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For those of us who are not lucky to have 20/20 vision, yearly eye examinations are essential. To reduce the chances of squinting at your computer screen or the white board in class with blared vision, get your eyes tested while you're home. Stock up on your contact lens and get a new pair of glasses.
There are some things that are just better when they are from home. Stock up on either your family's homemade remedies or local products that you can take back with you to the United States. It's a little piece of comfort to help you feel better especially when you are away from home.


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In a new video from Bandai Namco, Soulcalibur VI Producer Motohiro Okubo and Team USA Olympic Bronze Medalist Fencer Miles Chamley-Watson go toe-to-toe with both real and digital swords.
Says Bandai Namco:
A hallmark of the Soulcalibur franchise has always been its focus on delivering cutting-edge gameplay featuring an array of handheld and bladed weapons. SoulCalibur VI is no different in this pursuit as it seeks to once again ascend the ranks and take its position as the premier weapons-based fighting game in the world.
Check it out:
Soulcalibur VI is slated for release on Oct. 19 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

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- Research
- Open Access
A method to estimate the efficiency of gene expression from an integrated retroviral vector
- Hoi Ping Mok1 and
- Andrew Lever1Email author
© Mok and Lever; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2006
- Received: 21 February 2006
- Accepted: 17 August 2006
- Published: 17 August 2006
Proviral gene expression is a critical step in the retroviral life cycle and an important determinant in the efficiency of retrovirus based gene therapy vectors. There is as yet no method described that can assess the efficiency of proviral gene expression while vigorously excluding the contribution from unstable species such as passively transferred plasmid and LTR circles. Here, we present a method that can achieve this.
Proviral gene expression was detected by the activity of the puromycin resistance gene encoded in the viral vector, and quantified by comparing the growth curve of the sample under puromycin selection to that of a series of calibration cultures. Reproducible estimates of the efficiency of proviral gene expression could be derived. We confirm that contamination from unstable species such as passively transferred plasmid used in viral vector production and unintegrated viral DNA can seriously confound estimates of the efficiency of transduction. This can be overcome using a PCR based on limiting dilution analysis.
A simple, low cost method was developed that should be useful in studying the biology of retroviruses and for the development of expression systems for retrovirus based gene therapy.
- Long Terminal Repeat
- Jurkat Cell
- Puromycin Selection
- Ampicillin Resistant Gene
- Tissue Culture Supernatant
Retroviruses include important human pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and human T cell leukaemia virus 1 (HTLV-1). One of the features of the retroviral life cycle is integration, where the viral genome is incorporated into that of the host. An integrated viral genome is termed a provirus. A retrovirus can complete its life cycle only if gene expression from the provirus occurs. Studying the efficiency of proviral gene expression can potentially yield insights into the biology of this important class of viruses. In addition, retroviruses are increasingly used as vehicles for transgene delivery in gene therapy [1]. Recently, gene therapy associated insertional oncogenesis in a clinical trial [2] and in experimental models of fetal gene transfer [3] highlighted the importance of assessing the expression efficiency of the therapeutic vectors employed. Information on the efficiency of retroviral vector expression can aid in determining the number of integrations necessary to produce a therapeutic effect, thus improving the accuracy of the risk assessment [4, 5], and limiting the dosage of vector used [6].
After infection, a retrovirus such as HIV reverse transcribes its RNA genome into double stranded cDNA. The cDNA has several possible fates. It can be integrated into the host genome, becoming a stable genetic element that can be passed onto daughter cells. Alternatively, it may circularise to a form bearing either one or two long terminal repeats (LTR). LTR circles are dead end products for the virus but soon after infection, they constitute the majority of the DNA species bearing the viral sequences [7]. LTR circles lack origins of replication and are diluted to extinction upon cell division. However, recent evidence suggest that they may be competent for gene expression [8–11]. Therefore in analysing the efficiency of proviral gene expression, methods must be devised which are able to distinguish between expression from a stably integrated provirus and from these unstable species.
The efficiency of proviral gene expression can be determined by quantifying the number of successfully transduced cells and the number of cells expressing the provirus. Viral titre is conventionally measured by examining the level of viral activity. Therefore a simple calculation of viral titre overlooks a population of cells that are successfully transduced but not expressing the virus. To address the proportion of successfully transduced cells, viral genetic elements have to be detected directly. Alu-PCR is a method that can detect the provirus but not other unstable viral DNA species [12]. It is based on the PCR amplification of an LTR and an Alu element in the host genome. However it is likely that the efficiency of Alu PCR varies with the distance between the provirus and the nearest Alu element in the host genome. Alternative methods may be needed to determine the proportion of successfully transduced cells.
The activities of non-selectable markers such as signals emitted by green fluorescent proteins (GFP) or luciferase are often used as proxies for measuring proviral gene expression. However, the levels of these signals do not necessarily correlate with proviral activity. We have previously demonstrated that the level of fluorescent signal arising from the incoming virus and from passively transduced GFP can be considerable [13]. In addition these signals can arise from the expression from unintegrated species. The latter can be excluded by using a selectable marker. To survive and proliferate in an antibiotic, a cell must express the appropriate antibiotic resistance gene, and pass the selectable marker onto daughter cells. Thus only gene expression from stably integrated provirus, but not unstable cDNA species, is included. However, the use of selectable marker is often limited by the on/off nature of the read out.
In this report, we present a simple method that can be used to estimate the efficiency of proviral gene expression in vitro. The proportion of cells that were successful infected and the fraction expressing a puromycin resistance gene encoded by the vector were separately determined. A method based on limiting dilution was used to determine the proportion of cells expressing the provirus. It required significant cell proliferation after dilution, thus ensuring that the signals detected arose from stable DNA species. Proviral gene expression was determined by assessing the proliferation of transduced cells in puromycin containing medium at a level toxic to untransduced cells.
An HIV-1 vector (HVP) with a LTR driven puromycin resistance reporter was utilised in this study. HVP is a plasmid that contains the proviral sequence based on the HIV-1 strain HXB2 (Genbank accession number: K03455). The provirus contains the packaging signal ψ, allowing the RNA produced to be packaged into the resultant vector in the producer cells. The provirus in HVP was inactivated by number of deletions: the viral gene pol was truncated, nef and part of env was deleted; nef being replaced by the puromycin resistance gene. In the producer cells, the viral vector was produced with two other helper plasmids supplying the polymerase gene products and the pantropic VSV-G envelope that pseudotypes the vector in trans. The vector produced was used to transduce Jurkat T cells, a human T cell line derived from a lymphoma [14]. The deletions in the vector genome ensured single round replication kinetics.
Optimising proviral detection by PCR
An example of the calculation used to estimate the proportion of cells that contained the provirus.
Dilution from (1) (d)
Number of wells in which cell growth occurred
Number of wells in which cell growth did not occur
Proportion of wells that did not result in cell growth (f(x))
5/24 = 0.208
17/30 = 0.566
27/30 = 0.9
Mean number of cells (m = -ln f(x))
Estimated average number of cells per well in dilution (1) (m × d)
Another potential source of error was the sensitivity of the PCR. To employ this method the reaction has to be sufficiently sensitive to detect one provirus in the number of cells seeded in the sample. A theoretical limit of detection was obtained by dilution of plasmids to the limit of detection (figure 2b). One could expect that, if the limiting factor of detection is the sensitivity of the PCR, the frequency of positive signals would not decline as the number of seeded cells decreased, as each cell harbouring a provirus would now represent a larger proportion of the input DNA mix. This was not the case (data not shown). Clonal analysis was also performed. In this cell clones were derived from transduced cells, cultured, and pooled into samples containing no more than 15 clones. DNA was then extracted and PCR performed. If the sensitivity of PCR was a major limiting factor for the detection of a positive signal, one could predict that more samples would now be positive, as positive samples now constitute a larger proportion of the DNA input. Instead only one out of 152 clones screened contained the provirus. Together these observations suggest that the low frequency of detection in figure 2a was not due to poor sensitivity of the PCR reaction.
Determining the proportion of cells that displayed antibiotic resistance
An example of the data used to estimate the proportion of cells that were resistant to puromycin.
Proportion of puromycin resistant cells seeded (P0)
Proportion of peak count (C T )
Log(C T )
Proportion of cells that were puromycin resistant after transduction reflected the dilution of the vector.
Time after transduction (week)
Proportion of cells resistant to puromycin
Ratio of neat: ten fold dilution
1/10 dilution
7.73 × 10-4
l.64 × 10-3
2.64 × 10-4
Five independent experiments were performed to determine the proportion of active proviruses after successful transduction in this transduction system. The values obtained ranged from 2.9 to 23%. In four of the five experiments, however, the range was 2.9 to 5.9% (manuscript in preparation). Therefore it was possible to obtain reproducible estimates on the efficiency of proviral gene expression using this method.
In this report, we present a method to estimate the efficiency of proviral gene expression of retroviral vectors. Particular attention was focused on excluding unstable DNA species such as LTR circles or the plasmids employed to produce the viral vector from analysis. A limiting dilution based method requiring significant proliferation of cells was devised, allowing unstable species to be diluted to extinction before proviral detection by PCR. Gene expression was detected by assessing the population growth when cells were cultured under puromycin. Since the puromycin resistance gene must be passed onto the daughter cells for them to survive and proliferate, this method ensured that only gene expression from stably integrated species was included in the estimate. This method yielded reproducible estimates on the efficiency of proviral gene expression from an HIV-1 vector in four out of five experiments. As with all other methods of gene expression determination, puromycin resistance measures a threshold expression instead of bona fide transcription. However other methodologies such as fluorescence analysis (threshold set at the point where the fluorescence signal departs from autofluorescence) or RNA measurement (threshold at limit of detection of RNA) do not allow for the selection of stable, non-transient gene expression.
