets, and project goals are documented. Renovations require a critical fourth item: the review of existing conditions. The staff of Linea 5, Inc. gathers and organizes information from original construction documents, subsequent renovations, and onsite inventories. Regulations are checked to determine development opportunities as well as current code violations. All of this information is gathered, compiled in written, tabular, and photographic form to develop an analytical tool that can be used to evaluate properties for justification of capital expense in the funding process, and as a basis for the design process. These are the critical steps:
- Compile existing documentation
- Field evaluations and research
- Systems evaluation for condition, capacity, and expected life span.,
- Code and regulation review
- Accommodation studies to identify optimal building use
- Capital expense justification


text: Orange and purple are a bold, unusual color combination that just happens to be one of my favorites. I love the mix for fall especially when balanced, so other colors can be used as an accent. In this case I chose both bright and soft pinks which provides a fun pop. Neutrals always pair well whether you choose classic camel, ivory, grey, black, or leopard.


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These are the most common questions our customers have asked us!
We have multiple locations and we will add new locations in time. When you're ordering a VPS, you can choose the location where it will be. Our current locations are: Germany, France, Netherlands, United Kingdom
No, we do not offer dedicated servers at this time.
Our company is incorporated in the Republic of Cyprus.
We do not offer free or trial options for our products.
In accordance with our SLA, we have an uptime guarantee of 99.98%. The details regarding the uptime guarantee can be found in our Terms of Service
Yes, it can be done from the server's page. Please keep in mind that mass-mailing is prohibited!
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Yes, we offer both manual and automated backups for free. The maximum number of backups is 2 per VPS.
3 times a week, at various intervals, a new backup is created for your VPS. It will replace your oldest backup, be it manual or automated.
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No, the software automatically upgrades your current VPS with more RAM, CPU, DISK etc. The VPS will be rebooted, but you won't need to do anything else for your site to work.
Credit Cards, PayPal, Bank Transfers, Bitcoin, Various Cryptocurrencies and many local payment methods.
We offer refunds for up to 3 days since the VPS has been paid. The refunds can take up to 14 days to be issued. If the payment method does not support refunds, the refund will be done as account credit.
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The services are suspended 3 days after the due date. They wiped from our system after 7 more days.
No, the backups and the VPS has been wiped from our servers when the service got cancelled.
You can change the billing term at any time provided all the invoices for that service are paid. Downgrading the billing term can only be done in the last 30 days of the current billing term.
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You should contact the application vendor. We do not offer any kind of support for other applications.
During the working hours, the average response time is 30 Minutes.
No, we do not permit our VPS services to be used for any kind of mass-mailing, be it newsletters or anything else. It shall be considered SPAM and the services terminated.
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Yes, and we recommend OpenVPN.
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No, only 1 account per entity is permitted.
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Keeping the CPU at 100% for over 30 minutes shall lead to cpu throttling.
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Unfortunately, downgrading is not possible due to limitations in the virtualization technology. If you no longer need such a powerful VPS, you can order a smaller one and manually transfer your data.
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The simple, rustic, deliciousness that is hummus.
This version takes the dish right down to basics to celebrate the earthiness of the beans, fruity notes of good quality olive oil (sources*), and a savory finish that makes it satisfying no matter what time of day you choose to eat it.
*affiliate link
You'll notice that this recipe uses canned beans. Gasp! Crash! The horror! I chose to include this version for those days where you need good food fast that requires little effort.
Buying dried organic beans and properly preparing them is definitely the preferred method for optimal digestibility, but I promise you that canned beans are less damaging to your body and psyche than running through the local drive-thru.
For those of you with a more sophisticated palate like my 4 year old, I have also included a Kalamata olive version. It's a new favorite at my house.
For the adults, we drizzle a spicy pepper infused oil over the top. Perfection.
- 1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, organic and BPA-free
- 1/4 cup good quality organic olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon unrefined salt
- Kalamata olive version: 30 kalamata olives
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor.
- Blend on low until desired consistency is reached.
- Spoon into bowl and drizzle with additional olive oil to serve.
Serve with crisp veggies (some suggestions: steamed or raw carrots, tri-colored peppers, broccoli and cauliflower, endive) or spread on grilled meats for a quick and satisfying grain-free meal.


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I finally got the toy that's been long on my list, the Apple pencil! (Very late in the game, I know.) I love how precise it is compared to any other stylus that I had and how seamless it works with the Procreate app. Here are some drawings/paintings(?) to break it in.
