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Action movies in 1997 were a mixed bag. This was the year that brought us infamous titles such as Alien: Resurrection, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation and Speed 2: Cruise Control — but when something was good, it was REALLY good. In fact, 1997 brought us several action movie classics that people still reference two decades later.
Here are some of the greatest action flicks turning 20 this year. Let's try to figure out why they still hold up!
1. The Fifth Element
What happens when Luc Besson makes a sci-fi action flick in the '90s? Well, you end up with the very bizarre but extremely entertaining The Fifth Element starring Bruce Willis (when he still put effort into acting), Gary Oldman, Mila Jovovich, Chris Tucker and Ian Holm. This movie manages to still hold up thanks to a very unique futuristic world that Besson crafted.
Everything looks odd — vehicles, buildings, clothes and whatever you can think of — but instead of being off-putting, you feel very immersed by all of this world-building. Combine that with many quirky characters, hilarious scenes, memorable lines (I still meet people who end up saying, "Leeloo Dallas Multi-Pass!") and an amazing action scene in sync with the music, and you have the makings of a classic.
2. Con Air
What happens when you combine high-concept '90s action cheese with Nicolas Cage? You get Con Air and it kicked ass...but it was stupid as hell! This is the definition of a fun popcorn flick. It has over-the-top action that gives the middle finger to logic and physics, an impressive cast that chews all of the scenery, and Nicolas Cage being Nicolas Cage — with an epic mullet that would make Joe Dirt swoon.
Why does this manage to hold up? It has the ridiculousness of something like Batman & Robin, but somehow it's become this cult classic that people quote to this day. I think it's because Con Air knows it's stupid and embraces that stupidity, never taking itself too seriously — and, at the same time, it manages to provide enough awesome material for audiences to love.
See More:
- Best Action Movies On Netflix
- Why 'Con Air' Is The Greatest '90s Action Film
- These Are The '90s Action Movies That You Forgot About And Need To Revisit
3. Air Force One
The '90s had a strange obsession with terrorists taking over planes (Con Air, Passenger 57, Die Hard 2, Executive Decision, Turbulence). These movies vary in quality, but the best one in my opinion was 1997's Air Force One, starring the legends Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman. I love this concept: terrorists take the president's family hostage on Air Force One and now he has to make his way through the plane to save the day.
By this point, these types of "plane takeover" films had become a dime a dozen, so why does Air Force One manage to work better than the others?
Well, the two leading actors are a big part of it; both are masters of the art and they put all of their effort into these roles. Gary Oldman plays a memorable villain and Harrison Ford (as always) is great as the protagonist. The movie also keeps itself more grounded (no pun intended) than most of these films, which tend to get very over the top, especially at the climax. Air Force One takes more of a Die Hard route where the action is intense, the villains are menacing, and there's a badass one-liner: "GET OFF MY PLANE!"
4. Men In Black
Here's another oversaturated sub genre, the buddy cop movie, that got a fun update. Oftentimes these movies are so cliche and generic that it's almost impossible to shake things up, but Barry Sonnenfield — who gave us the new Netflix version of A Series of Unfortunate Events — had a more unique take: a rookie and a veteran are cops...fighting "illegal aliens" from other planets.
Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones' chemistry is downright perfect; I don't think any other duo of actors could have pulled the characters off so well. Both are hilarious in their own ways, both are awesome, and both act off each other like real partners. This movie happens to feature one of my favorite villains of all time with Edgar, a.k.a. the Bug, who plans to take over the Galaxy using...the Galaxy. It's explained in the movie. Vincent D'Onofrio owns the role and manages to be both funny and threatening.
Then you have the iconic music video starring Will Smith, which is just icing on top of an already delicious cake.
5. Batman & Robin
Yes, you read that correctly. Batman & Robin is a '90s classic.
Oh, did you think I was saying this movie was good? Hell to the no! This movie is awful — with some of the worst effects, worst costume design, worst writing, worst acting and worst action in history — but it is a guilty pleasure due to it being so bad.
It's the Dark Knight going up against Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy and Bane, some of his greatest adversaries; it has an all-star cast with George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Uma Thurman. On paper, it sounds so epic and foolproof. And yet, somehow, Joel Schumacher got it so spectacularly, hilariously wrong.
This is one of those movies that will have you laughing your ass off until you can't breathe. Stick it in while you're hanging with your friends, eating popcorn and having a few beers. Arnold Schwarzenegger's ice puns are delightful; the Looney Tunes-esque physics and logic are amazing; the special effects are unbelievable; and the acting is perfect. It's not on the same level of Tommy Wiseau's The Room but it comes close.
(There is one chase scene with the Batmobile, Red Bird cycle and Mr. Freeze's armored truck which I will admit was kind of cool for 30 seconds, until Robin started talking.)
It wasn't the Batman movie that we wanted or deserved, but at least it gave (and still gives) some ironic enjoyment after all these years.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Starship Troopers, and Face/Off.
I hope this list managed to bring back nostalgic memories of classic films, rather than just making you feel old because you realized they came out 20 years ago.
What's an action movie that I might have missed? Do you still enjoy them today or do you think they've aged more like milk from 1997? Let me know in the comments down below!


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Dan Smith
Investor Relations
(703) 610-5410
Email Dan Smith
Alyson Austin
Corporate Communications
(949) 214-1414
November 05, 2010, Santa Ana, Calif. –
CoreLogic (NYSE: CLGX), a leading provider of information, analytics and business services, announced today that CoreLogic MarketLinx® added five new MLS clients to its document management and transaction services in 2010, bringing the total to 15. It also added 14 additional brokerages, doubling the total number of broker installations.
CoreLogic MarketLinx is the foremost provider of technology solutions for MLS organizations and brokerages. Its industry-leading document management and storage product, Document Manager, seamlessly integrates with existing MLS systems and broker back office systems to boost productivity and move real estate professionals closer to a paper-free workplace.
The new MLS clients include Hilton Head MLS, Hilton Head Island, SC; Real Estate Information Network, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA; Triangle MLS, Cary, NC, and the Greater Tulsa Association of REALTORS®, Tulsa, OK. Many of the new brokerages chose Document Manager, even though their local MLS has not yet added it to their system. More than 1 million new documents have been added to MarketLinx Document Manager in the first ten months of 2010, beyond the 1.5 million documents added in the previous seven years of operation.
"We are dedicated to providing our members with the best technology solutions," said Mike Cotrill, Chief Operating Officer at the Greater Tulsa Association of REALTORS® in Tulsa, OK."Choosing Document and Fax Manager was a simple decision because of the tremendous benefits these products offer our membership as well as the integration with our existing CoreLogic products. We look forward to our members making the most of the exceptional document management and storage capabilities that are now available to them."
"For cost and regulatory reasons, there has been an acute need in the real estate industry for a better way to manage documents," explained Ben Graboske, senior vice president, Product and Technology, Data and Analytics Group, for CoreLogic. "Document handling, storage and compliance are significant risk factors for REALTORS®, and this concern has accelerated interest in our document management product. The system also lowers costs, increases productivity and supports a paperless work environment."
Document Manager from CoreLogic MarketLinx supports compliance and auditing requirements, provides secure online storage for documents inclduing contracts and disclosures, enables the tracking of multiple versions of the same document, and delivers flexible document security. Additionally, an optional Fax Manager function enables users to digitize documents via electronic faxing.
Document Manager also helps reduce costs and the time associated with managing paper transaction files. Research conducted by the Gartner Group estimates that the average business document is copied, physically or electronically, up to 11 times at a cost of $18 in labor and expense. Physically filing and storing that document costs $20; and retrieving misfiled documents can cost up to $120. Document management and transaction services from CoreLogic MarketLinx mitigate these costs by creating a system where documents can be uploaded and shared across multiple offices.
CoreLogic and MarketLinx are registered trademarks of CoreLogic, Inc.
About CoreLogic
CoreLogic (NYSE: CLGX) is a leading provider of consumer, financial and property information, analytics and services to business and government. The company combines public, contributory and proprietary data to develop predictive decision analytics and provide business services that bring dynamic insight and transparency to the markets it serves. CoreLogic has built the largest U.S. real estate, mortgage application, fraud, and loan performance databases and is a recognized leading provider of mortgage and automotive credit reporting, property tax, valuation, flood determination, and geospatial analytics and services. More than one million users rely on CoreLogic to assess risk, support underwriting, investment and marketing decisions, prevent fraud, and improve business performance in their daily operations. Formerly the information solutions group of The First American Corporation, CoreLogic began trading under the ticker CLGX on the NYSE on June 2, 2010. The company, headquartered in Santa Ana, Calif., has more than 10,000 employees globally with 2009 revenues of $2 billion. For more information visit www.corelogic.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Middle East Stop-over
Bahrain Travel Blog› entry 27 of 126 › view all entries
Our four engines streamed vapor trails southeast from Germany to cross several eastern European countries and intercept the northern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Distant islands off the right wing probably belonged to Greece. We skirted the Black Sea and I saw what might have been the mouth of the Danube River in Ukraine. After passing Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey, we banked more southerly into eerily calm skies over a turbulent Middle East. Low clouds shrouded the Tigres River as it meandered toward Baghdad. Darkness fell before I could spot its confluence with the Euphrates. In Iranian airspace, the orange-yellow lights of oil rigs flickered on the desert floor somewhere outside Abadan. We finally began our descent over the Persian Gulf, a little too far east to see the lights of Basra, Umm Qasr, or Kuwait City.
Coach seating on the nearly full Airbus was rather cramped and uncomfortable. It gave the feel of being an early astronaut strapped into a Gemini capsule since my claustrophobic window-seat row was two-wide. Leg and elbow room was minimal and the seat-back in front of me often bumped the brim of my baseball cap. A two-hour stop-over with an aircraft change broke up the trip nicely. Bahrain had a spacious air-conditioned transit terminal. Ultra-modern duty free shops, news stands, restaurants, cafes, and internet access rooms all seemed grossly overpriced compared to the western world but provided a great place to stretch, stroll, and explore.