This method is particularly suitable in systems where the efficiency of transduction or proviral gene expression is low. The proportion of cells expressing the provirus was assessed by examining the growth curve of the sample under selection, and comparing that with a family of cultures each with different proportion of drug selected cells. A number of factors could affect the results, such as spontaneous cell death, evaporation of media, limitation of nutrient and the accumulation of metabolic waste products in the culture. However, these factors would similarly affect both the calibration cultures and the sample, allowing a valid, direct comparison of the growth curves.
To obtain a more precise estimate, an idealised mathematical formula was used. An idealised formula relating the initial proportion of cells resistant to puromycin and the cell count observed was derived on different days after selection. While this method allows for a more precise estimate, it is also more susceptible to the confounding elements mentioned above. Perhaps one manifestation of the influence of these confounding elements was the fact the predicted gradient of the formula should be 1, while the actual gradient varied. By empirically re-deriving this formula on multiple days after selection rather than applying one idealised formula across multiple data sets, both errors arising from the underlying assumptions and random errors that could arise from relying on a single measurement were minimised.
There are several drawbacks to this method. It is labour intensive, slow, and relatively imprecise. It relies on the use of a drug resistance marker on the viral vector, limiting the scope of its application. The PCR here is optimised for the detection of the HIV-1 LTR. In practice, the reaction has to be designed for each application and the sensitivity of the reaction used determined. One important assumption made was that the frequency of infection of target cells is random, thus permitting statistical analysis. The advantages are that the method is simple and inexpensive. It ensures that only true proviral gene expression is measured. It should be useful as a research tool in studying proviral gene expression of retroviruses, and as a method to evaluate vectors and in designing promoter-enhancer systems for retroviral gene therapy applications.
A method was developed to estimate the efficiency of proviral gene expression. This low cost method rigorously excludes confounding elements that can arise from other steps of the retroviral life cycle. It should be useful in the study of retroviral transcription and expression of gene therapy vectors.
Materials and methods
Cells and puromycin selection
Cos-1 cells [15] were maintained in Dulbecco's modified essential medium (Gibco) containing 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) (Gibco) and 5% penicillin-streptomycin (Gibco). Jurkat cells [14] were maintained in RPMI1640 medium (Gibco) also containing 10% FCS and 5% penicillin-streptomycin. Where puromycin selection was applied a concentration of 0.5 μg/ml was used.
To transfect cells by the calcium BBS method, Cos-1 cells were plated onto 10 cm dishes. The media was aspirated and replaced. Two to four hours later, the DNA mix was prepared. 737 μl of 2×BBS (50 mM N, N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-aminoethanesulphonic acid (BES), 280 mM NaCl, 1.5 mM Na2HPO4, pH 6.94–6.96), 737 μl of water, an appropriate amount of the plasmid, and 72.5 μl of CaCl2 was mixed together. The mix was swirled, filter sterilised and allowed to stand for 20 minutes at room temperature for the DNA to precipitate. The mix was added dropwise to cells. The cells were incubated overnight at 37°C with in 3% carbon dioxide atmosphere. The media was replaced the next day, and the dishes were transferred to a 37°C incubator with a 5% carbon dioxide atmosphere.
To transfect cells by the DEAE dextran method, cells were plated onto 10 cm dishes. The dishes were rinsed twice with PBS. The DNA mix was prepared. The plasmid was added to 1.9 ml of PBS followed by 100 μl of stock diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) dextran (stock DEAE dextran: 10 mg/ml in 1 M Tris-HCl, pH 7.3–7.5, Amersham). The mix was filter sterilised. DNA mix was added to the cells. The cells were incubated at 37°C for 30 minutes. 5 ml of freshly prepared 80 μM chloroquine in serum free media was added. The cells were incubated at 37°C for a further 2.5 hours. The media was then aspirated, and the cells were shocked with 2 ml of 10% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) in serum free medium for two minutes. The medium with DMSO was aspirated and the cells were washed twice with serum free media, before being cultured in serum containing media and returned to the incubator at 37°C.
Vector and transduction
HIV-1 vector was prepared by the simultaneous transfection of three plasmids pHVP [16], pΔp1 (a Gag/Pol expressing plasmid with a deletion in the major packaging signal [17] and pVSV-G into Cos-1 cells. The tissue culture supernatant of transfected Cos-1 cells was harvested 48 hours after transfection. Cell debris was removed by passing the supernatant through a 0.45 μm filter. In mock transduction experiments, the filtered supernatant was layered directly onto 106 Jurkat cells. In other experiments, the filtered tissue culture supernatant from up to eight dishes of transfected Cos-1 cells was used. 0.5 volumes of 30% polyethylene glycol 8000 (Sigma) (PEG, 30% PEG in 0.4 M NaCl) were added to the supernatant. The supernatant was mixed and left to precipitate overnight at 4°C. The PEG precipitated vector was centrifuged at 2000 revolution per minute (rpm) in a Falcon 6/300 centrifuge (rotor model 43124-129, MSE) for 40 minutes at 4°C. The pellet was resuspended in 0.5 ml of TNE (10 mM Tris-Cl, 150 mM NaCl, 1 mM EDTA pH7.5) and layered onto 0.5 ml of 20% sucrose in TNE. The mix was then ultracentrifuged at 40000 rpm in a Beckman TLA 55 rotor for 2 hours at 4°C. The resultant pellet was resuspended in media. To transduce Jurkat cells, the vector preparation was applied to 106 Jurkat cells, and the final volume of transduction was restricted to less than 2 ml. Cells were incubated in this small volume with the vector preparation for 24 hours.
Limiting dilution and cell growth monitoring
Cells were counted at least four times, and mixed with measured amounts of media to generate stocks of 5 × 104 cells per millilitre. This stock was then further diluted to the concentration for the lowest dilution in the series (eg 500 cells/ml for 100 cells per well on a 96 well plate). Higher dilutions were obtained by further serial dilutions. 200 μl of the diluted culture was added to each well of 96 well plates. The tissue culture plate was examined regularly. Monitoring was stopped when no new cell growth could be observed after two consecutive weeks and the proportion of wells that eventually resulted in cell growth was noted.
To monitor Jurkat cell growth under selection, 10 μl of culture was mixed with 10 μl of trypan blue (Sigma) to exclude dead cells. The mix was added to a haematocytometer (Knittel Glaser, or Kova Glasstic, Hycor) and cells were counted under a microscope. The cell count was converted to cells per millilitre of culture.
DNA extraction and PCR
Genomic DNA was also extracted from cells using a commercially available kit (DNeasy, Qiagen) following the protocol of the manufacturer.
Each PCR mix contained 500 nM of forward primer, 500 nM of reverse primer, 1× PCR buffer, 2 mM MgCl2, 2.5 units of Taq DNA polymerase (Sigma) and an appropriate amount of DNA template. In PCR for LTR, 5% DMSO (Sigma) was used as an enhancer. The reaction was made up to 50 μl with water. The primers used to detect HIV-1 LTR are NI2F (5'-cacacacaaggctgacttccct-3') and NI2R (5'-gccactccccagtccgccc-3'). The primers used to detect the ampicillin resistant gene are AmpF (5'-gataacactgcggccaactt-3') and AmpR (5'-ttgccgggaagctagagtaa-3'). The reactions were cycled either in a Perkin Elmer thermocycler (DNA Thermal Cycler, N801 0150) or a Techne thermocycler (Touchgene FTG05TD). Initial denaturation was conducted at 94°C for four minutes. Forty cycles of reaction were performed, each consisting of denaturation at 94°C for two minutes, reannealing at 58°C for 30 seconds and elongation at 72°C for one minute and 30 seconds. Final elongation was conducted at 72°C for seven minutes.
1. Estimating the proportion of cells that contained the provirus
The proportion of cells that were successfully transduced could be estimated from the PCR data. If the number of positive samples were a, the total number of PCR samples is n and each sample represent m number of cells, the proportion of cells containing the provirus would thus be . However, considerable error could be introduced by limiting dilution. Thus, m has to be corrected by data obtained in limiting dilution. It was assumed that at high dilutions, the distribution of number of cells seeded in each well followed a Poisson distribution:
where x is the number of cells seeded in each well,
m is the mean number of cells seeded in each well,
f(x) is the probability of having x number of cells seeded in each well. When no cell growth could be observed, x = 0. f(x), which is now f(0), is the proportion of cells that did not result in cell growth. Therefore m of each dilution could be obtained:
f(0) = e-m
ln f(0) = ln(e-m)
m = -ln f(0)
Samples from lower dilutions (higher number of cells per well) were often analyzed by PCR. The mean number of cells in each well was calculated from data of cell growth obtained from series of higher dilutions and corrected with the dilution factor.
A further correction was made in some estimates, when the proportion of samples with a positive signal was large, such that a significant number of them would represent two or more successfully transduced cells. The distribution of successfully transduced cells in each well of the 96 well plates from which the sample was derived was random. Thus, by Poisson distribution, the number of positive cells represented by each sample
Since the number of cells represented by each sample was the corrected m, the proportion of successfully transduced cells was thus
2. Estimating the proportion of populations that were resistant to puromycin
Theoretically, after T days of culture in the presence of puromycin, the number of cells in the culture N T , the initial number of puromycin resistant cells N0 and the doubling time t2 were related by the equation
If the volume of the culture was constant then cell count C would be related to the total number of cells N by a conversion factor a. Thus:
The cultures were heterogeneous containing both puromycin resistant and sensitive cells. The total number of cells in each culture was held constant, rendering the fraction of cells that were resistant to puromycin P to be directly proportional to the number of cells that were puromycin resistant. Let b be the conversion factor:
A series of cultures with different P0 was obtained and population growth was monitored by daily counts. It would have been possible to plot C T and P0 directly. However, the values of these parameters were small and plotting logarithmic values does not alter the linearity of the relationship. On any fixed day T after culture, T, b, a, and t2 are all constants. Therefore is a constant. The cell count for each calibration culture on each day was divided by the peak count reached. Data was removed if the values of C T were larger than 0.8 or smaller than 0.05, as they represent points that were affected by overcrowding or stochastic behaviour respectively. Graphs of log C against log P0 were plotted, from which the proportion of cells resistant to puromycin was estimated by the cell count, C of the sample. The proportion P0 was calculated on each day where usable data of the sample culture were available and then averaged.
This work is funded by the Elmore Fund, Universities UK Overseas Research Scholarship, the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust and the James Baird Fund.
Authors' Affiliations
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This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