Creating like a pro?
in 2017, Character Design


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I really really want to use Performancing, but it never works/
I love the little popup blog posting thing from Performancing... but
3/4 of the time I click Publish, it doesn't do anything.... I click and
I click and I click... nada. Plus, I really dislike forums that
require me to login. I don't want to register to be able to get tech
Click click click. Dammit. Select. Copy. Typepad. Login. Paste. Publish. *smacks head*


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Showing all 49 results
3D Hydro 2LThe all-new 3D Hydro Formed Reservoir is the first hydration system that performs like a soft bladder, but fills, cleans and dries like a water bottle. Among other convenience-enhancing proprietary technologies, it features a soft-molded, self-supporting 3D design that prevents contact between the top and bottom layers, dramatically improving drying ...$33.95 add to cart
3D Hydro 3LOur all-new 3D Hydro Formed Reservoir is the first hydration system that performs like a soft bladder, but fills, cleans and dries like a water bottle. Among other convenience-enhancing proprietary technologies, it features a soft-molded, self-supporting 3D design that prevents contact between the top and bottom layers, dramatically improving drying ...$35.95 add to cart
Alpaca 45The Alpaca 45 is the overnight duffel with more brawn per ounce than any other. Small enough for overhead air travel, it makes a great carry-on addition to your expedition luggage. Backpack straps, an internal accessory compartment, and an ID window in the end pocket add convenience for trips both ...$115.95 add to cart
Alpaca 60As burly as they come, the Alpaca 60 fits the mid-sized duffel bill and then some. Built to endure hurricane-force abuse, this 60-liter bag is the mobile ski gear closet and weekend climbing trip companion you've always wanted. Backpack straps make the approach easy, whether you're on dusty single track ...
Alpaca 90Slightly less massive than its 120-L brother, the Alpaca 90 is nevertheless no slouch of a hauler. A ton of volume and super-tough construction mean it'll take any load and any beating you can dish out. An internal divided mesh pocket organizes accessories for fast access, and removable backpack straps ...
Amasa 10Sized for anything from an afternoon loop to a 20-mile ridgeline ride, the Amasa 10 is as versatile as a 5-inch-travel frame. Capable of supporting all-day rides, but compressible and compact enough for your after-work loop, the Amasa gives you organization for every spare and tool, plus space left over ...$114.95 add to cart
Amasa 14Sling the Amasa 14 over your shoulders and you can tackle all 26 miles of the McKenzie River Trail with confidence, knowing you're equipped for anything the day throws your way. With space for layers, lunch, spare tubes, three liters of water and a small bike shop's worth of tools, ...
Amasa 6You ride to win whether you're racing or not, and you carry only what you need to finish strong. The Amasa 6 packs a mini-pump, patch kit, tube, multi-tool, water, your secret-recipe granola bars, and even a superlight windbreaker just in case. It rides like a part of you thanks ...$99.95 add to cart
Amber 28Looking for a true technical daypack? The Amber 28 has the compact size and profile you want, with the support, features, and custom fit of TrailSpan technology to help you go further, faster, and with less fatigue. Load-bearing suspension and an adjustable, ventilated backpanel give you big-pack support in technical ...
Amber 44Ideal for overnights, the Amber 44 can be the bag you live out of as well as the pack you carry during the day. Large enough to carry all your gear for a weekend in the woods or a week crashed on your best friend's couch, the Amber 44 is ...$159.99 add to cart
Amber 60Whether exploring a slot canyon on your long weekend or navigating the twisting alleys of Istanbul on your semester abroad, the Amber 60 carries all your gear without looking or feeling cumbersome. Thanks to a streamlined profile and adjustable TrailFlex suspension, you get the load support you need, and a ...
Amber 70The Amber 70 provides the capacity, support, and customizable TrailFlex suspension fit needed for mega-treks of all types, whether on mountain trails or across continents. The top-loading design gives you an easy packing experience when you need to grab everything and get out. The adjustable, ventilated TrailFlex backpanel improves airflow ...$199.95 add to cart
Baltoro 65LSupreme comfort and advanced performance make the Baltoro 65 ideal for weekend warriors and demanding users alike. This backpack's secret sauce combines trail-dominating Response A3 suspension technology with 65 liters of capacity, giving it dynamic load balancing in tough terrain plus a trim design that feels perfectly sized for long ...$299.95 add to cart
Baltoro 75LAppalachian, Pacific Crest, Continental Divide, Great Himalayan, Machu Picchu, Camino de Santiago … you can hike them all. The Baltoro 75 offers massive capacity and the constantly adapting comfort of Response A3 suspension, allowing you to tackle the longest self-supported trips on your list. With enough room for any expedition ...$319.95 add to cart
Baltoro 85LAppalachian, Pacific Crest, Continental Divide, Great Himalayan, Machu Picchu, Camino de Santiago … you can hike them all. The Baltoro 85 offers massive capacity and the constantly adapting comfort of Response A3 suspension, allowing you to tackle the longest self-supported trips on your list. With enough room for any expedition ...$349.95 add to cart
Citro 20The Citro 20 is tailor-made for afternoon hikes and swimming-hole dashes, where the goal is to travel fast and light with only the essentials. Its Vaporspan ventilated backpanel and integrated hydration mean this compact 20-liter bag can double as a biking or running bag in a pinch. • VAPORSPAN VENTILATION ...$119.95 add to cart
Citro 25Hot summer days demand a cool and quick approach. The Citro 25 employs wicking fabrics and Vaporspan ventilated suspension to keep your internal engine from overheating, plus an integrated 3D Hydro reservoir and innovative trail storage features for maximum mile-eating efficiency. • VAPORSPAN VENTILATION | system uses unique leaf-spring lower ...