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The Pakistan Fashion Design Council in collaboration with Sunsilk presented the fourth and final day of the seventh PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week. Day-4 featured Voile shows with Five Star Textile Limited, Warda Prints, Nimsay by Nimra Textile and Lakhany Silk Mills and designer prét-a-porter shows by Rizwan Beyg, Zara Shahjahan, Saira Shakira, Khaadi Khaas, Akif Mahmood and HSY later in the evening.
Voile Shows
Five Star Textile Industries kicked off the Voile Show segment on the final day of PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2014 with their Spring/Summer 2014 line of collections titled Vogue, Divine, Classic and Larose. After Five Star Textile Industries' presentation, Warda Prints made their PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week debut with a Spring/Summer 2014 collection titled 'Glamorous Hattie's'. The third show of the Voile Show segment was presented by Nimsay Redefining Style by Nimra Textile who showcased their Spring/Summer 2014 collection titled 'Flora'. The concluding Voile show of the day was showcased by Lakhany Silk Mills who presented their Spring/Summer 2014 collection.
Designer Showcases
Act 1
PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2014's Prèt Show on the fourth and final day was opened by acclaimed Pakistani couturier Rizwan Beyg who showcased for the second consecutive time at PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week. Following Rizwan Beyg, designer Zara Shahjahan showcased her prét a porter collection 'Love Bug' at PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2014. Inspired by Jungle florals, the collection was based on silks, organza, sheer tulle, straight and structured silhouettes and insect inspired 3D embellishments developed in-house at the Zara Shahjahan studio. The final designer showcase of Act 1 was by fashion label Saira Shakira Making who made their runway debut at PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week with a pret a porter collection titled 'Cirque du Vanite' inspired by 'the circus'.
Act 2
The first show of Act 2 was presented by acclaimed designer brand Khaadi Khaas. The Khaadi Khaas collection for PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2014 was inspired by the baroque era. Following Khaadi Khaas, Akif Mahmood showcased the label's Spring/Summer 2014 collection titled 'Matadora' at PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week. Day-4's finale was presented by acclaimed couturier HSY. In the spirit of his 20th year motto, "Giving is the new Achieving" Hassan Sheheryar Yasin brought to PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2014 a collection titled 'Sher' which was in homage to and in support of, women empowerment. The collection featured both men's wear and women's wear based in luxurious fabrics including pure chiffons, silks, and Georgette paired with indigenous embroideries fashioned by the female artisans of the village Shergarh.
PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2014 Day 4 (Ramp Pictures)
Photography credits: Faisal Farooqui & his team at Dragonfly
The show is being produced and choreographed by HSY Events, with front stage management by Maheen Kardar Ali, backstage management by Product 021, Sara Shahid of Sublime by Sara as the official spokesperson for the PFDC, logistics and operations by Eleventh Retail and photography by Faisal Farooqui and the team at Dragonfly. Hum TV/Style360 are the official media partners, CityFM89 as the official radio partners and all public relations by Lotus Client Management & Public Relations.
Follow PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2014 Here


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'Australia' started by BigM, Apr 17, 2007.
nah no jesus fish here.....
I got invited on this last week. Had to decline .no dirt roads.
Oh...OK then . I shall have a mushroom schnitzel
Did you see their Lamb and Saltbush Snags with mash/gravy??
Eh .?
From their website menu... if we can't get the pies from Mt Mary, these might have to do!
Kingsford Favourites
Kingsford Peppered Beef Pie tender pieces of beef slow cooked in a pepper gravy
under a golden puff pastry lid $16.90
Lamb & Saltbush Sausages served with mashed potato, bacon & gravy $12.90
Roast of the Day served with roast potatoes $12.90
Mixed Grill with rump steak, lamb chop, rissole, sausage, & bacon $21.90
I wonder if I could fit one of those beef pies in to the diet. surely one night off couldnt hurt. They do sell cascade light there dont they.
Yeah mate, bucket loads - just not usually with the Pies though, you know - lifestyle changes and all!
Get a lift down with the jeweller......he's got a full time driver.
You had me at saltbush lamb....
It takes me to leave Gawler/State for you blokes to start drinkin there. Hope youse recover by the next week so ya's are fit and ready for Poon.
Ohdear I thought you said Ready for porn :eek1
Shure will
The lunch time bangers and mash in the first Willunga pub in the square are not bad for $6.90, and the Salt and Pepper Squid for a couple of bucks more is as good as you you will get , outside if Stella's at Henley beach.
So who's going to Pooncarrie?
I really wanted to go and make a big trip out of it, and had expected to be retired by then (in fact - now!) but things have got in the way, and now I have an important reunion to go to on the 3rd of Nov at Victor Harbor - so I'm a no show.
Bad luck. The Doc and I will be doing a flying visit. Leave Peterborough Saturday sparrow fart to Pooncarrie, Sunday home via Wentworth (for fuel). Now, where did I put that Air Hawk seat
I'z goin'.
You do know it's friday night at the Poon pub.
Good old Doc will find some tracks so you can spend time up on the pegs...either that or cut up some foam and strap it on (the bike). Big trip, maybe a good idea to take it easy on the booze Saturday night so you're in good nick for the return leg....oseroseroser
I may stop at poon for a beer before heading off to mildura . For a few more beers


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Ill. Lawmakers Seek To Protect Workers' Facebook Passwords
H.B. 3782, which passed muster in the Illinois House of Representatives on March 29, would amend the state's Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act to make it illegal for an employer to request a password or related account information from an...
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County Fairgrounds
Justice Carlisle Higgins Fairgrounds and Agricultural Center
Located at 1375 US Highway 21N
Alleghany Fairgrounds is a Public Use Facility for recreational, educational and profitable endeavors. Alleghany Fairgrounds offers several fee options to serve your needs. All applications will be reviewed for approval by the Alleghany County Fairgrounds Board. User fees determined at the approval of the application for use. Rules and Regulations can be found on the application or consult the Recreation Director for more information.
Fairgrounds Features


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Geneva Plaza
1207-1267 Geneva Avenue North, Oakdale, MN 55128 – View Map
A small treasure for local retailers, Geneva Plaza is home to a restaurant, liquor store, floor store and florist. Located at the intersection of Century/Geneva and 10th Street North, Geneva Plaza is 15,000 square feet with one vacancy available. Don't let this opportunity pass you by and contact one of our Downtown St. Paul retail leasing agents.


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Maximize bathroom space with the Axis 2-Tier Shelf in Chrome. Polished chrome finish and contemporary lines blend into any decor with ease and its freestanding format eliminates damage to bathroom walls caused by wall-mounted shelves. Tower is constructed of open wire, allowing for easy cleaning.
- Classic silhouette and chrome finish complement any decor
- Open-wire shelf construction provides for easy cleaning
- Freestanding design bypasses damage to walls
- 2-tier shelving provides plenty of storage space
- Holds approximately 5 lbs
- Coordinates with other Axis bath collection items in chrome
- No assembly required
- 5.75 in. x 12.25 in. x 11.25 in.


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LG Escapes Class Action Over Allegedly Defective LCD TVs
U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares held that the complaint failed to allege facts to sufficiently support any of its claims, which included breach of express and implied warranties, state consumer fraud violations, fraud and intentional misrepresentation and unjust enrichment.
Judge Linares said the lead plaintiff, Deborah Moulton,...
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Dr. Alfred S. Evans, an emeritus professor of epidemiology at the Yale University School of Medicine who investigated the role of the Epstein-Barr virus in infectious mononucleosis and other diseases, died on Sunday at his home in North Branford, Conn. He was 78.
The cause was complications from cancer, family members said.
Early in his career, during a fellowship at Yale and then as a professor at the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Evans conducted studies confirming that mononucleosis was transmitted mainly through kissing. He popularized the term "the kissing disease" for the illness, which is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus and primarily strikes people from ages 10 to 35.
But Dr. Evans took his findings on mononucleosis, an acute illness, and applied it to chronic diseases, including lymphoma and other forms of cancer, said a former colleague, Dr. Robert W. McCollum, the retired dean of the Dartmouth Medical School. "He went on to look at the E.-B. virus in relation to a whole host of illnesses other than mono," Dr. McCollum said.
Nancy Mueller, a professor of epidemiology at Harvard Medical School, said Dr. Evans was instrumental in establishing the role of Epstein-Barr in causing Hodgkin's disease, a type of lymphoma.
Dr. Mueller said that Dr. Evans took the traditional model of seroepidemiology -- in which researchers look at the pattern of antibodies in people who develop an acute disease -- and applied it to chronic illnesses. "He extended it to thinking about something with much longer pathogenesis, chronic disease where you're probably talking about 10 years from infection to outcome," she said. "That was very creative."Continue reading the main story
Dr. Evans was born in Buffalo and received an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in 1939. He received a medical degree from the University of Buffalo in 1943, and entered the military a year later, serving as a public health officer in Japan. It was while in the military, working with the noted epidemiologist Dr. John R. Paul, that Dr. Evans developed his interest in infectious diseases.
After 14 years on the faculty of Wisconsin, Dr. Evans became a professor at Yale in 1966. He retired in 1994.
While at Yale he was director of the medical school's serum reference bank under the auspices of the World Health Organization.
Dr. McCollum said the serum bank, a collection of samples representing cross sections of populations at given points in time, was a valuable research tool and likened it to an archeological expedition. "You go into the freezer and get serums from years back and find tracers in the form of antibodies," he said. Without Dr. Evans's energy and commitment the bank would not have survived, he said.
Dr. Evans was a prolific writer and editor who was responsible for two standard epidemiology textbooks, "Viral Infections of Humans" (3d edition, Plenum Medical Book Company, 1991) and "Bacterial Infections of Humans" (2d edition, Plenum, 1991). His last book was "Causation and Disease: A Chronological Journey" (Plenum, 1993).
Dr. Evans's wife, the former Brigitte Kluge, died in 1986. He is survived by two sons, John K., of Guilford, Conn., and Christopher P., of Houston; a daughter, Barbara Evans Paganelli of Shelburne, Vt., and four grandchildren.Continue reading the main story