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She'll always be Princess Leia. Carrie Fisher's Star Wars audition tape resurfaced on Tuesday, December 27, following the death of the iconic actress.
As previously reported, Fisher died at UCLA Medical Center four days after suffering a massive heart attack while flying from London to LAX. She was 60.
In the three-minute clip, the legendary star runs lines with a casting director. The man takes the role of Han Solo, later played by Harrison Ford. (This year, Fisher revealed in her new memoir, The Princess Diarist, that she and Ford had an affair in 1976.)
Fisher wore a turtleneck and kept her brown locks down for the career-changing moment, a striking difference from Princess Leia's gold bikini and signature hair buns.
Fisher would go on to star as Princess Leia Organa in George Lucas' original Star Wars trilogy: Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope (1977), Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi (1983). And she reprised the role of Leia, now a general, in last year's Star Wars hit The Force Awakens.
Back in 2011, Fisher told New York Live that she had to lose 10 pounds to play the leader of the Rebel Alliance, even though she weighed only 105 pounds at the audition.
She and Ford, 74, would reunite onscreen 32 years later in J.J. Abrams' 2015 smash Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In December 2015, she opened up about reprising her role — and having to lose 30 pounds for the movie — during an interview with Rolling Stone.
"I was very nervous, had a lot of memory problems initially – just horrific – and then it got better. I settled in. You know, think about it, what it would be to make three of these movies a million years ago, and now, 'Let's do it again, only you're 40 years older and there's a lot to live up to or down – take your pick.' People want it to be the same but better … I don't know," she said at the time. "So there's pressure on it, more than most films. But then you get over yourself and say, 'By the way, it's the younger people doing it.' You have to sort of like get over yourself fast."
Watch Fisher's audition in the video above.
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It has taken me nearly three weeks to realise that one of the reasons for resigning from my current job is related to my research area of belonging. I want to use this post to reflect on my own recent experiences of belonging and how this might provide insight for my research.
To set the scene, one of the reasons for leaving my current job is that I did not feel a good fit (an aspect of belonging) in the organisation. For me, 'fit' is the group aspect of belonging; the sense that you are part of something bigger than yourself. I find there is also another useful aspect of belonging for which I use the term 'contact'. This describes the individual relationships with people that help you belong in a certain environment.
So what have I learnt from my own experience of not fitting in. Firstly, a lack of belonging is hard to articulate and often hard to identify as the cause of why you might feel unhappy or uncomfortable in an environment. It took me nearly three weeks to make the connection (and notions of belonging are fore most in my mind) and it required a lot of reflective thinking to understand what was happening. This confirms to me that the story telling approach is the right way to go with the research. Simply asking about belonging or using belonging self-rating scales will not work because of the difficulty in thinking about and articulating belonging. However, in previous interview data I can see aspects of belonging emerge from stories and experiences, although clearly it is a highly interpretive process.
Secondly, it confirms to me the value of breaking down the concept of belonging into component parts, in this case 'fit' & 'contact'. What was evident in my own work experiences is that fit is a more important aspect of belonging for me than contact. Really strong relationships with people can compensate for a lack of fit but a strong fit means contact can be much lower. What will be interesting in the research is to see if that is true for others or as I suspect contact may be more important for some. For example, I could imagine a student who gets through their degree thanks to excellent support from a lecturer and a small group of friends even though they don't feel a strong fit in the university. ( I realise as I write this that I need to really 'nail down' how these two terms are defined in my research and how they are related but different.)
Thirdly, I need to identify indicators of belonging, fit and contact. In exploring why I did not feel a fit with my current organisation I identified shared values, ways of working and shared identity. By shared values I mean is this a place that has an emphasis on the values I think are important; are my values mirrored in the way the organisation works? The reality of how values are enacted or experienced as opposed to how values are espoused is important here. By shared ways of working, I mean are my strengths recognised and can I work in a way best suited to me. By shared identity, I mean do I recognise others like me who share an identity or have an identity which I value. The difficulty here is how to translate my experience to the student experience. To help I will draw from a specific example of a student who was dissatisfied with the academic environment because she expected it to me more welcoming of diverse opinions and more willing to challenge preconceptions. Her own values of diversity were not mirrored in her experiences (shared values), her opinions were not as respected as she had hoped (ways of working?) and she did not see fellow students on her course as having a shared identity. In not fitting in to her course she sought other means to fit in my being active in the Student's Union were her values, opinions, ways of working and identity were mirrored more closely.
Fourthly, in exploring 'fit' in more detail the notion of a mirror seemed important. Fit is like a mirror; when you look at the people in your environment you expect to see some of yourself reflected back. When that does not happen then you don't fit in. I don't mean just your physical self (although for some the physical aspect might be important) but more those cognitive and affective aspects of you such as values and opinions.
Fifthly, the impact of belonging on your self. Like one of those fairground mirrors your sense of self can be distorted by your environment. You can start to question your own values and wonder whether you are right or not. Whilst this questioning can be a good thing it can also make you very unhappy or force you into acting in ways you would not normally in order to fit it.
Lots of food for thought but now back to the literature to find my thinking is way off base!