Citro 30Study the trail map, get your gear straight, pack up the Citro 30 and bag the sneaky peak next door to your local tourist-trap hike. The Citro 30 hauls gear, food, and water, with ample room left over for layering as you gain altitude. Vaporspan free-flowing ventilation maintains your cool ...
Deva 60LThe Deva 60's slim profile and adaptive, women's-specific Response A3W Suspension keep you moving in tight, technical terrain, making it the choice women's backpack for gear-intensive overnights in the high alpine or longer stays with a minimalist philosophy. This mid-sized women's backpacking pack also fits the bill perfectly on warm ...$299.95 add to cart
Deva 70LThis extraordinarily capable women's backpacking pack is a high-performance hiker's dream, thanks to its generous 70-liter capacity and dynamically adaptive, women's-specific Response A3W Suspension. From week-long winter outings to transcontinental treks, this high-volume women's backpack eats up mile after mile of technical, demanding terrain with confidence. •Vented, formed back panel ...$319.95 add to cart
Deva 80LGregorys largest all-season women's backpacking pack puts capacity worries to rest, no matter how intimidating your itinerary. Thanks to women's-specific Response A3W Suspension, the Deva 80 hauls loads of up to 65 pounds (29.5kg) over incredible distances and challenging terrain in total comfort, whether that means hiking the Pacific Crest ...$349.95 add to cart
Drift 10You think a four-hour ride is just a warm-up and you're not afraid to spend all day in the saddle. You also know that getting caught 15 miles out without spare tubes or a windbreaker can be a major hassle. The Drift 10 is your pack: light and nimble enough ...$114.95 add to cart
Drift 14The largest Drift pack in the series was born to tackle all-day epics like Moab's Whole Enchilada trail, where you can start riding in a LaSalle snow squall at 11,000 feet, then hit 75 degrees and sunny at the Colorado River finish. Sized for packable layers, multiple spares, food, and ...
Drift 6You're a minimalist—from your single speed setup to your gear philosophy—and you ride packless when you can. But there are limits to what you can stuff in your pockets, and that's why the Drift 6 is your pack. Its minimal weight, low profile, and customizable Shift RS suspension help it ...$99.95 add to cart
Juno 20You never thought owning a herding dog would mean so many calories burned on your end of the leash, but at least you can hire the Juno 20 to help out. The smallest Vaporspan pack in the series is the light and airy, trail-ready companion you'll depend on for those ...$119.95 add to cart
Juno 25The Juno 25 is big enough to stash your gear for full-day trail loops, and its ventilated Vaporspan back panel means you'll keep your cool when others overheat. An integrated 3D Hydro reservoir provides critical hydration without sloshing or shifting inside the pack, and accessory stash options give you convenient ...
Juno 30The Juno 30 brings the space and comfort to tackle summer 14ers and long-distance day hikes with ease, and its 3D Hydro reservoir lets you keep the pace without stopping to hydrate. The largest Juno pack in the series is ideal for all-day adventures in variable terrain and conditions, thanks ...
Maven 35Packing the sink on your next dayhike will make the Maven 35 happy, because it loves to haul a little extra gear in its 35-liter main compartment. Lightweight, robust Aerolon suspension supports the load without adding to it, while tons of features never let on that this pack barely tips ...
Maven 45When it's time to escape from the crowds, the sleek, overnight-ready Maven 45 makes short work of long approaches to distant campsites that rarely see any visitors. Convenient storage options keep you happy on the trail, and Aerolon ventilated suspension keeps you cool as it supports the load. • AEROLON ...