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Free Denim Fabric and Wall Textures
Here are a few Free Denim Fabric and Wall textures for you ArchViz projects.
You can Download them from the below link
3D NEWs, Home Office Furniture
Here are a few Free Denim Fabric and Wall textures for you ArchViz projects.
You can Download them from the below link
There is a new 3d Cars Collection released from Bibika3D.com. Bibika3d is offering the total collection of 740 quality 3d car models. All the models are fully texture mapped and ready for using them directly in your scenes. Bibika3d offers 3 different 3d file formats for its collection..namely .max, .c4d and .mb. Bibika3d offers 5 years of free serivice as a present to its customers by sending them 3 new cars every month.
Read More..
Jing Zhang wrote for us a very nice tutorial "The Making of Rome" for 3ds max. Jing was inspired by chiesa do Santa Maria di Loreto. The tutorial teaches you the tips and tricks involved in creating Roman Architecture buildings in 3d The softwares used were Sketchup, 3ds max, V-Ray and Photoshop for post work. The basic modeling was done using Google Sketchup and then fine tuned in 3ds max. The columns and sculptures are from Jing's own 3d database…and finally very nicely composed using Photoshop. Jing has provided all the details involved in the complex Material making, Lighting and Rendering and Post Production
Read More : http://www.cgarchitect.com/2012/08/the-making-of-rome
Nathaniel Reeves has released a free custom toolkit for Photoshop CS5 and above that provides a range of natural media, texturing and production tools. Features include:
- You can create backgrounds like real papers, notepads sketchbook, graph paper and hardboard
- Drawing options such as realistic pencils, pens and marker pens
- Realistic water colored brushes
- Tools like grits, sharpen, vignetting and more
- You can even add guidelines in rows and columns
and more…
Allegorithmic has updated its new version of Bitmap2Material 1.6 which is a substance for transforming bitmap textures to seamless materials. Bitmap2Material also transforms Ambient Occlusion map, Height map and curvature map from your regular texture's input. You can even make your textures seamless in a click which avoids the pain in manually making seamless textures within Photoshop.
The New Features include :
- Curvature map from an input normal map
- Ambient Occlusion map from an input normal map
- Height map from an input normal map
Brazil based site Tres D1 has launched a new collection of 3d Trucks and Trailers. The collection contains 20 models of trucks and trailers which can be composed and you can have 70 different combinations. Each model is modelled in detail and with high quality textures for Mental Ray and Vray.
A fantastic tutorial to make complex fiber texture which can be a good example on how to make a 3D Towel , Carpet or Grass with the same concept.To replicate this is cg, the obvious solution is to use a hair system to produce those fibers. The results will look good, especially close up, but that technique is perhaps overkill, especially if the object is off in the distance. Hair can be expensive to render, and time consuming to set up. So this tutorial explains a method to do objects such as Towels, Carpets or Grass using displacement.
Read More : http://www.neilblevins.com/cg_education/towels_carpet_grass/towels_carpet_grass.htm
France-based Allegorithmic announced the release of the Smart Texturing Toolkit For Arch & Design, a selection of Substance tools and content for architects and designers. The bundle includes Bitmap2Material, MakeIt A Parquet, MakeIt A Brickwall and 11 specific Smart Tiles.MakeIt A Parquet is currently available as a free download. Create realistic parquet material from any wood essence in just a few seconds
Generating a parquet is one of the most complicated and longest task today. Indeed, in order to correctly recreate the look and feel of real life parquet floors, each floorboard must be unique, uneven with its own properties and defects.
We created a powerful, dedicated filter allowing to create unique parquet floors, recreating all the subtle imperfections that will give life to your imagery.
Pick a wood essence image as an input, and you will instantly obtain a full, customizable parquet material: change in real time the number and size of boards, choose a lineal or herringbone style, adjust the reflection, and much more!
Poland based CGAxis has announced a spring sale offer of 55%. CGAxis has a wide variety of and quality based collection of 3d models. The offer is applicable for all its collection which include Architecture, Bathroom, Plants, Food, Furniture and more…
Its a nice time to grab some collections for your daily use.
More at : http://www.cgaxis.com/cmspage.php?page_id=13
Talented CG artist Joël LeLièvre reviews the latest version of Allegorithmic's tool for creating seamlessly tiling materials from a single bitmap image
Bitmap2Material is a software developed by Allegorithmic that allows users to generate seamlessly tiling materials that include normal maps, height maps, specular maps, etc., all derived from a single bitmap image (usually a photo).
The main idea behind Bitmap2Material (B2M) is to speed up shader and texture production, and help users create realistic shaders natively inside their 3D software of choice. Currently 3DS Max 2012, Maya 2012, Flame and Unity 3.4+ are supported.


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34lb 7oz pike falls to fly fishing tactics
This is a picture of one of the UK's biggest ever fly-caught pike, topping the scales at 34lb 7oz.
The specimen was landed by experienced game angler John Machin when he set his sights on a gin-clear Midlands reservoir.
After noticing that the predators had been avoiding brightly-coloured flies he opted for a FlyTek 6" perch pattern – a decision that rewarded him with his new personal best for the species.
This is the biggest fly-caught specimen to be landed in the UK since the capture of a 39lb pike landed by Russell Cowell at Somerset's Chew Valley Reservoir in June this year.
"The fish had really been spooking off the coloured flies, so I thought a more natural looking version would give me a better chance," said John.
"There are also loads of perch in this venue so that's why I chose this particular pattern of fly.
"This capture was a combination of a lot of time spent dedicated to the species and a slice of good fortune. A fish like this is really rare and very special indeed," he added.
His catch now leads the way in the newly launched 'Fly for Coarse' competition that awards prizes for coarse species caught by design by those fishing with a fly.
The yearly competition is judged and endorsed by Matt Hayes and is run by regular Angling Times columnist Dom Garnett, who believes John's huge predator is a perfect example of what's possible when fly fishing for coarse fish.
"With the exception of Chew Valley this is the biggest fly-caught pike I've seen in a long time," Dom said.
"It shows how effective fly fishing can be and this competition is a celebration of that. Anyone can enter and it really doesn't matter what species you catch or how big it is."
To find out how to enter the 'Fly for Coarse' competition visit: www.flyforcoarse.com


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With Valentine's Day just around the corner, many couples are looking for the ideal gift that they, and their spouse can enjoy together. If you are looking for the perfect gift for that special someone in your life, why not take him or her on a romantic vacation in the Caribbean this Valentine's Day. Known for its laid-back atmosphere and romantic hotels with spas, the Caribbean has a variety of idyllic destinations that are ideal for spicing up Valentines and rekindling your love. If you are looking forward to whisking your sweetie away on a romantic escape this Valentine's Day, one of the islands below will provide the right balance between comfort and romance. Plus many of the hotels are offering Valentine's Day getaway packages for you to take advantage of.
St. Lucia
Need to feel the love? Head on over to St. Lucia. This Caribbean island has a plethora of fun-filled things for couples to enjoy on Valentines, and you can be one of them. Sweethearts visiting St. Lucia can enjoy chocolate-covered strawberries, as well as a bottle of champagne and deluxe guest room accommodation. Whether your idea of romance includes hitting the beach or staying in St. Lucia should be on your list.
ST. Vincent
Come Valentine's Day you can whisk your sweetheart away to the laid-back St. Vincent and the Grenadine Islands. This Caribbean destination is popular with couples who want to truly escape it all. A trip to this destination on Valentine's Day will let you enjoy trips along some beautiful country roads on the islands. After which you can head back home to cuddle up in bed or really turn up the heat with dinner, roses, chocolates and champagne.
Do something extra special this Valentine's Day and take your special someone to Martinique. As one of the Caribbean's most enchanting destinations, the landscape in Martinique instigates romance in its own way. Martinique's entire coastline offers the perfect blend of quiet, isolated coves and beautiful inlets. The island's hotels offer comfortable accommodations for relaxing romantic vacations and exotic trips.
Jamaica is for lovers! Escape to Jamaica this Valentine's Day and transform your trip into a romantic getaway with one of the hotels or all-inclusive resorts. Whether you're a couple who enjoys history, art, music, relaxation, or you just want to enjoy the romance, Jamaica offers a variety of fun activities for lovers. You and your sweetheart will also get to take advantage of an array of amenities, including couple's massage at the spa, accommodations in a king or double-queen suite with romantic rose petal turndown service, champagne for two and some of the finest cuisine, which blend effortlessly with the idyllic beach settings and local charm.
St. Barts
If you and your lover want a spectacular Valentines, you should visit St. Barts. Known for its sophisticated yet casual scene, the island of St Barts is the culinary capital of the Caribbean. And this combined with its elegant hotels makes this destination the perfect spot for your valentine's getaway. On this trip, you will get to indulge in world-class dining, entertainment and if privacy is your priority you can have as little attention as you want. Plus in the evening you can enjoy a romantic stroll under the starry sky.
From a hideaway high up in the mountains overlooking the city to a quaint beach side hotel with panoramic views, when you are looking for the perfect romantic spot for two, one of these Caribbean islands is the prime place to relax and indulge with each other. After all, there is no need to go broke to show how much you truly care; especially, with a romantic weekend full of charm and hospitality. The Caribbean is ready and waiting to offer you an extraordinary experience of a lifetime.