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Instructions for American Servicemen in Britain
It's 1942 and a horde of Yankee servicemen have just arrived in England - where the locals speak a strange dialect, boil all their food, and talk endlessly about the weather.
The Americans see the Brits as a strange race. Get ready to judge for yourself in a night of joyous laughter and downright silliness as a crack team of experts attempt to explain the rules of British life.
This rib-tickling new show for adults and families is from the creators of Winston On the Run
Presented by Fol Espoir
Created by Dan March, Jim Millard, Matt Sheahan & John Walton
Performed by The Real MacGuffins
Directed by John Walton
Please note that there is availability for a performance at the Farnham Maltings on Tuesday 6th October.
Select Date to Book
All tickets £13Ticket prices include 50p Restoration levy and 50p Booking Fee


text:
The Arrow and the Song
shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.
I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?
Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend.
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~
- Blarney Stone Pub Tunebook – A collection of tunes played at the Blarney Stone Pub, San Diego, California
- CCE Kingston Irish Regular Session Tunebook
- CCE Kingston Irish Slow Session Tunebook –
- Circle of Fifths – A guide to understanding keys and transposing
- Dick O'Dow's Promotional Poster – Flyer that advertises the Dick O'Dow's Session.
- Dr. Coop's Compiation of Songs Songs and words, traditional and of the Sea
- Green's Tunebook – Green's Collection of tunes
- Green's Tunebook ABC ABC Notation for Green's Tunebook
- Jamrock Tunes – Some of the Basic tunes played by Jamrocks
- Jigs 4 Jugs Facebook page Jigs 4 Jugs official Facebook page, keep up with all the news!
- John Walsh's Sesson Tunes – Learn these tunes if you want to play most tunes at sessions!
- Paul haardy's Tunebook Folk music sessions tunes around Cambridge, England and Redlands, California
- SessioNite Business Cards – Printable business cards that give the site and contact info for SessioNite.com
- Smashing Scottish Session Tunes – Reels Jigs & Strathspeys
- The Music Lover's Treasury Poetry about Music. Lovely.
- Tips Form – Create a custom tips form for fundraising
- Tunes Often Heard – A good working list of tunes often heard in the Detroit area. Especially good for beginners who want to learn tunes that will likely be played at local sessions.
- Tunes Often Heard ABC ABC Notation for Tunes Often Heard


text:
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Book Review - Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Nora should have known her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described as anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away, and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.
The farther Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim blood line has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch, or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine
My Review
Ok so first off can I say how mad I am with the cliff hanger on this book I mean GRRRRR! it sucks big!! how am I meant to last a whole year until the 3rd Novel is released I mean Just as I was thinking things couldn't get any worse on Nora and Becca goes and ends the final page in her Crescendo story with and ending like that...poor poor Nora (until next year anyway :o).)
Crescendo is a continuing journey of twists and turns that keep your hands turning the pages right to the very end! Nora becomes a tad independent in this novel but her inability to listen sends me insane (I must say she is a typical girl, I mean we are all stubborn) she goes out alone in Crescendo trying to find her own 2 feet and not falling off them which believe me she does on more then one occasion but damn I love this girl and her ways, she sure does make the book so much better.
I'm besotted with Becca's addictive writing style, not many hold the continuous drug like style that holds your attention time and time again not once did I waver and I completed the novel within 3 hours. I would say it is a sure read one that will have you screaming at the ending!!
4 comments:
good review thanks, i'm still waiting for my copy to arrive, but i might wait now i know it ends on such a cliffhanger, and just read the whole trilogy when the next one comes out!ReplyDelete
Thanks! :D
I've got this one waiting to be read... Now I know there's a cliffhanger I might just leave it a while (so there's less time between it and the next book!).ReplyDelete
Just finished Hush Hush and can't wait to get my hands on this one! Thanks for posting your review! It looks awesome. Plus the cover is really pretty!ReplyDelete
Oh no. I don't like big cliff hangers either. I have this on my shelf waiting for it's turn and I am really looking forward to it.ReplyDelete
I like your blog. Found you whilst hopping though a UK book blog list. Always good to meet a fellow UK book blogger who is also a 'short of time mum'. I'm a single mum to a 4 year old.


text:
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text:
We have asked all members of the N.C. Republican Roundtable to begin blogging on ConservativeNC rather than here, and we encourage you to join the ConservativeNC community as well. To do so, simply visit the Web site and set up an account; you can then join in the discussion by commenting on items posted there.
N.C. Republican Roundtable
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Introducing ConservativeNC.com
We have asked all members of the N.C. Republican Roundtable to begin blogging on ConservativeNC rather than here, and we encourage you to join the ConservativeNC community as well. To do so, simply visit the Web site and set up an account; you can then join in the discussion by commenting on items posted there.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Call to Sacrifice
Pat McCrory never borrowed a dime to finance his campaign
Frank A. Rouse, Morehead City
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Republican Revival Will Start in the States
Haley Barbour has a message for Republicans still dispirited by the November elections: "We've been in a lot worse shape than this. . . . When I first started working in politics during the Watergate era only 16% of Americans identified themselves as Republicans." He recalls one incident in the mid 1970s when "Mary Louise Smith, the chairman of the party, appointed a committee to change the name of the party. You can't get much lower than that."
Friday, January 9, 2009
Message from State Auditor Les Merritt - Final Day in Office
Dear Friends,
Today is my last day as your State Auditor. It has been a privilege and an honor to serve as The Taxpayers' Watchdog for the past four years, and I believe our team has made a positive difference for the people of North Carolina.
During the past four years, we accomplished a number of important things:
▪ Reduced a backlog of investigative audits -- some more than three years old -- by 76%.
▪ Took steps to ensure that state-funded non-profits, which spend hundreds of millions of your tax dollars, file the required reports disclosing how they spend your money. When I took office, nearly 1,000 of those non-profits had failed to file the required reports. We took action, and within a few months nearly 90% of that group had filed the required reports.
▪ In an effort to be pro-active and prevent problems from developing in the first place, we launched a new initiative to educate personnel from funding agencies and grant recipients on key issues related to compliance and transparency. Our staff has now trained in excess of 10,000 personnel from funding agencies and grant recipients.
▪ We shortened the processing time for non-profit reports from five months in 2005 to approximately three days in 2007.
▪ We exposed 27,000 invalid Social Security numbers being used in six separate state entities.
▪ In another effort to be pro-active, we developed a "strategic auditing" process to help identify unusual trends and potential problems in state spending. The strategic auditing process uses existing hardware, software and skills in the Information System Auditing Division to analyze millions of state transactions -- far more than normally are checked during a regular agency audit.
▪ In another effort to be pro-active, we launched a new initiative in January 2008 to follow up with previously audited agencies to ensure that they are actually making the needed changes identified in earlier audits.
▪ We conducted approximately 50% more performance audits during 2005-2008 than were released during 2001-2004. This increased emphasis on performance audits comes in spite of the fact that in 2005 numerous performance audit staffers were shifted to help clean up the backlog of investigative audits.
Our staff has worked hard to transform the Office of the State Auditor into a more pro-active agency that works to prevent problems rather than simply cleaning them up after the fact, and I am proud of our efforts.
In closing, please join me in congratulating Beth Wood on her election as our next State Auditor. I wish Beth well, and I hope she will continue to make the Office of the State Auditor a more pro-active agency and that she will aggressively hold politicians in both parties accountable for how they spend our tax dollars.
Thank you again for the privilege of serving as State Auditor for the past four years. It has been an honor.
Leslie W. Merritt, CPA
State Auditor of North Carolina
Milwaukee to open nation's first "Gay" Middle School
Kathleen Gilbert
The proposal went through easily last month, with the city's board of education unanimously approving it by default, as it was not pulled for further discussion or a vote. Tina Owen, Lead Teacher of Alliance, said they would be accepting applications from middle-school-age children for the 2009-10 school year immediately.
Marty Lexmond, the director of school innovation for Milwaukee Public Schools, told U.S. News and World Report that such an institution was needed to help adolescents, who are now increasingly publicly identifying their sexual orientation as early as middle school.
Laurie Higgins of the Illinois Family Institute was dismayed that the motion went through with no discernable opposition.
"I'm stunned that the religious leaders, the Christian pastors in Milwaukee, did not rise up in righteous indignation against this school," lamented Higgins. "That is what I find perhaps equally [as] troubling, if not more so."
"I think it's unconscionable to be affirming this in public schools," said Higgins. "This is not an issue for public schools. And kids at 11- and 12- and 13- and 14-[years of age] are confused on many issues - sexuality [being] one of them."
Regina Griggs, executive director of the group Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX), agreed.
"To affirm an 11-year-old? Please," said Griggs. "They haven't even gone through puberty, but they know that they want to have sex with other men and women? I'm sorry, but it's ridiculous."
The original Alliance high school opened four years ago, also with little opposition. Other similar plans across the country, however, have not had it as easy as the Milwaukee school.
In Chicago, plans for a "gay-friendly" high school were recently delayed due to concerns from both sides of the debate, as some feared that the plans amounted to segregating homosexuals. And when Manhattan's Harvey Milk High School opened in 2003, named for an openly homosexual politician of the 1970s, students met with protesters outside the school's doors.