Maven 55LA heavy pack saps your energy and steals the fun out of long weekends in the backcountry. But when you're packing up camp and hitting the trail in the morning, slinging the Maven 55 over your shoulders is a totally new—and excellent—experience, thanks to its lightweight design, extensive feature list, ...$229.95 add to cart
Maven 65LA multi-day excursion in the mountains demands a light, nimble pack with plenty of support—not always an easy combination to find. Thanks to the Maven 65 and its lightweight Aerolon suspension, you can have both the svelte pack you want and the load management you need. Light on your back, ...$249.95 add to cart
Maya 10Fitness hikers, mountain bikers, and long-distance winter trail runners will fall in love with the Maya 10, thanks to its super-sleek design and body-hugging BioSync Suspension. By offering more room than a pure hydration or biking pack, the Maya 10 becomes the versatile trail companion you always wanted. • BioSync ...$85.95 add to cart
Maya 16The Maya 16 is a smaller daypack that's ideal for shorter day hikes or lightning-quick peak ascents in mild weather. With enough room for compressible layers and fuel, plus an expanding front pocket that fits a helmet, this sleek 16-liter pack offers exactly what you need and nothing more. • ...$99.00 add to cart
Maya 22The Maya 22 carries like a daypack but rides like it's a part of you, thanks to BioSync Suspension that flexes and moves with your body. Its clean design goes from long trail days to workday commuting without breaking a sweat, and an expanding front pocket stretches to fit bulky ...$115.00 add to cart
Maya 5The Maya 5 carries essentials close at hand without disturbing your trail fitness experience. Designed to carry water, food, and an ultra-compressible wind layer or your biking gear, this 5-liter pack disappears on your body as you eat up the miles. • BioSync Suspension technology to keep the pack moving ...$69.95 add to cart
Miwok 12The Miwok 12's super-compact, body-hugging shape makes it versatile across multiple active trail disciplines, from short-distance hiking to extended trail running and mountain biking. 12 liters of capacity allow a light layer, food, and water, while a stretch outer pocket handles must-have extras. • BioSync Suspension technology to keep the ...$85.00 add to cart
Miwok 24From peak-bagging to business travel, the Miwok 24 does everything a daypack should and more. Designed for the trail, this sleek, lightweight daypack has ample storage capacity for all-day excursions, plus an expanding front pocket to keep bulkier items like a jacket or helmet. Meanwhile, interior organization and clean exterior ...$115.95 add to cart
Miwok 6The smallest in the series, the Miwok 6 is an active-pursuits hydration pack with additional storage for an ultralight wind shell, multi-tool, and energy bar. A Z-bungee lets you secure an extra layer to the outside as the sun rises higher in the sky. • BioSync Suspension technology to keep ...$69.95 add to cart
Paragon 38Put a peak in your sights and set off with the lightweight Paragon 38 on your back. At 38 liters, it has enough volume to gulp down extra layers, first aid, a bivy sack, and all the water and food you'll need, but its Aerolon suspension keeps it light and ...
Paragon 48The Paragon 48 loves those long-distance overnights, where the challenge isn't just the mileage, but the altitude, the terrain, and the conditions. Its lightweight Aerolon suspension keeps you—and your gear—balanced as you make for your next waypoint, while convenient features improve organization and provide on-trail access to essentials. •AEROLON SUSPENSION ...
Paragon 58If a weekend in the woods is on your list, don't let a heavy pack keep you lagging behind. The Paragon 58 gives you room to haul the gear you want without making sacrifices, while simultaneously shaving weight to keep you light on your feet. A lightweight 7075 aluminum chassis ...$229.95 add to cart
Paragon 68Nine times out of ten, a pack this light with this kind of capacity would be stripped of anything close to comfort or convenience. The Paragon 68 is the exception, tearing up the trail with lightweight, ventilated ease thanks to Aerolon suspension, and offering deluxe features you'd be hard-pressed to ...$249.95 add to cart
Stout 30We heard the demand for better fit and support in a daypack-sized package, and we met it with the all-new Stout 30. Sized for peak-bagging and scenic lake loops, but kitted with adjustable, ventilated TrailFlex suspension and ample trail features, the smallest Stout pack gives you the custom fit experience ...
Stout 45We heard the demand for better fit and support in a daypack-sized package, and we met it with the all-new Stout 30. Sized for peak-bagging and scenic lake loops, but kitted with adjustable, ventilated TrailFlex suspension and ample trail features, the smallest Stout pack gives you the custom fit experience ...
Stout 65At home anywhere your own two feet can take you, the Stout 65 hits the mark for capacity and profile—just big enough for a week's worth of lightweight camping gear, but not so big that it creates issues when you're hopping on a train to the hostel in the next ...