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Innovative product from DFS for installation of special floors with Venetian style. This exclusive product, with a special cement binder, created with the combination of specific bases developed by DFS with colored mineral granules, which allow the creation of elegant floor that is truly unique. The final result can be achieved by combining the colors of the bases and grains, using different quantities and sizes of grains. A wide variety of attractive floor can be created, selected and identified in relation to the environment, interior design and intended use.
Venetian style seeded floor composed of an epoxy resin binder which can be customized by choosing from all the colors available in the RAL range and from grains of various types, ranging from the more classical marble grains, to river pebbles to the use of glass and metal.
With Artgrain an infinite variety of floors can be created, combining bases and chippings. A wide range of patterns can also be created, rendering each floor unique and unrepeatable. DFS apply the Terrazzo Veneziana (Artgrain) using epoxy bending elements, deliberately designed to maintain the original method application and achieve the same aesthetic of handmade floor during the past centuries.
Durodecor is an innovative flooring system. Constructed with reinforced concrete, 8-10cm thickness presents very high resistance to abrasion and impact. The surface is colored as the concrete is still fresh, with a special hardener surface. The colors used are 100% stable to UV radiation and so the final color will not wash ever.
Designs are stamped on fresh concrete, creating a textured and slip resistant surface. When concrete is hardened enough, a special sealer is placed on the surface, which waterproofs and provides unlimited lifetime. There is great potential combinations of colors and designs, which give an aesthetic resul
Floor consisting of a slab with a special fiber- reinforced base and top layer made of river pebbles, marble chippings in variouw shades and colors.


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We are delighted to announce the Printerbase prize draw winner for December: Rev. Andy Sinclair!
Andy landed himself a fantastic slimline 32″ television all for simply leaving an honest review of his latest purchase from Printerbase – a perfect late Christmas present!
Disaster struck the Sinclair household just before the festive period when his Kyocera monochrome laser printer decided to call it a day after 16 years of wonderful service.
Rather than mourn the loss, Andy acted fast and decided that a Kyocera 1320D was the best bet in terms of a replacement. He placed his order with Printerbase on 19th December, though he doubted that he'd get his printer the next day as was advertised – it was Christmas, after all!
However, the next morning at 9:30am sharp, the doorbell rang with a delivery for Mr Sinclair. By 10am, his new printer was up and running and he even had auto duplexing mastered!
Impressed with the quality of service, Andy filled in the customer survey and sent it off – not even thinking about the prize draw he'd just entered in the process…
Fast forward to the beginning of February and Andy's wife answers the phone and is told that a television is on its way! Despite initial disbelief, the details are sorted and a delivery date is set.
Then, on February 11th, a brand new television is delivered – making Andy and his grandchildren very happy indeed!
If you want the chance to get involved with the prize draw or want to see the past winners – click HERE


text: Ever go into a store without really needing anything? Wander the aisles for a while and something catches your eye? Figure "what the heck...it's returnable"? Even better, the item is on sale? I have done this in "brick and mortar" stores more time than I can count. Returns end up being a pain because you need a receipt, have to drive to the store, waste gas, time, etc...Recently, I did this in the Android Market. Not only did something catch my eye, it was FREE, and ends up being an app that has me thinking: "How did I live WITHOUT this???" The app that currently has me in awe is simply called "IG 88 Car Home". This app is a replacement for the current "Car Home" screen that pops up when your phone is put into the car dock. This app allows you to put 6 apps (of your choosing) onto the screen. LARGE, EASY TO TAP buttons! While the native "Car Home" app looks nice, I personally find the buttons that are pre-installed useless. The "Voice Search" button requires you read the screen and "tap" to confirm choices, if and when it understands your choice at all. This is not only illegal here, but dangerous as well. "Navigation" and "View Map" buttons are fine. "Contacts" and "Search" both require multiple taps to confirm, and in the 6 months I am using the Droid, both are completely unusable while driving. On the original "Car Home" screen, there is a "Home" icon, which takes you to you default home screen. This is what I have been using when docked, because the app I always want to see on my screen is "Choice Dialer", which makes the phone respond to voice prompts. The problem here, as the screen shot shows, is that these buttons are small! Along comes "Car Home", by IG 88 Apps. Problem solved. This allows up to 5 screens, which can be navigated through by swiping sideways, or by tapping the "dots" on the bottom or side of the screen. I have only used one so far, as the 6 apps I have put there are the ones that I use most while driving. 6 easy to tap, easy to see, easy to load apps! Additionally, you can change the icons for these app to any .png or .jpg file you want. I haven't had a chance to do this yet. After a minute on the screen, the phone goes into "screen saver" mode, which you can load with any widget available. I use a digital clock for mine. You can see from the "Settings" screenshot that this feature can be disabled if you would like. A simple "tap" on the screen of the phone wakes it back up, bringing you back to the "Car Home" screen. Adding/deleting and moving apps and shortcuts is as simple as "long tap". Once phone is inserted into the car dock, you get a choice to choose between the (now 2) docks available (the "native" one, or "Car Dock"). I selected to have Car Dock as the default, and now pressing on the phone's "Home" screen will always take me to the main Car Dock screen while docked. Kudos to the developer!


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So, I'm just back from a little jaunt to Cologne. Without my laptop. And as I sure as hell wasn't going to pay roaming data charges, that meant no worthwhile internet connection to speak of. a.k.a. Sorry I've not written … Continue reading
Posted in General ramblings Tagged hallowe'en, how i spend my time, jason voorhees, lollage, me Leave a comment


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My guy friend has shown every "sign" of being into me but he has a girlfriend. Last summer when we chatted and texted around the clock every day he told me he's bored and unsatisfied and would like to kindle new flames but he's still with her. I am also in a relationship I would leave if he were willing to do the same.
Our SOs are at other schools and I'm sure we'll break up after graduation. He already told me he's not in love with her and doesn't even like sex with her. I asked him why he doesn't leave her and he said it would break her heart and he is willing to be unsatisfied and just stop caring about being happy. He says she's dumb and white trash and hates her family. He's even said if she died it would solve a lot of problems!
We've said we love each other, he's around me any chance he gets at school but, for obvious reasons, we don't see each other much outside of school. He sees me more than her but she gets to sleep with him.
I would love to have a chance with him before we go off to college next year but I'm afraid to tell him I've got feelings way past friendship for him now. I think he's cheating himself out of a chance to be with someone who is more of a match for him. He loves to tease me and spar with me and we do academic challenge together and I know he likes how smart I am. We can talk about anything and everything.
He makes food for me, shares all his food and drinks with me,
and even hand feeds me. He gives me the last of yummy things he's made, too.
Lately he's been interrogating me about my sex life, likes and things I'm into and I would love to show him how unboring sex can be!
How do I get him to realize what he could have without ruining our friendship? I'm afraid to freak him out if I suddenly start hitting on him, but he does touch me a lot and hug really tightly.
Most Helpful Girl
Sounds like you both should just man up and leave your relationships. It isn't fair to lead them on and give then false hope for a future. Especially nearing graduation...00|00|0


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This pretty purple invitation is perfect for any girl's Bat Mitzvah or birthday party. Printed on metallic silver paper, and bordered with metallic purple, this suite truly sparkles.
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The Inland Valley Classical Ballet Theatre invites you to be their guest as they reinterpret Disney's animated film "Beauty and the Beast" in dance this weekend.
"I chose 'Beauty and the Beast' because the story is universally appealing," said Svetlana Waisman, the show's choreographer and company founder. "Children of many nationalities have heard some version of it. There's even a Russian fairytale 'Red Flower' that is very similar. The message that kindness is its own reward is a comforting thought in a sometimes harsh world."
Released in 1991, Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" tells the story of Belle, a brainy young woman from a small French village who's forced to live in the enchanted castle of a presumably vicious beast in order to save her elderly father. Belle soon learns that appearances and first impressions can be deceiving. The Beast is actually a prince who's been turned into a beast through a spell.
If true love can blossom between Belle and the Beast, the spell will be broken, but a rival suitor for Belle's hand ---- the vain tavern-keeper Gaston ---- threatens to ruin their happiness.
Waisman said the ballet captures the essence of the film's characters, scenery and general mood through the show's musical composition.
"The Disney soundtrack is not our music, but I have used a mix of classical Russian composers to capture the delicacy of Belle, the boisterousness of Gaston and the menace of the wolves in the forest," she said. "Music offers the diversity I need to build the characters. This ballet is entirely original, which means that there was no existing score. I pieced that together, which is what made this ballet both challenging and ultimately rewarding."
Once she had the score pulled together, Waisman focused on painting a visual picture onstage.
"Music always inspires my choreography," she said. "It is the palette with which I paint characters, situations and moods. 'Beauty and the Beast' has humor, danger, love and adventure. I have an idea for each character and event, but until I hear the music I don't have a sense of how they should tell their part of the story through dance."
Because the production is based on a popular film, Waisman said she believes it will be a good way to introduce children to ballet.
"This is a wonderful show for young people on so many levels," she said. "It has colorful, lively characters and a story that is easy to follow. The costumes and sets make the story come alive in a way that film cannot always manage. The dancers are right there in front of you telling the story. An artist always hopes that those exposed to the art will come away with a lasting appreciation of it."
Waisman said she chose her best and brightest dancers for this production.
"Our lead dancers are either trained in Russian ballet or homegrown in Russian classical technique," Waisman said. "Vitaliy Nechay, who plays the beast and prince, was a soloist with the Kiev National Theater of Ballet and is currently a principal with California Ballet. I have trained some of our lead dancers since they were 9 years old. Alexus Hill, who plays Belle, will be studying with Ballet Austin (in Texas) this summer.
"I want everyone to love ballet because it is my passion, but how do you convey that on stage," Waisman said. "I teach all my dancers that we are always telling a story through the music, their movement and their expression. My hope is that audiences will realize they can enjoy a story just as much through dance as they can through a movie or a book and, naturally, if any young people suddenly decide they want to be dancers, too, so much the better for the art."
Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" ballet
-- When: 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday; 1 and 4 p.m. Sunday
-- Where: Old Town Temecula Community Theater, 42051 Main St., Temecula
-- Tickets: $18-$25
-- Info: 866-653-8696
-- Web: http://tickets.temeculatheater.org/