text:
User: GraGG
Info Reviews Forum Msgs. Contact
These are the most recent forum messages posted by GraGG:
Re: Attention Store Rep
customerservice and sales ppl will always clash, cust serv hates sales ppl because they they hate their job, and sales ppl hate cust care cuz they make our life a living hell
o yeah, especially
in orange sauce
i like cats
Re: Moto Droid camera question
someone call me? :paranoid:
Re: Maybe...
because i have an iphone and dictation is free :D
Re: Dear Santa
i know, i may be askig alot of santa, i mean, hes not jesus or anything :roll:
Re: life is like a box of
Re: Dear Santa
smarter customers :paranoid:
Re: Maybe...
Re: Maybe...
dictation... its an app that does voice to text.. and its free
the coolest thing about the iphone is that fact that its appstore is massive, the ability to have a constantly changing device long after its original purchase is amazing... that being said, why is it that only android seems to get that? bb has an appworld which blows, and the pre dosent have jack... idk
Re: The Hypocrisy
edge does not determine phonecall capability :wink:
life is like a box of
hand grenades
becuase, now are you gonna buy or not? /;|
your right, everyone has to eat
but dammnit if im the only one actin hungry :wink:
its a joke
albeit a bad one, like jim rome is burning....
rich brome is burning
thanks for the info
Re: Phonescoop app?
can i type in wap.phonescoop.com then if i have a full browser?
Re: Phonescoop app?
really? why cant i find it? whats the exact url again?
hey leave josue alone!
he always is so nice and is the best speller on here... you have no right to say either is not true
Re: Phonescoop app?
https://www.phonescoop.com/forums/forum.php?f m=m&ff=1&fi=2178376
so my gramma wants a new phone
it needs a large resolution camera and the best reception, i work for vzw...what is a good phone on att right now?
Re: Call Center VS. Retail Location
no, your last post was posted at what time?
Re: Call Center VS. Retail Location
what time did she post this?
Moto Crush
sounds like a type of weed 8O
Re: Commission
you guys still busy over there? tony threatened to quit and drove down here after perry called him and said he was stealing from the safe... thats all i got going on over here :roll:
Re: Commission
Re: Commission
more than you /;|
i bet your the type
who does a little fake cough everytime you walk 100 yards away from a smoker :roll:
Re: Smoke breaks....
https://www.phonescoop.com/forums/forum.php?f m=m&ff=17&fi=2219904
Re: AT&T Local Sales Guy Telemarketing To My Cell
Re: the question is
i always ask if its charging when they plug it in, they always say yes, then i show them how it works fine on my charger :lol:
the question is
do you let them have the benefit of the doubt and say maybe their home charger dosent work, or do you go all the way and say "how the hell did you expect it to work if the battery is dead? /;| "... i vote for the second
bump because fatkids need to lose weight
I have a better good one
Re: ill take that question anyday
im talkin the one they set up on the phone to turn it on... they always ask what the password is and my response is always whatever you set it as... how the hell am i supposed to know? /;|
ill take that question anyday
but when they ask what their personal password is that they set up on the phone? i want to beat the ish out of em :x
they wont do it
because this is not a social site, tis a phone site... despite the fact that we all post here
(older messages not shown)


text:
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These earrings are so fabulous and fun! I get compliments every time and I'm going to buy a few more for gifts.
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text:
Friends' work is offering ultimate backyards to city
Longtime friends Lance Pierce and Brent Carleton realize most people will get their first look at the pair's new business, Backyard Specialists, while zooming by on Wichita's Northeast Expressway.
But they're hoping their outdoor smorgasbord of recreational amenities displayed just west of K-96 and Rock Road will entice potential customers to stop by and explore.
A sample of Backyard Specialists' products — play sets and playhouses, basketball courts and synthetic putting greens — sits on a half-acre lot Pierce and Carleton leased next to Carrabba's Italian Grill.
"The whole concept is anything to do with your backyard," said Pierce, "Whether it's landscaping, fencing, recreational amenities, whatever. We're trying to do things that make people's backyards more inviting, more appealing and more entertaining."
Backyard Specialists, which held its grand opening last weekend, has roots in its owners' prior business ventures.
Pierce, an avid golfer, started United Turf Industries in 1998. The synthetic turf business, which blossomed into a network of franchises worldwide, produced SofTrak putting greens. The product's owners include professional golfers Bruce Lietzke, Fred Couples and Chris DiMarco.
Carleton, who, like Pierce, studied mechanical engineering at Wichita State University, joined UTI in 2003. The company soon added synthetic sport courts to its product line. In 2005, UTI merged with VersaSport International to reflect its multisport identity.
Two years ago, Pierce sold proprietary rights to the turf side of his business, and he and Carleton became partners in VersaSport of Kansas. The SofTrak greens and the synthetic courts, known as VersaCourt, are available at Backyard Specialists.
Backyard Specialists also opened as the local dealer of Rainbow Play Systems, a redwood play set manufacturer. Pierce and Carleton are collaborating with Ground Force, a local landscaping company, and Sturdi-Bilt, a Hutchinson-based builder of log cabins, gazebos, playhouses and storage buildings, to supplement their options.
While their work with United Turf Industries and VersaSport presented frequent travel opportunities, the men hope Backyard Specialists will keep them closer to home.
"Lance and I still go out and do a lot of jobs, putting in putting greens and game courts and training other installers," Carleton said. "But one of the motivations we had was to get more business here in Wichita so we wouldn't have to travel as much."
Pierce said other inspiration came from a local customer who focused on creating a backyard oasis while his house was being built. Pierce and Carleton worked with a landscaper and contributed to the project by installing a putting green and basketball court.
"The owner wanted to incorporate a swimming pool, putting green, fire pit, patio area, all of it...," Pierce said. "Anybody that would see it would say, 'We've got to have this.'
"We started referring to that as the ultimate backyard. We started thinking, 'What if we could build the ultimate backyard in a place with high visibility? Then we could show our stuff.' "


text:
Regular price
DOORS OPEN 11pm-12am ONLY.
DJ's Synes + Tony Harding pump hard, and sleazy beats inspired by Berlin's XXX scene.
CRUISE CODE helps you find a match with ease.
Green Issued Wristband = TOP
Yellow Issued Wristband = Vers
Red Issued Wristband = Bottom
DRESS CODE STRICTLY ENFORCED. Nude or Jockstraps ONLY. No Full Underwear. Harness, Leather & Fetishwear Highly Encouraged.
21 And Over State Issued Photo ID, or Passport will be required prior to entry.
BROOKLYN. Bushwick. Secret Location. TICKET HOLDERS will receive exact address/ location the day of the event.
L to Halsey. 1 block from station.
J, Z to Halsey. Short walk.
M to Myrtle/Wyckoff . Short Walk.
- [ ] Drug use and photography of any kind is prohibited.
- [ ] I am attending this event of my own free will and for my own personal interest and enjoyment. I understand I may leave at any time.
- [ ] I am at least 21 years of age. I must show a valid photo ID to prove this.
- [ ] I understand that participants are acting as consenting adults in a private situation.
- [ ] I understand that attendees may be fully nude and choose to perform sexual acts between consenting adults (other attendees), and their own free will and that owners/organizers are not responsible for any related issues, if such should arise.
- [ ] I understand that some activities at this event may be dangerous and I undertake these risks of my own free will whenever participating. I agree to indemnify and hold harmless and blameless the organizers of this event and the owners of the premises for any claims arising out of this event.
- [ ] I understand that I attend this event at my own risk and that the organizers of this event and the owners/renters/organizers of the premises and event are in no way responsible or liable for any damage, loss, or injury to my property or self. I understand that there will be equipment and supplies available for my use, and I use any such equipment entirely at my own risk.
- [ ] I will commit no acts with, nor towards, any attendee at this event without negotiating their prior consent to it, and I will conduct myself with respect toward attendees and the premises at all times. I will intend no harm, or injury on any other attendees.
- [ ] Attendees/ Owners/ Promoters are not responsible or liable for my personal wellbeing, and are not accountable if any accidents, or injury occur.
- [ ] I am not acting in the capacity of, as a member of, or under the direction of any law enforcement agency.
- [ ] I am not acting in the capacity of , as a member of , or under the direction of any media agency. I will not publish or submit for any kind of publication, information, writings, photos, recordings of this event.
- [ ] I understand that I may be required to leave an event for violation of this event's rules and guidelines and that any moneys paid or donated will not be refunded. The organizer reserves the right to refuse admittance to anyone.
- [ ] Condoms are available; I understand that I alone am responsible for using them, should I choose to do so.
- [ ] I understand that all sales are final. I understand that any money contributed / donation is solely for entry, supplies at the event.