Stout 75The Stout 75 offers the capacity to support classic hikes in revered locations like Yosemite and Glacier National Park, and brings adjustable TrailFlex suspension and features to provide a custom fit experience. The top-loading design makes quick work of packing up camp, while a front stuff pocket keeps layers accessible ...$199.95 add to cart
Wander 38 (Youth)The Wander 38 is the smallest pack to utilize our adjustable VersaFit torso design, making it not only usable by all torso sizes, but useful throughout the single owner's multiple growing stages as well. It's ready for that first weekend in the woods, summer overnight, or as a large daypack ...$139.00 add to cart
Wander 50 (Youth)As first backpacks go, there are few—if any—that can match the quality and capabilities of the Wander 50. Designed with adjustable VersaFit suspension to fit ages 10 through 18, this pack nevertheless boasts the full complement lightweight load-bearing Wishbone Wire internal frame and a redesigned, extremely comfortable shoulder harness. With ...$169.00 add to cart
Wander 70 (Youth)With a full 70 liters of available capacity (in size Small/Medium), the Wander 70 meets the requirements for week-long and longer trips, and its adjustable VersaFit suspension allows it to adjust across a wide range of small-framed users. Designed for ages 10 through 18, but featured and constructed identically to ...$199.00 add to cart


text: 1 OWNER - FLORIDA CAR - CLEAN CARFAX - LOW MILAGE - 4.0L V6 - 2WD - LEATHER - LAREDO. This 6-cyl Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo shifts smooth, runs great and was recently serviced & detailed. It has super low mileage, only driven 5000 miles a year! This SUV is the one you have been looking for! Please call 239-288-7374 or stop by 8181 Mainline Parkway Fort Myers, Fl 33912. We have 2 locations with over 375 vehicles in stock that can be seen at www.lee-cars.com. We have been family owned and operated since 1968. We offer great financing with national lenders and have GUARANTEED CREDIT APPROVAL. We offer extended service contracts (warranties) on every vehicle we stock. We would love the opportunity to EARN your business.


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Thank you!
Thank you very much for your purchase of Spirit by Mia Saenz.
Spirit is a powerful transformational Energy CD. The Featured tracks are the "Inner Child", "Contentment" and the amazing "Restful Intentions" and "Grounding".
Click on the links below to download your Transformational Spirit Meditations
If you have any question please feel free to write Mia at email@example.com.
Much love,


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Preaching the Gospel, Preparing a People
Compass Check is a biblically based quarterly magazine for young people of the United Church of God, an International Association (UCGIA) aged 12-19. Our name, Compass Check, describes youth pointing their spiritual compass toward God.
The Goal of Compass Check magazine is to inspire Church youth to respond to the gospel message.
First Time Visitor?
Who Are We?
Our Beliefs
Beyond Today Television
Beyond Today Magazine
Site Search
Alternate The Dalles Site
Alternate Portland Site
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United Church of God Portland
Clackamas, Oregon 97015
Portland Area: 360-798-2921
Home Office: 513-576-9796
Pastor: email@example.com


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'Why do you stream every single day without a break?'
As with any good story, a little back story is required: Let's rewind to almost 7 years ago.
I had been working as a chemical contractor for two decades. I began as an apprentice at the age of 11. This included sealing driveways, painting, staining, epoxies, glues and acids. Anything that was dangerous, messy, or that took a steady hand, I tackled with the goal of being 'the neatest' one of all contractors in my area. Where others would go out and start a job within 5 minutes of arriving, I'd prep/tape the job for sometimes as long as 2 hours. I like to think that this attention to detail eventually crossed over into my streaming career, but at the time, while I enjoyed Justin.tv, I was nervous about stepping in myself. I was worried about the technical aspect, not, 'Could I stream,' 'Could I make people laugh,' or 'Will I get stage fright.' The main things holding me back ended up being, 'I've never used a camera online,' and, 'Do I have time to do this while working so much at my career?'
I absolutely loved the idea of playing games in front of people, but it seemed like such a pipe dream. I knew/know more than the average user when it comes to his computer, but if something truly 'breaks' I have to go to more knowledgeable friends to beg/borrow to get it fixed. That thought more than any other is what stopped me in my tracks. I had no idea about mics, cameras, OBS, alerts, hardware or green screens. So I said, "I'll look into it later."
Protip: Don't wait. If you're constantly planning and not doing, take that next step. Just do it. I've taken a 'wait and see' attitude many times in my life, and it just doesn't pay off. It has lead to nothing but being a step behind everyone else. It's been a valuable, but tough, lesson to learn.
The Game Changer
So from 2011 to the end of 2015 I watched, waited and learned. But, standing on top of wood, cement and asphalt all day long for 9 months a year for an average of 90 hours a week does horrendous damage to every part of your body that matters. Knees, neck, and back, all of them were under massive strain. Towards the end of the summer of 2015 I had terrible pain in my back that simply wouldn't go away, so I Finally caved and went to my doctor.
"You have the back of a 50 year old," he said. "It's time to either slow down, or find a new field to work in."