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An employee of mine is about to graduate from college, he is 19 years old I believe. We were talking yesterday about history, both world and American, and he expressed how little he knew. I shook my head and said "its tragic to me that your generation can use practically any technology based device placed into your hands, but you have no idea how to think or reason and have little to no knowledge of history." Even more tragic is that I have spoken to many people around his age and many have no interest in history, but they explain why, as my employee did.
"My generation got screwed man. No child left behind, created by Bush, basically screwed us out of learning anything in school. Everything was about practicing for some stupid tests, that if we didn't do good on the school was punished with less funding. Think about that, we did poorly, meaning we needed more help, and the no child left behind would cut funding so that we had less help. They also cut any classes that actually kept any of us interested, history being one of them, all history. Given that I sort of checked out, as did almost all of my classmates."
My niece said the same thing – she went to high school in Florida.
"My school was incredibly violent and the teachers and staff did nothing, and really, none of the students blamed them. Why would they? The administration wouldn't back them, and blamed them every chance they had. None of my friends cared, and most of them ended up dropping out."
She dropped out as well. She went to a private adult school and got her diploma in like 6 months or so. Think that one through. The thing that kills me is that in her generation the rate of high school dropouts has exploded. I wonder why. Maybe because the no child left behind left everyone behind in things that mattered. Congratulations Bush on another job well done – you have managed to deliver into the world the most helpless generation to date, and they know it, and they aren't happy about it.


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Any confusion you experience has within it the essence of wisdom automatically. So as soon as you detect confusion, it is the beginning of some kind of message. At least you are able to see your confusion, which is very hard. Ordinarily people do not see their confusion at all, so by recognizing your confusion, you are already at quite an advanced level. So you shouldn't feel bad about that; you should feel good about it.
Chögyam Trungpa
from the book The Bodhisattva Path of Wisdom and Compassion: The Profound Treasury of the Ocean of Dharma, Volume Two
source: http://shambhalasun.com/sunspace/?p=30965
Read a random quote or see all quotes by Chögyam Trungpa.
Further quotes from the book The Bodhisattva Path of Wisdom and Compassion:
- Facing the facts of life
- The sense of workability
- Who is speaking
- Love is utterly kind
- Relative truth
- A taste of enlightenment
- Living up to your inheritance
- To work for others, you need composure
- Saddles, chairs, and green grass
- Putting others first
- An immense sense of freedom
- Just keep opening and unfolding
- Passionlessness
- Compassion and egolessness go hand in hand
- The utterly visionary quality of love
- Great Compassion is the Source of Great Genuineness


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|91 m²
|Tipo de imóvel
|Estadia Mínima
|2 - 7 noites
Cancun Vacation Condo Rental, Cancun "a jóia da coroa do Caribe '! Praias de areia branca, cristal do aqua claro mar azul! Se você está planejando sua primeira viagem ou uma visita de retorno, este Condomínio Ocean View townhouse 2Bd localizado no coração da 'zona do hotel' Cancun's pode ser apenas o que você está procurando!
A resposta perfeita para suas férias de sonho em Cancun não importa o tamanho do seu partido é. O nível dois estilo townhouse condomínio tem uma entrada do andar térreo, um quarto principal grande com 2 camas queen size, um ½ banheiro privativo e TV a cabo. Há também uma casa de banho completa com acesso comum. No andar de cima há um outro quarto de hóspedes com uma cama queen-size, uma área de cozinha / sala de jantar, uma sala de estar com um sofá-cama de casal, televisão por cabo e um terraço com vista para o mar completa com mobiliário. Perfeito para jantar fora, desfrutando de uma sua bebida favorita ou simplesmente relaxar.
O condomínio ea propriedade .: A unidade pode acomodar até seis adultos confortavelmente.
A cozinha é completa com um tamanho total geladeira, fogão / forno, microondas, cafeteira, liquidificador, torradeira, panelas, panelas, pratos e utensílios correspondentes para seis pessoas. O condomínio tem piso de mármore, ar condicionado central, telefone com discagem direta, um ferro e tábua, ventiladores de teto, toalhas e lençóis e 2 televisões com cabo que têm Inglês e filmes espanhóis e canais de notícias. Tudo que você precisa em sua casa longe de casa!
Amenidades: O condomínio está localizado em Villas Marlin, uma propriedade de propriedade privada com acesso controlado para os proprietários e hóspedes de apenas proprietários! O complexo dispõe de 3 áreas de piscina com abundância de cadeiras, um snack-bar aquático, segurança 24 horas, quadra de tênis, estacionamento privativo fora da rua, um mini-mercado, praias de areia branca de largura e um cofre para a natação ondas suaves. O acesso à internet sem fio incluído.
A nossa excelente localização!: Direito na frente de Villas Marlin é Plaza Kukulkan, maior e mais novo shopping center coberto de Cancun e apenas a poucos minutos a pé até a avenida é La Isla Mall, o mais novo centro de compras ao ar livre em Cancun. A maioria das ilhas principais atrações da área são apenas alguns minutos de ônibus, táxi ou carro. Não poderia ser mais conveniente!
Área: Villas Marlin, que foi recentemente renovado por completo, incluindo três novas piscinas de frente para o mar após o furacão Wilma está convenientemente localizado na praia à direita no coração da 'zona do hotel' Cancun's perto de todas as áreas principais atrações. Desportos aquáticos de todos os tipos, de pesca, campos de golfe panorâmicos, discotecas, entretenimento, restaurantes de classe mundial, bailados folclóricos Loric, centros comerciais, parques aquáticos e mercados de pulgas são apenas alguns minutos de táxi ou de ônibus. Visite antigas ruínas maias, passeios na selva experiência emocionante, nadar com golfinhos ou mergulhar recifes de corais vivos. Ou apenas relaxar e aproveitar o clima perfeito durante todo o ano.
Tudo o que você poderia desejar para as férias perfeitas está bem aqui em Cancun!
We really enjoyed this apartment, the location was just perfect for us, walking distance from main shopping malls in cancun (plaza kukulcan and plaza la isla), the interior of the apartment was very convenient for what we needed, we used to go to the beach for a while and then enjoy the swimming pool, very quite place to be with the family. The owners are very nice !!
Great location! The condo has everything you need. No problems at all. We will return and stay here again. It has a great view of the ocean, Landy the housekeeper was great as well. FrankJohn was great to deal with. You get what you see. The grounds were clean and staff friendly. Beautiful beach cleans pools peaceful and relaxing our 2 young boys loved it.
We had a very nice stay in Cancun, the trip was a last minute decision, and we booked the condo the day before arriving.
The location is central, you should have no problems even without a car, the view of the ocean is fantastic, and it was quiet enough there, which is what we wanted, and were not confident we would find in a hotel. Jacky was trusting, accepting our reservation without securing payment with a credit card ahead of time, and also trustworthy, getting us the key without any hassle or waiting.
There are some comments about hard mattresses, but we felt they were just firm and it was just fine.
Also, this place is cheaper than other rentals in the same condo building, b/c it has not been renovated recently and the TVs are old etc. Overall, we think this place is a great value.
The last advantage of this place is being right next to the Kukulcan plaza mall where you can find some dining/shopping options and a grocery store.
The place felt like home away from home. It felt good to relax on a sofa, have a kitchen and very nice bathrooms. It was tastefully decorated, conveniently located and damn relaxing. It's conveniently located to get to any place in Cancun and beyond.
We took the bus to Walmart to get our provisions and took a taxi back the first time. Walmart has a McDonalds, Chinese fast food and pizza place. We had breakfast one time and lunch another time in this food court. There were some items that were cheaper than in the States and items more expensive.
We have done the A/I resorts and this was better. We didn't have to line up for meals and be there at certain times, there wasn't music blaring everywhere like the Hard Rock. I didn't have to get up at 5:00am to get a cabana. It was sheer relaxation.
The building itself is in good condition and some touch up needed here and there but that's how it goes in the tropics. The guards were friendly and courteous.
The wife made breakfast in the morning and I made the drinks the rest of the day. We got beer and three bottles of Pina Colada prepared, just added crushed ice and a Margarita bottle. When we ran out of beer just went a block (short block) away to OXXO to get more.
We are already planning for next year. This is the kind of vacation we love and this unit is the place to spend it.
The owner was helpful and responded to our requests without delay. We made two and there were not problems. Thanks Mike.
We love to stay at little getaways like this instead of large, chain units! We chose this specific place because it was oceanfront, had pools and beach access we knew our 6 year old would love, and a kitchen where we could do our own cooking! The owner was very responsive from the initial contact through to our arrival. This place definitely had more pros than cons...but there were a few things that kept if from a full 5 star rating.
PROS: Prior to arrival we arranged to use the car service recommended by the
owner(Cancun Transfers). They deserve their own review. Suffice to say here they were affordable, friendly and on time and made airport/villa transport a breeze! Once we arrived the first thing we noticed is the view from the condo is absolutely spectacular. Pictures really don't do it justice. It truly is a matter of 2 sets of stairs and you are at a pristine white sand beach with three different pool areas to choose from. The location is perfect! There is a shopping mall right across the street as well as a little market attached to the condo complex for incidentals and last minute purchases. Part of why we chose this condo was because it had a full kitchen. The bus system was very easy to navigate and we went to Walmart for groceries. They have big green tote bags at the checkout for $1/each and these were a life saver. We easily fit all of our groceries into two of these bags instead of having 10-12 separate small bags to try to carry. Two gems we found close by were Tacun...an outdoor inexpensive eatery up the road. YUMMY. And right across the street is La Europea. Great place to watch the sunset. (See trip advisor for more details about both).
CONS: The beds are not comfortable. In fact, I slept on the futon with my son most nights. There were no linens provided for the futon so we stole from the other beds (which was fine since there were only 3 of us). I did reach out to the owner the first day about extra linens and to let him know the coffee maker was not working at full strength, but I never heard back from him. Disappointing since he had been so communicative up to our arrival. Kitchen was stocked with dishes but not other essentials like cleaning supplies, broom, dish soap, paper towel, kitchen towels, etc. I ended up stealing a bath towel to use as a potholder and clean up towel. The logic I guess is that the housekeeper comes 3X week but that does not help on the alternate days. Finally, none of the "hot tubs" were hot!
We stayed in July 2012. Great location. Beach view from upstairs. Had a great time at a great price. Thanks again!
Nosso condomínio está convenientemente localizado no coração da zona hoteleira de Cancún perto pela maioria das principais atracções da área. Muitos estão a curta distância. Autocarros urbanos e táxis passam constantemente por bem em frente na avenida principal.
|Validade da Tarifa
|por noite
|Noite (fim de semana)
|por semana
|por mês
|Pacote ou Evento
dez 22 2018 - jan 5 2019
Estadia mínima: 7 noite(s)
Tarifa Básica
Estadia mínima: 2 noite(s)
$ 89.00 us to $119 us nightly, Rates include taxes, complete housekeeping every other day.
Reservations for the Xmas and New Years weeks are accepted on a 'Sunday-Sunday weekly basis' only.
Reservations during Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall seasons accepted on an any day arrival/departure basis.
Rates include all taxes and complete housekeeping every other day and free wireless internet access..