text:
While recent advances in solar and storage technology mean customers could choose to leave the grid entirely, independent analysis by Oakley Greenwood shows it is unlikely to deliver better financial outcomes or better services.
The study quantifies the often "hidden" services that customers receive from the Grid, and how much it would cost a customer to supply themselves. If your family or your business is after an equivalently safe, reliable and hassle free service as today ‐ this research shows that, to provide a nearly equivalent service, a stand alone power system would cost $600 to $850 per month or 5 to 6 times the cost of grid supply.
A Do‐It‐Yourself solution is unlikely to be the best outcome ‐ over the course of a year, the connected customer is up to $8,700 better off than they would be with a stand alone power system providing a nearly equivalent service. A disconnected customer would also lose grid benefits like the ability to sell surplus energy or participate in new markets which may emerge using distributed energy resources – such as demand response markets or balancing services.
The overwhelming majority of the rooftop PV systems installed to date are on homes that continue to be connected to the grid. There is a quantifiable benefit to the network as a result of solar installations and the analysis suggests that a solar customer connected to the network in an aligned manner helps to lower the cost of network services, estimated at approximately $10 per month.
The reverse is true though – grid services provide demonstrable benefits to solar households, about 7 times greater. This includes the value of the back up service to the customer (of $61 per month) by providing reliable power at night or when it is cloudy. It also includes market access which allow consumers to sell their power into the grid (valued at $8 per month). In addition the grid provides a range of services that are often hidden, but which consumers benefit from.
- Startup power services, supporting appliances like air‐conditioners that temporarily increase demand by 4 to 5 times when they start up.
- Balancing services, instantaneously adapting to the customers changing demand throughout the day which can be difficult for solar pv systems alone.
- And power quality services that protect the safe operation of home appliances.
It is clear that in the future energy users will have more choices about the source of their energy supply. However those choices must be based on transparent information and a practical assessment of the costs. Not only to them but to their broader community.
Read the full analysis from Oakley Greenwood The Value of a Grid Connection to a Distributed Generation Customer November 2014
The Value of the Grid to Solar Customers
More services than you might think....
In the future, energy users will have more choices about the source of their energy supply.They may take their energy from the grid, or a combination of onsite sources and the grid.Some may consider leaving the grid entirely.
The grid provides a range of services that are often hidden, but which consumers benefit from.
Your Grid - Worth a closer look
Your Electricity Grid
The Electricity Grid has been called the 'world's largest machine' – an integrated, dynamic system.
With Australian households using more appliances in their daily lives for communication, comfort and convenience the electricity grid plays an essential part in our lives.


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Argos Productions) technically isn't a "gay play" - everybody in it is straight - but it feels like a gay play in drag just the same. Its heroine, Wanda (full name: Wanda Mae Pretty), is simultaneously sweet, pathetic, and ridiculous; she's a kind of taste-challenged loser/shut-in (at left) who lives a life of quiet desperation through various fantasies and pen pals - one of whom (a convict who seems even sweeter than Wanda) manages to break out of the Big House and then threatens to turn up on her doorstep in the flesh, much to the chagrin of her roommates and misfit pals - not to mention her fantasy friends.
Sound familiar? I'm afraid it does; far too familiar, in fact. Valdes Greenwood manages a few unusual variations on his second-hand themes (the object of Wanda's fantasies turns out to be something of a fantasist himself), but none of his gambits are striking enough to make us forget that the freshness date on this basic set-up is something like 2003.
Not that anyone in the cast seems to have noticed; they carry on as if they're in some kind of Off-Off-Broadway time warp. In fact the Argos production is generally quite strong, and within fringe budgetary limits, everything looks about as it should. (That's part of the problem, though; we already know how every moment should look and play in this show.) Kate deLima (above left) makes a natural and appealing Wanda, and Peter Brown is a believably sensitive (ex?) con. There's sharp work around the edges of the production by Craig Houk and Terrence Haddad as two of Wanda's most persistent fantasies, although the usually-reliable Shelley Brown can't always make us forget the thin excuses Valdes Greenwood provides for her character's behavior. The find of the show, however, is young Caitlyn Conley, who as Wanda's quirky buddy isn't merely lovely but also shows signs of perhaps being a gifted comedienne.
These folks keep you caring - but not so much about their characters as about them, themselves, as in - why can't these talented actors find better gigs? Oh, well. Director Brett Marks keeps things moving smoothly, and I applaud him for putting together such a solid cast - I'm just beginning to question his taste in projects! This is certainly better than one of his previous discoveries - the notorious Cherry Smoke - so maybe things are looking up for this particular local director. I certainly hope so. As for David Valdes Greenwood - well, Wandaleria is a pretty good "apprentice" play - it shows this author can paint in the numbers on a pre-existing grid. But now it's time to break out on his own, with a fresh canvas.


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My own divorce story is woven into many posts usually as part of my commentary at the end of each post. I have, however written a few posts specifically about my journey which I've always seen in my mind as a climb up a mountain. When I reach the top I stand up tall, raise my arms to the sky, lift my face up and let the wind blow through my hair. I'm not there yet but I'm getting there.
- How I used the visioning process to face my fears about divorce.
- My divorce taught me to listen to my body and not to be ruled by my head, I learned to trust my intuition.
- How I came to unconditional self-acceptance and stopped blaming myself for my divorce.
Photo credit: Delas