Five more years of labor and I'd most likely be in a wheelchair. I didn't know what to do.
There are most likely hundreds of you with similar stories. I firmly believe that I'm not a special case in any way, shape, or form. I just worked too hard, too early, and too often and, worse yet, for way too little. I was angry, hurt, and annoyed all at once. I wanted to yell at the top of my lungs about how unfair it all seemed. What could I possibly do as a broken bodied former contractor at 35 years old?
Decision Time...
It was time. I knew I had to give streaming a shot, even though I'd never done it before. I had a deadline, now. It was either adapt or die. I couldn't work myself into a truly broken state for so little. I threw out all the worries, and instead of saying to myself, 'How can I be a really good streamer,' I changed it into, 'How can I start as soon as possible.'
I had to learn, so I went to the source: other streamers. I watched streams that had a few dozen viewers. These are streamers that will, usually, talk to you in chat. I asked basic questions. I asked how hard it 'really' was and what was needed to start. It all boiled down to a mic, OBS and a game someone wanted to see on Twitch. That was honestly it.
I set a target date for my first stream, planned an extra month off work over the holidays, and started researching. What kind of streams are out there? What kind did I want mine to be? I discovered a great deal.
It wasn't long before major themes began to emerge: who did what, what worked, what didn't, what seemed to work but backfired, etc. Four major things seemed to stick out to me.
The more often your butt is in the chair, the faster you'll grow.
The more interactive you are with chat and comments, the better your community will be.
Clean(ish) streamers were very, very rare.
No one (from what I saw at that time) except Cohh Carnage was streaming every single day without a break.
I didn't have to be good at I.T. I didn't have to be great at the games. I didn't have to be young, 'hot', 'sexy,' or 'good looking.' It seemed to all boil down to consistency, and all 4 of those points have consistency at their core.
If you are consistently in the chair you'll grow.
If you consistently interact with chat you'll make your community feel more included.
If you consistently don't say the F-bomb, C-bomb or N-bomb, people that watch from work or with their kids will be able to watch.
Cohh is consistently online every day, he said openly to his chat hundreds of times, "Borrow my ideas. Use what works for you!"
So I took the parts I liked and what I thought would work for me and used them, and I came to the conclusion that to get where I wanted to be I had to stand out in a way that wasn't harmful to others. And that's probably the biggest thing I wanted to bring to this, which I hope, is my very last career change. I didn't want to bring the backstabbing, the finger pointing, the 'office politics' or simple garbage of 'other jobs' to my channel/career.
People seem to hate undo drama in their entertainment and I picked up on that quickly. So many streamers seemed to be looking at each other (back then in the early years) and they looked at the game they were playing at a certain time as 'theirs' and there was a great deal of territorial posturing that went along with it. I wanted absolutely zero part of any of that.
Launch Day
I made every mistake you could make those first 100 days. I played a game no one really played, at a time no one really watched. I didn't set up additional recording so there were no highlights for my first 75 days. But I was lucky and grew. I met others. I gave and got hosted. And I learned what worked and what didn't.
I saw very quickly that people took notice that I was on every day because my title always had '[Day #] Title' in it. There was some confusion, at first, over just what this was referring to, but eventually people settled in to realizing what I was doing and it became part of our routine to tell people what was going on.
I think it's important to say that I coupled being on everyday with 'always reading/interacting' with chat, and the response was very, very good. I told myself that every single stream was another 'chunk out of the wall' towards my goals. My goal was to within the next 5 years be in the top 1,000 streamers, while also not doing anything to hurt anyone along the way. And that last part was extremely important to me. I've seen everything you can imagine about people stepping on each other, back stabbing each other, trash talking each other, and treating each other poorly. I vowed that this time I'd do everything on my end to NOT do anything like that AND if people attacked me/used me/abused me, that I'd just cut ties and stop dealing with them. So with that in mind, I wouldn't get involved in feuds, rivalries or any such nonsense.
But then I thought, why not take it a small step further and put effort into actively helping others with their streams? I couldn't do the work for them, but I could give friendly advice (if they asked for it), tips and tricks and expect nothing in return.
The results were better than I possibly could of hoped, I had set what I thought was a realistic goal of having 50 regulars in channel at all times and 10,000 followers by the end of two years. It didn't even take nine months.
And I firmly believe much of it comes from being on every single day AND changing my viewpoint of other streamers from 'competition' to 'co-worker'. I know that sounds simplistic but it takes away so much stress and, I've said this before in channel many times, it turns Twitch into 'easy mode'.
One thing streaming every day does is gives you insight into your viewers, in particular who watches when, whether they be exclusive weekend watchers or people catching a stream from their desk on weekdays. Being aware of these things, and leaning into them by acknowledging your "weekend crew" or other subset of fans, helps you to create a stronger community identity and stronger stream.