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Environmental Protection and Waste Management.
– waste can be recycled and turned into organic fertilizer, vermiculture and larvae for fish food. and other useful resource.
Opportunities with NGOs in urban waste management. Collaborate and share expertise and environmental solutions.
– using natural ecosystems and simplicity to recycle urban waste, clean water and air. Part of the"Green Bangkok" Initiative.
Turning waste into new resources for resale.
Food waste from hospitality industry processing and composting
Management of solid vegetable and food waste treatment and disposal
Wastewater cleaning using bio-systems for pollution


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Maddie enlists in the army. What has she got to lose? Her brothers best friend beats her up, her mom doesn't care about what she does, her dad is recorded as MIA, and her brother is planning to get married. Why not join the military? Why not prove the records wrong and find out that her dad is still alive? Why not look Death in the eye and laugh? Why not live to tell the tale yourself? This is the story of a girl with nothing to lose, but it turns out just the opposite...
- inspiring
- military
- potential
- recommended
- suspenseful
liptongurl06 Jul 02, 2015
since everyone else is ragging on you. I'll say it's cool. it was a simple mistake and we all know what you meant
_Mrs_Cookie_Monster_ Dec 13, 2014
Freshman = 9th grade Sophomore = 10th Grade Junior = 11th Grade Senior = 12th Grade They would only be one grade older, and either way why would it mean they are juniors, what if they were seniors, or freshmen? We have no backstory so you can't say stuff like, 'which means...'


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A gorgeous, delectable Ramps and Cherry Tomato Pie that makes you savor the fleeting Spring flavors of Ramps, before they disappear! Try this recipe and find out for yourself why foodies are so ga-ga over Ramps!
Have you discovered Ramps yet, people? I hadn't until about a year ago and then I heard of it on some Danish show. It's called Ramsløg here and foragers are big on finding it in forests for a fleeting period in the spring.
If you know me, you know the extent of my foraging is going to the lake next door to collect extra elderflowers to make cordial in the summer 😀 So when organic wild ramps leaves showed up in my supermarket this week, I simply had to get home a pack!
Ramps belong to the garlic-onion (Allium) family and the leaves have a distinct garlic taste. If you are a fan of garlic, you will love ramps! When sautéed in a bit of olive oil, they are reminiscent of spinach stir-fried with garlic; so delicious!
A lot of foodie sites like Bon Appetit and Saveur are ga-ga over them and now I know why! And before they disappear, I need to try them in a few more dishes. I wonder if it is their brevity that makes them so alluring?
With the pack of ramp leaves, I made this fetching pie and it was delectable! I added spring onions and cherry tomatoes for added bulk and flavor and it was a perfect spring-day lunch.
I made the pie with store-bought shortcrust pastry and in my flea market cast iron pan. Note to self, using a pan with a wooden handle in the oven is probably not a good idea 😀
Back to the pie though, the filling couldn't be simpler: eggs, milk and two types of cheese, Havarti and Cheddar. A divine combination with those garlicky ramps sautéed in a bit of olive oil! Brilliant!!
My friend Sonal who blogs at Simply Vegetarian 777 is planning a collective with the theme of 'Semi-Homemade' goodies and I think this pie is a great fit. Quick to make, few ingredients and perfect for picnics and potlucks!
A slice or 2 of this pie with a side salad and you have lunch sorted! You could also make these into lovely little bite-sized tartlets for entertaining.
What do you guys think of ramps? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Don't know what the fuss is all about? Would love to know your favorite ramps recipes!
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- 1 store-bought ready-to-bake Shortcrust Pastry sheet
- 3 Eggs
- 150 ml Milk
- 50 grams grated Cheddar
- 50 grams grated Havarti (substitute with Cheddar if not available)
- 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
- 1 bunch Ramps
- 2 Spring Onions
- 10-12 Cherry Tomatoes
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 190 C.
- Line your pie pan with the store-bought pastry sheet. Prick all over with a fork and keep aside.
- Chop the ramps and spring onions.
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and saute the ramps and spring onions till slightly wilted. Keep aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl beat together the eggs and milk till well combined.
- Add the grated cheese and season with salt and pepper. Keep aside.
- Spread the ramps and spring onions all over the pie pan lined with pastry.
- Top with the milk, egg and cheese mixture.
- Halve the cherry tomatoes and place into the pie pan.
- Place pan into pre-heated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is set.
- Take out of the oven, cool a bit, cut slices and serve!
Pin this Recipe:
Sharing these delights at Angie's Fiesta Friday with this week's co-hosts Julie @ Hostess At Heart and Ashley @ Too Zesty, at Throwback Thursday and at Saucy Saturdays with Dini, Jennifer, Swayam and Christine.