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This chapter is sponsored by: Jeremy Hernandez,Thomas Adams
Chapter 631 – Meeting Of Old Friends? Test of Treachery
Translated by: Ken
Edited by: Shiro
TLCed by: Last
Please do not host these chapters elsewhere without permission.
In a distance, around 10 kilometers across the wasteland, Ye Kong and Fatty Hai could see some light from afar.
Over there, there must definitely be a huge army of soldiers performing the sacrificial ceremony in order to speed up the process of dismantling the seal of the Ancient Demons.
They intended to get to there as quickly as they possibly can, but they all stopped at the same time unconsciously when they saw the figures appearing before them. Ye Kong slowly nodded towards Elder Xing Pan and said: "You all go ahead, we will try to get there as soon as possible."
"We understand." Elder Xing Pan led two Abyss Manatees, moved past the two dark figures and sped towards the sealed area ten kilometers away.
"….." Those figures only watched quietly, not showing any signs of trying to stop Elder Xing Pan and the others.
On both side, none needed to be said.
They simply started summoning their beasts, preparing for the deadly battle ahead.
Ye Kong summoned the King Kong Demon Ape and Herculean Rhinoceros Beetle… Fatty Hai summoned the Iron Rhinoceros, Little Hippopotamus and Wind Breath Seabird… As for the party they were facing, the leader of the party first summoned a Gold Dragon King, followed by a higher ranking beast, the Demon Dragon. His body also started to demonify. Horns appeared on his head, claws extended from his fingers and a snake tail grew from his back and started swiping from side to side. His bat wings also unfolded while crimson coloured scales started forming under his skin that was burning with demonic flames.
Behind this man, all the other Rankers started to raise their powers to get ready for battle.
The strongest two warriors had reached a strength level of Innate Level Eight, the level of which Ye Kong and Fatty Hai could never handle in any battle.
However, in reality, these two Innate Level Eight Rankers' target was Hui Tai Lang!
They were two of the five generals under the Black Hell King. After the death of War Tiger Of The East and Fierce Tooth Of The North during the fight in the Death Arena, the remaining Blood Hoof of The South and Wild Wind of the West had come this time. Their loyalty to the Black Hell King had prepared them for death. Even though they knew that they cannot defeat Yue Yang, their wish was to destroy Hui Tai Lang, eliminating Yue Yang's Beast would at least count as Black Hell King's revenge.
These two stubborn Innate Rankers were an old bull and an eagle.
Individually, their strengths were less than either War Tiger Of The East or Fierce Tooth of The North. However, they were both still within Innate Level Eight which cannot be ignored.
Besides Blood Hoof of The South and Wild Wind of The West, there were still a number of Innate-ranked Demon Lords. They were all commanders from the loyal Black Hell King's Personal Army. Each of them had murderous looks and were prepared to duel with Ye Kong, Fatty Hai and the Li Brothers till death.
They did not care if they were right or wrong, they only knew that Black Hell King was dead.
As they were all prepared to die for their master, the only reason that they did not commit suicide themselves was because they wanted to destroy Yue Yang and his followers. Revenge was all they could think of…
"It's you?" Xue Tan Lang raised his power to his maximum level before he stood up and pointed at the figure undergoing demonification, and said: "Bai Yun Fei, I really never thought that it was you!"
"Look at you turning your body into something that is neither human nor monster. Did you sacrifice your potential in exchange for power? Did you burn your life in exchange for a moment of glory? I really don't know what to say to you anymore! We thought that you could be somebody great, but you are not even worth to be a joke. And you, Xue Qian Ren, you are also a moron." Pince Tian Luo was normally a very even tempered and calm person. Today, however, was an exception.
When he saw the figures before him, he couldn't control his temper anymore.
He needed to vent his anger and gave the opposition a good scolding.
The figure standing before him that had become demonified was the Floating Mist Sect's Junior Sect Leader Bai Yun Fei.
Standing on left and right of Bai Yun Fei were the pitiful guys' love rival Xue Qian Ren and someone who was almost unrecognisable. Only through inference from Xue Qian Ren's identity, Ye Kong was able to recall that he was the bastard Xue Qian Qiu.
Xue Qian Qiu was crippled before, but he looked extremely pleased now. This must be because someone had used a secret method to heal him and even help him to reach the Innate Realm.
Or perhaps, Earth Rank Level Two.
Becoming an Innate with no Grimoire, a man-made Innate who did not reach the Innate Realm through their own power and revelation was similar to those Earth Ranked monsters in the Heaven Realm. Although they had strong powers, their realm of enlightenment was low. Xue Qian Qiu became Earth Ranked Level 2 and similarly, Xue Qian Ren was also at the peak Earth Ranked Level 2. As for Bai Yun Fei, he was Earth Ranked Level 3. They hold great powers, but the problem was that their Grimoires had become decorative items.
The Grimoires could not recognise their power that was obtained through this secret ritual.
What they did to exchange their potential for real power was but a moment of glory, it would not last forever…….
"Feng Qi Sha, Yan Po Jun, Xue Tan Lang and Prince Tian Luo. All of you have no right to laugh at me. Did you all get your power through the proper Innate enlightenment? No. It was all due to that damned Yue Clan Third Young Master! Without him, could you all attain Innate Rank?" Bai Yun Fei remained quiet while the angry Xue Qian Ren with his large wings and lion tail bellowed: "You were all lucky, you had Yue Clan Third Young Master to help you. Who do we have to help us? So unfair. You expect us to remain weak and accept the life of a weakling? No, we were never weaker than any of you. The only thing we lacked was a little bit of luck! This reality proves that if we were similarly given a chance, we could also be Innates!"
"Pei! You call this Innate?" Xue Tan Lang did not bother to even look at them.
"Xue Tan Lang, no matter how much you despise me, I am now at the same level as you are, maybe even stronger than you! Yes, you could hypocritically say that you had understood the way to Innate, while we had to use an injection of demon blood to get there. So what? As long as you believe that this world is ruled by power, anyone that has power would be the winner!" Xue Qian Ren could not stand being demeaned by Xue Tan Lang. He bellowed out loud in anger.
"Do you all think this kind of power is everything?" Feng Qi Sha softly sighed.
"Bai Yun Fei, Qian Ren, turn back and repent!" Yan Po Jun stepped forward, extended his hand, said: "I used to go down the same wrong path as you guys, fortunately I was able to repent and returned to the right way. I still break out in cold sweat recalling those times. Repent, guys. These powers are just an illusion, they are not real!"
"You hypocrites with your fake act of kindness. Yan Po Jun, I can see right through you. Who do you think you are? You only know how to rely on your clan, how to please your Yue Clan Third Young Master to get to where you are now! How dare you lecture me? Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Look at you, you are still on the lowest Innate level one, whereas I am already on Innate Level two, this scum that you had despised! What is an illusion? I, Xue Qian Qiu will slaughter you and bury you here in Heaven Stairway Level One. I will wipe out the Yan family's entire hopes and dreams, that is what I call an illusion! His Majesty the Demon King can offer me eternal life. As long as I can make contributions, I will be given greater powers. I don't even have to cultivate. In the future, forget about Innate Level two, I may even reach Innate Elder Level Two. As for you all, you would just be a laughing stock and a mere bag of skeletons buried beneath this wasteland!" Xue Qian Qiu whose body was infested with worms had tentacles and compound eyes growing on his skin. His appearance was truly revolting.
"……." Yan Po Jun sadly shook his head and took a step back.
"Pa pa pa pa!" Ye Kong clapped loudly, agreeing with Xue Qian Qiu and praised him.
"People always say that stupidity has no cure! Now I truly understand what they meant. This here was what it is!" Fatty Hai nodded in agreement: "Since we are enemies, there really is nothing further that we could say. Let's fight! This was not an internal battle within the Soaring Dragon Continent, only a battle between the normal people and the brainless."
The Li brothers linked their minds together.
They were the first ones to rush out to battle, the one that they want to take on was the Xue Qian Qiu who was not only laughing but sneering at them.
Bai Yun Fei raised his hands and produced a shockwave. Powerful shockwaves came rushing at them knocking the Li brothers back to their corner.
He pointed his finger at Xue Tan Lang: "Within Soaring Dragon Continent, other than Yue Clan Third Young Master, you have the most talent and power. During the Hundred School Elite Competition, I missed the chance to do battle with you. Today, it is either you die or I die….in this world, the winner takes all and the champion takes full power, whoever is the winner today would then be the renown genius of the Soaring Dragon Continent!"
Xue Tan Lang proudly moved forward snickered and spoke with a chilling voice:" Renown genius? Life winner? It may not be me, but it would certainly not be you!"
Both sides were stewing in hatred and anger.
With a loud shout on each side, each found an opponent to battle, their battle to the death…..
On the other side, Yue Yang continued to head towards the right sealed area with Princess Qian Qian and Xue Wu Xia in toll. At this same moment, he stopped moving.
Standing before them was a person with a straw hat.
The figure stood there all alone like a ghost.
On the other hand, it looked like he knew of Yue Yang's arrivel over on this side. He was waiting quietly, just waiting for him, patiently and silently, just like when he waited for the Black Hell King. As usual, he had his back to Yue Yang, believing that Yue Yang was a true gentleman, that he would never mount a sneak attack. He leisurely clasped his hand behind him while standing on top of a broken pillar.
Yue Yang, Princess Qian Qian, Xue Wu Xia and Luo Hua City Mistress had never seen this person before.
But, a mere look made them understand who this person was.
Today, this was the vessel of the Ancient Demon King's soul…..
"Yue Clan Third Young Master, Do you know who I am?" The shadow came across with some cheekiness, asking: "Surprised? Actually I did not need to come see you this quickly, you were a very fun toy for me to play with. With you, my life would be more exciting. Similar to the times when Prison Emperor was around. When he was present , a new glorious historical record gets added to my life. You are not at his level yet, Prison Emperor was such an elegant toy for me to play with, I admire him. I do certainly appreciate you Yue Clan Third Young Master, the first toy that I could not understand in these thousands of years……because of that, I decided to come out to meet you, giving you a real target to aim for! You know that if you do not work harder, you would just die a very terrible death.
"Have you gone crazy from age?" Yue Yang stared at him like he had just met a mental patient.
"No, I could assure you that I have no mental problems. You said these because you were just afraid, you are scared of me!" The shadowy figure in a straw hat laughed very hard.
"Aren't you just the vessel of the Ancient Demon King, what's there to be afraid of? You could scare the little children, but for us, this is really not enough." Princess Qian Qian unsheathed the Prison Emperor Divine Sword from her back and held it in her hand, meanwhile raising her power, trying to summon the power of the divine sword and the will of the Prison Emperor. Suddenly, they felt as though there was a divine sword hanging in the sky, and this sword could easily divide the heavens and earth. The sword suppressed everything in the area.
"You all want to kill me? Too early!" The shadow being suppressed by the power of the divine sword was still able to speak casually: "I am not as stupid as the Black Hell King. If I see any danger to myself, I would certainly not come out to meet with you all."
"What do you want to say?" Luo Hua City Mistress stepped forward and held Yue Yang's hands, providing support for him so that he would not lose his mind and do something rash.
"I am only here to say hello." The showy figure sighed :"Actually, I really would like to kill all of you right now, but I am still unable to do so."
"Then leave!" Yue Yang was tempted to use the Ancient Code Power to destroy this guy, but he guess if he killed off this shadow, all he was doing was destroying one of the many vessel of the Ancient Demon King's Soul only, and it did not affect his soul at all. All Ancient Demon King had to do was to find another one, then he could come again to seek trouble with him. He could never kill them all. He needs to locate Ancient Demon King's flaw.
It was possible that this vessel was here to test him.
He wanted to test and understand Yue Yang's power.
Using a vessel, in exchange to know Yue Yang's true power……this plan would be the true aim of the Ancient Demon King.
Yue Yang would not fall into his trap, he raised his right hand, brought out the Tao Tie Blade and prepared for battle. Princess Qian Qian, the obseving Xue Wu Xia and the encouraging Luo Hua City Mistress followed suit.
When the shadowy figure felt that Yue Yang did not fall for his trick. He waved his hand, breaking the space with a silver streak of light.
It had disappeared.
He really did not want to battle Yue Yang today.
He was afraid that his secret would be reveal and Yue Yang would be able to see through him!