I almost laugh at my decision to start 'every day.' I didn't really think about plans, events, trips, and how it would impact every travel decision I make. Even if you just want to go out with friends, have a vacation, go to a party or whatever, you simply must plan it out. If not, it doesn't work. The stream doesn't care that you have surprises, emergencies. Your audience wants to know that you are keeping your word and that you're there everyday. And that's the thing, one major component of being on everyday is giving your word and sticking to it, and there have been many days where I am simply exhausted, beat, sick, tired or feeling like crap, but as they say 'the show must go on'. All streamers have to go through this, really, whether they stream daily or not, the added pressure simply makes it more extreme.
To that end, it has forced me to have a better handle on my own mental health, where I might have down days or feel like garbage, I am much better at controlling it and understanding it because I stream every day. For me, that means not sharing every negative emotion or event with my audience. Each person will figure out how much and how often they wish to tell viewers about their lives, and it's good to wear your heart on your sleeve a bit, but, in my opinion, that doesn't mean it's a great idea to complain or vent to your audience. I don't think it's helpful, in my own case, to say anything negative about the channel, as an example. Whether it makes me sad, happy, mad, joyful, angry, shocked, pissed off, or whatever, I only share the good things with my channel. I worry about driving people away if I'm having/had a bad day. It only takes once to anger someone enough to have them say, 'I'm done with this place' and I know negativity in big doses almost never leads to good things. You can decide where you fall on that spectrum, for me, I keep 95% of it 'behind the green screen.'
My streaming routine is a tad extreme, but developing a firm schedule for your stream can be just as powerful as doing 'everyday.' Being on 5 or 6 days a week and only taking Sunday or the weekend to yourself can be amazing, you simply have to find what works for you. Start slow, because it's always easier to add days to your routine than to take them away. And remember that taking time off isn't a bad thing, in fact it can be a great thing for you and your stream.
Streaming daily was the right choice for me for a few reasons. I knew that if I did 5 days a week, or whatever, I would easily think it was okay to take breaks whenever things got hard, whenever things got bad or whenever I felt like it. After all, no one can control me but me right?
Coming into being a streamer I was used to working 8 months a year every single day for as much as 16 hours. I thought I could use that consistency here to grow my new dream/career in a positive fashion. But I remembered from that time, the moment December 1st hit, I would collapse into bed and sleep in for an entire week without having the alarm set whatsoever. I'd sleep till I woke up naturally, eat whatever I wanted, and heal up. Then it would take months for me to heal and prepare for the next season which would show up entirely too soon every single year. I knew that, if left to my own devices, even when transitioning to streaming, I could fall into old patterns, making decisions on the fly or working myself to the bone and then crashing.
Deciding to stream every day took the guesswork out of my head. I never think 'when will I stream?' Instead it became 'what will I stream today?" That won't work for everyone, but for me it's easy and simple. And at this stage, I like easy and simple. The clock is my boss, and it's easy to understand. We work together, every day, to make sure the stream keeps going strong.
Taking Care of Yourself
It's important that you know your limits, and that you don't push yourself past the point of good health. Just because I stream everyday, for example, doesn't mean I have to make them long streams. A half hour is okay when it's an 'off' or 'slow day' I try to make my channel have Mon to Wed be 3 or 4 hour streams, Thursday is my pick of short or long depending on if I have work I'm trying to take care of or stream work I'd like to get done. Friday to Sunday are my long streams where I try to put in a minimum of 6 hours and a max of around 14 hours per day. The point is that I can modify this on the fly and I frequently do, with the one constant is 'Everyday'. That flexibility allows me to give my own wellbeing the proper attention, while still keeping my streak going.
And this is very important, because working too hard can have a very real, and serious, impact on your overall health. The story of my friend, Geekdomo, who had a heart attack because he was streaming so much, is never far from my mind. Being aware of the risks is important and because I stream everyday I'm working on things that can hopefully mitigate the negative impacts of streaming daily. Every streamer should be aware of these risks, which include blood clots, leg swelling, and spinal compression. Make sure you take regular breaks to rest your eyes and stretch, and try to eat right, drink plenty of water, and exercise enough. All of these things have to be taken seriously.