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The New Kendeja, Symbol of a New Liberia
By Abdoulaye W. Dukule
The event was full of symbolism. The site where the 5-star hotel now stands once housed the National Cultural Troop of Liberia that President William V. S. Tubman, grand father of Barkue, created in the early 1960s, to serve as a reservoir of national culture. It became a symbol of Liberian nation tapestry, melting in one pot traditions from every parts of the country. Young men and women came from remote villages to learn and practice many aspects of a culture that was being ghastly swallowed by modernism. The kids went to school and graduated from high school just any other child of the country, with the added advantage of having lived in a cultural environment where they learned to dance, sing, and practice many cultural acts that their peers were oblivious to.
For forty years, Kendeja became a repository of national cultural theory and practice until the 1989 war brought an abrupt end to all things. Like everything else, Kendeja fell into pieces. The artists fled, when they escaped the bullets of child soldiers. The children scattered in refugee camps in the region. Some of the dancers found their way to the US and became rolling entertaining troops for exiled Liberian communities. The center slowly fell into total disrepair. In 2004, we spent a week on the grounds filming a documentary. When we asked Boima, the director of the center at the time to bring in dancers and drummers for a performance, it took him three days to assemble enough people for the occasion. They were all scattered around the city, doing various things.
According to Boima, who was among the first group of youngsters to be brought in the center in 1965, the center had turned into a displaced camp during the war, with more than 15,000 people living in quarters built to accommodate a few hundreds. In the process, everything was looted, broken down and carried away. Lands around the camp were taken over by squatters who built mansions and could not be ejected. According to him, it would have been much easier to build a new modern center than try to revive the old one where he grew up. The same could be said about many structures. It would probably be easier and cost effective to build another Ducor Hotel than revive the old one. Of course, nostalgia can be costly…
When the current government decided to allow Robert L. Johnson to acquire Kendeja and build a new hotel, there was an outcry from many quarters. We found ourselves somehow ambivalent on the issue. Why specifically Kendeja and that site? Why not give Mr. Johnson a piece of land somewhere on the hundreds of miles of pristine of beach land of the nation? If he were providing $400,000 for the building of a new cultural center, why not use that money to renovate the old center and let him build something in Marshall? Why sell something that has such a national symbolic value?
The answer was economics. As anyone visiting the area can see now, more than half of the land that had been set aside for a cultural village has been encroached upon. Buying from dubious landowners during the years of instability, many people have built strong structures. Removing them and bulldozing their mansions would have taken more resources and time than it would to build a hotel on the remaining portion and provide the cultural center with a new space, away from squatters.
So it happened. Robert L. Johnson was given the right to build his hotel. There may have been a lack of candid information to the public on the part of government. Given the high level of attention given to the issue, the government should have made available to the public every aspect and step of the transfer of land, the new construction project and pay special attention with some sense of emergency to the plight of the artists and their children who were being removed. This institutional negligence forced the inhabitants of Kendeja to undertake disruptive actions before their plight could be taken into consideration. Government may have done its homework in one way finding investors, finding new land, finding new money and all but it failed where it mattered most: keep the public informed of what is attaining.
Robert L. Johnson who founded the first major Black entertainment television station in the US history is a known quantity in his country. He has the ability to change the image of Liberia in America just as he contributed in changing the image of Black entrepreneurship not only in the US but around the world. He has the naiveté and dedication of pioneers, who see every problem as a new stepping stone to forge forward. He can be that partner in America that Liberia has almost never had. During remarks at the opening ceremony, he said that he would endeavor to make sure that African-Americans establish with Liberia the same relationship Jews have with Israel. Can he? Would he? Will Liberians help him do it? It is a golden and historical opportunity to seize.
The inaugural ceremony was symbolic in many other ways. It brought to the front the big change that has gone on in Liberia and the challenges the country faces as it moves forward. Young dancers of the Kendeja cultural troop, after performing breathtaking moves, started to introduce themselves to the audience. An 11 year old girl said she wanted to be president of the republic when she grows up. Why not? "Ma Ellen," her inspiration, was there sitting just a few feet away. Then came a tall, lanky young man who said he was 17 and was still in 5th grade. This dichotomy describes where the nation stands: the lingering challenges of the past and the hopes of the future. The dichotomy was not lost to President Sirleaf who cited the case of the young man as symbolic of the challenges facing the country and the problems many young people encountered in growing up during the years of war and instability.
The RLJ-KENDEJA-Resort & Villas is a first class hotel, like the ones in the Bahamas, Cannes or Tahiti. It has everything that the sophisticated international traveler or tourist looks for. Couched a few feet away from the Atlantic, with bungalows style rooms and apartments, it reflects what first class hospitality is supposed to be. The dancing stage, the bar and the swimming pool, all take us back to those places that we once in a while see in movies or in travel brochures. It is a great investment in a country that, just five years ago, was the poster child of failed statehood. May it serve as an attraction to business people and tourists, as a haven to our brothers and sisters of America looking for a foot hole on the continent.
Soon, may be, Bob Johnson will bring his friends and brothers of the African-American middle class on our shores, to spend some quality time and some money, and showcase this piece of American culture in Africa. We are talking about the Magic Johnsons, the Condoleezza Rice, the artists that Bob knows in numbers, the Bill Cosbys and the Michael Jordans. May be he can bring Oprah Winfrey around to be proud of and embrace her Liberian ancestry according to DNA tests. And may be, we could make that one historical movie that tells the story of Liberia, an American Enterprise on the African continent.
The cultural center that government promised to build will some day become a reality, sooner than later. An editorialist asked why the hotel was completed and the cultural center has yet to merge out of the ground. That is because government is not always as efficient as private capital.
As the new Liberia takes shape, nostalgia will have to give way to progress. The old Kendeja will become a multi-million dollar resort. The old UL would become the old campus, the old Executive Mansion a museum of presidential history. Nostalgia and progress don't always go hand-in-hand. To embrace progress, Liberians will have to be less nostalgic.
The RLJ-KENDEJA-Resort & Villas points to a new direction for Liberia. More than a hotel, it is the symbol of things to come, if Liberians open their minds and hearts to progress. Of course, they will not have to lose their souls in the process.


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CodePlexProject Hosting for Open Source Software
Hi everyone,
I need to develop a device communication log for openPDC.
This log should contain info like the timestamp of when the current communication session was established/terminated.
A copy of the frames that were transmitted during the communication session. And other things...
Where would be the best place to implement it?
I was thinking of TVA.PhasorProtocols.PhasorMeasurementMapper.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
If it is a log for phasor devices only, then this this would certainly be the source of the data.
However, my suggestion would be that you build an adapter, perhaps inherited from FacileActionAdapterBase that doesn't need to process any menasurements, that would handle the logging since any adapter can access other adapters (via parent collections).
Your adpater would then filter the input adapter collection to the phasor devices (i.e., each input adapter that is of type 'PhasorMeasurementMapper') and query the needed phasor measurement mapper properties. It might be necessary to add a few properties
to phasor measurement mapper to complete your task.
Look at the TVA.PhasorProtocols.CommonPhasorServices statistics handler that accesses the PhasorMeasurementMapper's in much the same way...
Hi Ritchie,
I'll check how it is done in TVA.PhasorProtocols.CommonPhasorServices and consider building an adapter.
Are you sure you want to delete this post? You will not be able to recover it later.
Are you sure you want to delete this thread? You will not be able to recover it later.


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What brand of ___ do you use?
See my Brand Recommendations page.
What's the difference between steel cut and…?
Oats come in many forms. Here's a rundown of all the oats I use on this blog:
Rolled/Old-Fashioned: [pictured below] These are the "standard" that most people use to make oatmeal, at least in the United States. They take approximately 5-8 minutes to cook, and they create a pleasant texture that's more flakey than instant oats but less chewy than steel-cut. Notice the flakey look of the rolled oats in this granola:
Quick: Quick oats look similar to rolled oats, but they have been ground down more, so they cook in about 1-2 minutes. They differ slightly from "instant" oats, which is generally synonymous with the oatmeal that comes in packets and is practically a powder. However, sometimes the terms are used interchangeably!
Oat Flour: [pictured below] This is oats that have been ground down to a flour. It can be used to make a very creamy oatmeal (kind of like polenta) or in place of flour in baked goods. However, oat flour creates a very dense product and is rarely used as the sole flour in a bread, cookie, etc. You can buy oat flour, but it's much cheaper to make it yourself by processing quick or rolled oats in a blender or food processor.
Steel Cut: [pictured below] These differ drastically from quick and rolled oats because they don't appear as flakes. They look like little pinheads and take approximately 20 minutes to prepare. Despite their chunky appearance, after simmering for nearly half an hour, they take on a surprisingly creamy–yet chewy–texture.
Quick-Cook Steel Cut: [pictured below] These are a favorite of mine! They look similar to steel cut but have been ground down a little more, just enough so that it has a similar "chew" to steel cut oats, but it cooks in only 5 minutes. I worship this cut of oats because it makes some incredibly creamy porridge!
What do I do if I want to make a recipe but don't have the type of oats it calls for?
If you are making substitutions, remember that quick and rolled/old-fashioned oats use 1/2 cup oats for every 1 cup liquid, and steel cut and quick-cook steel cut use 1/4 cup oats for every 3/4 cup liquid.
Example: If you are making a recipe that calls for quick-cook steel cut oats and you only have old-fashioned oats, increase the liquid to 1 cup milk of choice and 1/2 a cup of oats. Alternatively, if you want to use quick-cook steel cut oats but the recipe calls for rolled oats, reduce the liquid to 3/4 cup milk of choice and the oats to 1/4 cup.
Recipes using steel cut oats generally make more than a single serving. Generally, the recipe will call for 1 cup steel cut oats and 4 cups liquid. To substitute rolled oats, use 2 cups rolled oats and 4 cups liquid, and reduce the cooking time to 5-8 minutes.
Flax and Chia?
I always mark this as optional in my recipes, and I imagine most people take me up on the offer to forego it. Flax has a wonderful nutty taste that is especially wonderful in porridge with cinnamon and other earthy flavors (e.g. Apple Cinnamon). I use milled flax, flax seeds, or a mixture of the two! Chia seeds are insanely nutritious and help oatmeal gel together, so it's really great for overnight oatmeal or recipes that aren't naturally creamy. Sometimes, I use chia seeds instead of flax. However, flax is about 10,000 times cheaper than chia, so I generally stick to flax. 🙂
Why do you use half-water in your recipes?
I once saw a European comment on a food blog once about how strange Americans are for cooking their oats in water. She viewed this as evidence of our self-hatred. This made me laugh (and think), but here's the thing: almond milk is expensive! By mixing it with half water, I can essentially double my supply. Plus, almond milk (and most nondairy milks) is pretty thick, so watering it down isn't a problem. Feel free to just use more milk whenever I list water in the recipe.
Why do you sometimes use half the fruit, and what do you do with the rest?
Well, if you haven't learned by now, I'm really cheap. Because I've committed to more expensive higher quality food, I've had to save money in other ways–watering down my almond milk, buying overripe bananas in bulk, and only using half a fruit at a time. For bananas, I slice up the remainder and add it to a bag in the freezer, which I use later to make banana soft serve. For apples and grapefruit, I store the other half in a Glad container in the fridge. The next morning, I have another half an apple waiting for me! You might be thinking, "But apples brown when you cut them!!" Relax. They work great for oatmeal. You're just cooking them again, anyway! And they don't actually brown that much, in my experience.
Not convinced? Go ahead and use the full fruit. 🙂
Why do you add "another splash of milk" at the end of your recipes?
Splashing some milk over your finished oatmeal serves three purposes: it cools it down so you can eat it without burning yourself, adds one more source of creaminess and milky flavor, and moistens it up again, especially if you accidentally overcooked your oats. From an aesthetic perspective, it also makes your breakfast look more appealing. 🙂 So don't skip the splash!
Why do you avoid sugar in your recipes?
Sugar is for ninnies. I "quit" instant flavored oatmeal because of the sugar content (and artificial flavors), so white, refined sugar is one thing I never add to my porridge. Occasionally, I'll add maple syrup, but that's more for its flavor than its sweetness. If you're not hardcore like me, feel free to add some sugar, but please, for the love of Michael Buble, do not use Splenda on any of my recipes–nothing would sadden me more!
What do you have against artificial sweeteners?
Great question! Read more here.
How do I make more than a single serving?
For most stove-top recipes, this simply requires you to double/triple/quadruple/etc. everything except the fruit. For example, if the single recipe asks for one banana, you don't need to use four bananas to make four servings. Usually two will do the trick. Baked recipes are a little more complicated. Start with an 8×8 pan, multiply everything by 4 (except the fruit, which you should just double), but don't add all the liquid at once. Add it little by little until it reaches the right consistency. Increase the baking time to 25-30 minutes.
I recognize that's vague. Feel free to ask for advice on doubling/tripling/etc. specific recipes in the comments section of that post.
What brand of bakeware do you use and what size are they?
My white ramekin is 6 oz. I don't know what brand it is; I bought it at a standard kitchen store.
My other ramekins are all Le Creuset. The first red one is called a "Petite Casserole" dish, but now they are called "Mini Round Cocottes." [pictured below] Regardless, it's wonderful. 🙂 The website does not list its capacity, but it generally holds the same as the 7 oz. Stackable Ramekin.
The next Le Creuset I use is a blue "Stackable Ramekin." [pictured below] The official website lists it as being 7 oz.
Finally, my last Le Creuset is a red "Heritage Petite Pie Dish." This makes great oatmeal, but I don't love how it looks in pictures, so I tend to use it less often. [pictured below]
I also use this "soup mug" thing [pictured below]. I can't remember what brand it is or how big it is, but you can seriously find this anywhere.
When baking multiple servings of oatmeal, I use an embarrassingly cheap and standard 8×8 brownie pan. I bought it from ShopRite the day after I moved to New Jersey so I would have something to bake my Peanut Butter and Banana Baked Oatmeal. It hasn't done me wrong yet!
Any other bakeware you've seen are typically dishes I borrowed from other people. For example, many of my mom's ramekins have featured in photos I've taken at her house.
For stovetop oatmeal, I tend to use rice bowls and dip bowls for pictures as they tend to look prettier than oversized cereal bowls.
Who is Allison? Why do you talk about her all the time?
Allison is a former roommate of mine and a close friend 4 lyfe. Check out her cookie recipe!
What is "The List?"
I keep a checklist of recipe ideas on my iPhone. I started it when I started the blog in April 2012 and it's been growing ever since. I like to show it to people when they ask me questions like, "Do you think you'll ever run out of ideas?" or "Is it hard coming up with new recipes?" It helps them get a sense of how crazy I am about porridge.
About Lauren Smith
Lauren is a herbivore, Slytherin, and connoisseur of oats. She is a former teacher who is currently studying to earn a master's degree in curriculum development. You can follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.
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Our Artists
John Crawford
Based in Westport, Crawford has a long history as a ceramic artist, and was a key figure in developing the New Zealand ceramic milieu. His drawing practice is intimately connected with his ceramic practice, both reflecting imagery drawn from his daily life.
Some recent shows:
1999 Galerie b15 Neue Keramiks Munich third solo show with this gallery
2003 Form Gallery Christchurch - solo show
2004 Memory Dream and Impulse ceramics show Page One Tower 101 Taipei and Hong Kong
2005 Studio of Contemporary Art - Between Impulse and Memory - new drawings and ceramics Auckland NZ
2006 Koru-HK Earth, Sea, Sky drawings and ceramics in Hong Kong.
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July 6, 2010 at 3:04 pm #99518
I should just add that I would strongly advise anyone against investing in Brazilian property. I seriously looked at this a couple of years ago as well. Whilst the country is beautiful and the returns are currently fantastic it is pretty well impossible for an individual to get any money back out of the country.