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Welcome to Casino365.TV, your best resource for live casinos across the internet, but let us first look what live casinos actually are. In a live casino, there are no machines running the business. Instead of them, we have human dealers running the game in real time from a classic casino table which you as a customer see through a live streaming link. The player (so in these case you) can place his bets through a console that is displayer on your monitor, but you can also communicate with the dealer through a chat.
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The technique that is used here is called OCR, where software can recognize cards or numbers and transfer them into data to deal out your winnings or collect your losses. This technology is essential for the live dealer game on the internet, because she is the communication point between the software and the real game.
An important point about the live casino is the high costs that the companies have to run this business and this of course includes a real person playing and also all the technical setup for a live stream. The setup is not as big as a full casino, BUT you still have croupiers, at least one or two camera responsible people and of course also a pit boss in case something goes wrong and there is a dispute to be solved. These enormous costs are the main reason why most of the online casinos only offer several games or why they buy in into an existing software/network provider so they can share the costs with other online casinos.
Still, some of the big online casino companies prefer to run their own business, but we see a trend of them then becoming a reseller of their own product. There are not known issues or scandals known around live casino games. Still, the best way to handle this is to play with established casinos. This is the exact reason why we created this site, to show you good and solid live casino where you can focus on your entertainment!


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US Congress rejects Trump's cuts in aid to Africa
Wednesday May 3 2017
The US Congress is expected to vote soon in support of a budget deal that preserves most Africa assistance programmes and provides nearly $1 billion to respond to current and threatened famines.
The pending agreement announced on Monday rejects many of the aid cuts sought by Republican President Donald Trump.
That outcome results from the unwillingness of key Republicans in Congress to slash funding for the State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAid).
The most ardent congressional supporters of Mr Trump's proposed cuts were sidelined as a result of Republican leaders' decision to seek compromises with the Democratic Party minority. President Trump thus suffered a significant setback for his effort to "put American first" at the expense of poor countries. But the president has nevertheless said he will accept Congress' version of the federal government spending plan.
The Republican-Democratic deal applies to the US budget for the 2017 fiscal year that ends on September 30. Mr Trump is vowing to push again for steep reductions in State Department and USAid allocations for fiscal 2018.
Backers of continued US assistance to Africa are praising the agreement reached by Republican and Democratic negotiators.
"The funding for the State Department and USAid demonstrates strong bipartisan support as negotiations move forward on next year's budget, particularly as proposals surface that would pull America back from the world," declared Liz Schrayer, head of the US Global Leadership Coalition. That group represents some 500 businesses and NGOs that call for diplomacy and development to be given as much priority as US military initiatives.
Democratic Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, specifically hailed the commitment to allocate $990 million to alleviate acute food shortages in Somalia, South Sudan, Nigeria and Yemen.
"With 20 million people on the brink of starvation, there's no question that this money will save lives," Ms Lee said.
The legislation also extends US support for health programmes important to Africa, such as the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Congress also plans to provide $30 million for the African Development Foundation, which Mr Trump had favoured eliminating.
But the compromise package does contain some of the funding reductions for international organisations that Mr Trump had targeted.
No money is to be allocated for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or the Green Climate Fund. And the United Nations is facing a $640 million cut in Washington's $10 billion share of the UN budget.
The proposal prohibits any US spending for implementation of the UN Arms Trade Treaty. Kenya played a leading role in fashioning that international agreement, which is opposed by the US gun lobby.
Congress appears willing to give Mr Trump about half of the $54 billion increase in US military spending that he had urged. The Pentagon's $521 billion budget would grow by five percent under the terms of the compromise reached by Congress.
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Director: Richard Brooks
Elizabeth Taylor, Van Johnson, Donna Reed, Walter Pidgeon, Eva Gabor, Kurt Kasznar, Roger Moore
A successful writer ( Van Johnson) remembers about his love story with a gorgeous American girl ( Elizabeth Taylor ) in post WWII Paris . As we watch bright scenarios from Paris as the Arc of Triumph , river Sena , Cathedral of Notre Dame , promenade of Eliseos ; furthermore a horsemen race and Montecarlo car race , among others . Based on a semi-autobiographic novel titled ¨ Babylon revisited ¨ by F. Scott Fitzgerald who is well incarnated by Van Johnson and in which Helen played by Elizabeth Taylor represents Zelda , Scott's wife . This interesting movie reminisces the love affair between a wealthy war reporter and a feisty young woman ; it packs romance , drama , and colorful scenarios . Good support cast as Donna Reed , Eva Gabor , Kurt Kasznar , John Ducette and Walter Pidgeon who steals the show as joyful and sponger father . Glamorous cinematography in glimmer Technicolor by Joseph Ruttemberg and adequate musical score . The motion picture is professionally written and directed by Richard Brooks . He's an American filmmaker and screenwriter who won an Oscar for ¨ Elmer Gantry ¨ writings ; Brooks so consistently blended the good with average which it became quite impossible to know what to expect from him next . In the 50s , the harder his movies impacted , the more successful they were ; and the gentler they were , the less effective as ¨The last time saw Paris ¨ . Thus , the Brooks pictures that have the biggest hit in the 50 are the following : ¨Blackboard jungle ¨, ¨Something of value ¨ ¨The Brothers Karamazov ¨ , and in the 60s are ¨ Sweet bird of youth¨, Cat on a hot tin roof ¨, ¨In cold blood ¨ and ¨ The professionals ¨ ; in addition during the 70s a special mention to ¨ Bite the bullet ¨. Rating : : Good film that appeal to Elizabeth Taylor fans .


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Latrigg Circular
An easy three mile circular with incredible views over Derwent Water and the Fells beyond.
This circular route is a good walk for wheels. The track is good, but steep in places, so therefore do not recommend using a manual wheelchair. The route begins at the carpark at the head of Gales Road, heading through the gate and follows the signs for footpath for limited mobility. Here the path begins to climb and out in front of you breathtaking views over Keswick and Derwent Water. For very little climb, the scenery is spectacular.There is even a bench at the viewing point for the weary walker to rest their legs and take time to drink in the view! This route is just under three miles in length. Although there are no facilities at the car park I highly recommend driving down into Threlkeld and stopping off either at the Community Cafe or the Horse and Farrier Pub. The community cafe is very modern and is totally wheelchair accessible - the facilities are excellent. ( blue badge parking, lift up to the cafe, accessible toilets) The pub is all on one level, with accessible toilet. The food is highly recommended at both of these pitstops.
For map and route please visit The Outdoor Guide with Julia


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Let me finish my comments on the three axioms and then next time will comment about rhythm. In my original post on this I said ….
Axiom # 3
Life long learning is a non negotiable for development and creativity.
I am going to be honest with you, this just happens far to infrequently. Not only does it not happen in the life of the average American (the number of Americans who actually buy non fiction to read is woefully small. The number who actually read more than the first chapter – miniscule) it happens as rarely in ministry.
I am not unrealistic in realizing the average person in ministry should have a balance between the various spheres of life. But never read a theology book? Never consider what is emerging in the world of cultural critique? Never consider a consistent practice of familiarizing themselves with cutting edge leadership and semiotics? This sort of laziness is just a recipe for church malaise; a vibe more common than anyone would like to admit. And it is a prescription for a boring, self absorbed person.
This is the single practice that has kept me fresh over the years. (in the next post I will talk to you about THE most important practice you could daily engage to revolutionize your life) You don't have to read three books a week, listen to 12 podcasts and surf cultural trend websites daily. But you do need an intentional plan.
What areas will you become an expert in over the next 10 years (take the long view)? Why not commit right now to one full day in a bookstore getting book reading ideas and creative insights? I did this every month without fail over a 15 year time period. It was enormously helpful. How much time will you commit to taking in new material whatever the format it takes? Input may be the most important determinate in creative flow and we just don't take time for it.
One of the biggest reasons for input is to release our mental models from becoming to set up, read as in concrete. Fresh input that jars and disrupts our current way of seeing things is the only way to make sure we don't become smug and arrogant; certain we already have it all figured out. Very little in life is "all" figured out. There is always more to learn about almost everything imaginable.
Life long learning is not only the way to remain at an exciting place but it is the source of creative injection for the primary vocation into which you are living at the moment. Your ability to enact, creatively shift, and think beyond the box to the sphere or pyramid is dependent on your commitment to new idea intrusion. Go for it!!