Do your best to get a handle on your weight. I know that sounds like simple advice, and something everyone already knows to keep an eye on, but it's not just about your health. Being heavy, or out of shape, makes it harder to stream; your body is working to hold all that weight, even in the chair, working to maintain it, cool it, warm it, and feed it the energy it needs. If you feel like you could stand to be in better shape, you'll find that working towards that goal will help you when creating content. Sitting in the chair becomes easier, cold days can be fixed with extra layers, warm days don't become unbearable experiences where you have to have an AC chugging to try to cool you down. I say all of this from experience; I was 270 lbs when I started streaming, and my final 'push' to be a partner while working full time made me balloon up to 320. I've dropped 30 of the 50 lbs, which has gone a long way towards making streaming less difficult. My goal is to get back down to 240, and I'm excited to get there. Streaming is so much easier when healthy. I don't mean this to be an attack on anyone; losing weight is hard, and something almost all of us struggle with. For those than can manage, though, getting healthier will make everything else a little easier.
Thanks for taking the time to read all of this. I hope it explains why I do things the way I do. Pick the pieces that work for you, use them, improve upon them and do your own thing. We are, after all, in this together and there is one other universal truth I believe: You Sir/Ma'AM are AWESOME!


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Trapped at home due to what I am calling,The Great Snow Storm of 2010, I am coping by fantasizing about warmer weather, specifically spring gear. One of my favorite stores, Reiss did me proud with their Spring 2010 collections for their main line and 1971 (more casual, less expensive) line. The following are some of my favorite looks.
IMAGES from Reiss


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VIDEO: Surprise storm gives taste of more to come for Haiti's internally displaced
[flashvideo file=video/sequence_05.flv image=http://www.jacobkushner.com/video/sequence_05.jpg /]
PHOTO: Tent Life
The Tele Mobil company of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, films an episode of The Tent Life—a reality show based on the tent city culture of the over one million Haitians displaced by the January 12th earthquake.
The show is aired every Thursday, Friday and Saturday on large projector screens in 17 different camps around Port-Au-Prince. The project, which is funded by the U.N. mission to Haiti (MINUSTAH), aims to improve the health and safety of camp residents through public service announcements that are aired during the show.
In Latin America's baseball capital, a soccer town stands out
By Jacob Kushner
At the Viejo Jack bar in the town of Jarabacoa, the World Cup match between Brazil and the Ivory Coast is playing on a fuzzy projector screen. At this very moment across most of Latin America, millions of soccer fans are gathering in bars just like this to watch their favorite team progress toward the championship. Here at the Viejo Jack, there are exactly five such fans.
This is the Dominican Republic, where baseball is the second most commonly spoken language—where kids with no bats, balls or gloves use broom sticks, pieces of plastic and their bare hands to imitate what is indisputably this nation's athletic passion.
But now the language of fútbol—'estriker,' patada and gol—is sneaking into the baseball-centric vocabulary of Dominicans who are taking interest in the world's most popular sport.
Click HERE to read the full story as it appeared at 90:00 Soccer Magazine.
Power in Numbers: Reporters unite in one city to cover health care access
In Madison, Wis., 20 news organizations came together to produce dozens of stories on local health care access. The content was presented on a website that was created for the project. Not all Wisconsin media participated, though the project was eventually deemed a success. The model that was developed allowed each media outlet to "play to its respective strengths rather than conform to a particular style."
Read the article with your IRE Journal subscription.


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The US postal service has changed (and simplified they say) the international shipping rates. Surface rates have not been eliminated, but in their place, they have added a Flat Rate box option. In general, we can fit 8 lbs of cocoa beans into a Flat rate box, but a few other items. We have eliminated the "cocoa beans only" restriction and will see how it works. If you know the size of the flat rate box and know a product will not fit, please be considerate and don't choose that option. Our software is not fool proof. Rates: USA: $ 8.80
Canada: $24.00
International: $38.00
Believe it or not, that really is a savings (8 lbs to the UK for instance would be almost $50.00). The draw back is that there is no insurance or tracking available, so there is a trade off.
In other news, we have a great new Dominican Republic cocoa bean on the way, and one from Tabasco in a month or so. I am REALLY looking forward to the one from Tabasco (not that I am not looking forward to the DR). It has the most delicate husk, and you can actually peel it by hand. Just paper thin. And the flavor is like nothing I have offered before. Notes of cedar, nuts and some savoriness that is best described as the Umami. That may not sound like it would taste right in chocolate, but it does.
Finally, within the next week or so, once we have tested it of course, we will be officially be accepting credit cards. Right now it is only through Paypal. The Paypal option will remain, but we determined it was time (way past time) to make the jump.


text: Avant-Gardening's ongoing partnership with Welcare in Greenwich has been spotlighted in the Royal Greenwich Time newspaper again this week. We began our partnership with Welcare in Greenwich in 2009 and since then have delivered a programme of activities including the creation of the Mobile Allotment and the piloting of the Place Where the Plums Grow project. The Big Dig is a Capital Growth initiative to encourage participation in the rapidly increasing numbers of community gardens and allotments across London