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DDB Tech Hits ESPN With Patent Suit Over GameCast
ESPN provides game simulation products that "embody the inventions set forth" in DDB's patents, despite being aware of the patents' existence, according to a complaint filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
Representatives for the cable network could not be reached for comment Friday.
ESPN began providing its...
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Hello everyone,
I am looking for your favorite baked fish recipes. I am trying to help my husband lose weight so it can't have very much butter or anything rich. I need flavor, flavor, flavor! I had tried a baked sole dish, but the only good thing about it was the sauce. We found the fish tasteless.
Thank you for your replies.


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SU Men's Summer Soccer Camps
The SU Men's Summer Soccer Camp registration is now open. SU faculty and staff are eligible to receive a $20 discount on admission. The SU Boys Soccer Camp for boys ages 10-19 will be held July 17-21. Residential and commuter options are available. The Jr. Orange Soccer Camp for boys and girls ages 6-12 will be held July 18-21. Half day and full day options are available.
To gain more information or to register please visit http://www.susoccercamps.com.
Contact Person: Mike Miller
Assistant Men's Soccer Coach


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Well like everyone else, we have been enjoying the summer, and so we have not had a recent post. But we are now are back with some comments on the latest media distortion. As usual this concerns Pope Francis. The media and the cultural left ( but I repeat myself) are constantly pursuing a narrative that Pope Francis somehow regards abortion as a "hot button " issue he would prefer to avoid. The latest occasion of this fiction are recent reports outlining the Pope's visit to a cemetery for unborn children in South Korea. While to be sure most media outlets reported that the Pope in fact visited the cemetery for the unborn (itself a statement about the humanity of the unborn) the reports note that he has not spoken about this abortion very much and in fact would like to sort of deemphasize this particular teaching . An example of this can be seen in the AP news wire report which you can read at this site .
I would make 3 comments:
First on some level it is good that the AP reports this at all, so be thankful for small favors.
Second it is manifestly wrong that the Pope has preferred to avoid talking about abortion. In fact he has mentioned in at least as many times as the two previous Popes. We have pointed this out before but we will do so again: Specifically he discussed it in his apostolic exhortation Evangeli Gaudium where he said:
"Among the vulnerable for whom the Church wishes to care with particular love and concern are unborn children, the most defenseless and innocent among us. Nowadays efforts are made to deny them their human dignity and to do with them whatever one pleases, taking their lives and passing laws preventing anyone from standing in the way of this. Frequently, as a way of ridiculing the Church's effort to defend their lives, attempts are made to present her position as ideological, obscurantist and conservative. Yet this defense of unborn life is closely linked to the defense of each and every other human right. It involves the conviction that a human being is always sacred and inviolable, in any situation and at every stage of development."
He mentioned it as well in an April 11th Papal audience when he said:
"One of the gravest risks our epoch faces, amid the opportunities offered by a market equipped with every technological innovation, is the divorce between economics and morality, the basic ethical norms of human nature are increasingly neglected. It is therefore necessary to express the strongest possible opposition to every direct attack on life, especially against the innocent and defenseless, and the unborn in a mother's womb is the example of innocence par excellence. Let us remember the words of the Second Vatican Council: "Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes" (Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, n. 51)
You can read the whole thing at this site here.
I could go on, He expressed support for the March for Life in the United States as well which you can read about here .
He met with the Italian Pro-lIfe Marchers during their March which is reported here.
It should be pretty clear that the Catholic Church regards abortion not as a "hot button issue" but as a heinous moral crime. I dare say this is not even controversial among practicing Catholics.
One wonders why the media keeps making this mistake. (Or persists in this lie, which perhaps is a less charitable but more likely characterization). Aside from the misguided notion that the Church will somehow change its teaching, I think there is an ongoing confusion that abortion is wrong in the same way that sins against chastity are wrong, that it is somehow like contraception, or opposition to " gay marriage" etc. I would suggest we disabuse the left of this notion. Abortion is linked to sex only in so far as sexual immorality may be a cause for unwanted pregnancy and therefore provides a context for the sin to occur, but abortion is not a "sex" sin. It is rather a sin against justice, it is murder. The Church opposes it because reason dictates that a human in utero has the same value as one ex utero and that it is an offense against justice to kill them. It is wrong to kill an 80 year old, a 50 year old, a teenager, and infant and an infant in utero. It is really that simple. This teaching will not change ever. It will be proclaimed vigorously until the second coming.
Occasionally we will disagree with the Pope on technical issues of economic, but we should all remember economic issues are mostly about "how" to solve the problem of scarcity, that the world has unlimited wants but limited material goods. How to balance these wants with the actual availability of material goods is mostly a technical question like how to cure lung cancer. Catholics may disagree about technical aspects of this question so long as we agree on the principles that material goods are far less important than spiritual ones, and we have a moral duty to help the poor. We can divide into "liberal economists" and conservative economists and all remain loyal to the Church. Abortion is not like this. If you are for the murder of legal murder of unborn children you are advocating an abdominal crime according to this Pope an every Pope.
Let us pray for the souls of those who do not yet understand this, particularly those in the media.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!


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but my family says that I should date a black guy because they feel I wouldn't fit in white people but my thing is when I'm with black guys I'm torn between worlds I don't know what to do because a new guy has come to my school and he seems interested but my family doesn't approve I don't know what to do
Most Helpful Guy
Huh? What's up wid dat? I'm a white guy, and I prefer to date black women. I'm also one, of two, white guys in my church of over 300. I have never heard anything so silly in my life (a long life at that). What difference could it possibly make. Find someone that loves you back as much as you love him, and who cares what color he is. It's whatever works for you. If you have a preference, that's fine, but no one else can make that decision for you. Once you find a guy, and bring him home, everyone will get along fine. Guarantee it.00|00|0
Oh, and no cracks about my age! LOL
Ever since I read this question, that old Steve Martin movie, "The Jerk", keeps flashing to mind. lol