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Good afternoon crafters, I'm spoiling you …2 posts in one day!
I have the last card from Tracy who's been our very fabulous Guest Designer for February
February is such a short month and it's flown by, Tracy has made some amazing things for us and you are going to love this card…
This stamp is called Window Box and it's such a cute image!
It's one of our 'busy bears' and is an older design so I was pleased to see Tracy use it because some of our newer visitors may not have seen it before
Tracy also sneaked on one of our useful little sentiment tags
You can see the rest of the details and more of Tracey's beautiful work on her own Crafteezee blog
I'd like to thank Tracy for joining us, I know you've all enjoyed seeing her beautiful cards
I'll have another Guest designer to introduce over the weekend
Just before I go here's our Theme Thursday candy winner, it was number 80 and that's you…
Well done Katie, email firstname.lastname@example.com with your address
That's me done, home time!
…enjoy the rest of your Friday, and I'll see you tomorrow for a new Sketch x


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Please contact us if you have any question:
Paul firstname.lastname@example.com
tado° presents its next generation software - making tado° the Smart Climate Assistant
Berlin, 1 September 2017 - In time for the upcoming heating season, tado°, the European market leader in intelligent home climate control solutions has launched its next generation software at IFA in Berlin.
The Smart Climate Assistant The new software goes beyond climate control making tado° the Smart Climate Assistant with new features that help users enjoy an affordable warm home.
- Open Window Detection: Sudden changes in temperature or humidity when a window is opened are spotted by the tado° Open Window Detection and the heating turns off automatically to not waste energy.
- Repair Services Button: Access immediate help by an engineer in your area as soon as a problem occurs with your heating. With a few taps in the app get your heating repaired, get a quote for a new system or book a maintenance. The service will be available in Great Britain, Germany, Austria and Switzerland in Autumn 2017.
- Geofencing: The renowned tado° Geofencing feature remains a key pillar of tado°. It ensures that the heating is automatically turned down when the last person leaves home and that it is already comfortably warm when the first person is returning. Furthermore, the user can now manually adjust the geofencing radius when tado° switches to home mode.
- Weather Adaption: tado° adapts the heating to the weather forecast. When sunshine is predicted tado° turns down the heat to leverage the solar gain and avoid overshooting temperature effects for higher efficiency and comfort at home. The new climate report now visualises these effects.
Energy Savings Report
From today, tado° customers can access a brand-new Energy Savings Report which shows on a monthly basis how much energy tado° has saved. For example, "last month you have saved 29% on your heating bill." It also goes into more detail by visualizing the activities of the tado° assistant like the cumulated Geofencing away time, the impact of Weather Adaption and how often open windows have been detected.
Platform connectivity to all major home assistants
Home assistants like Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant are becoming more and more popular. They help to unify connected homes and allow users to control their devices through voice. tado° is one of the first smart thermostat companies that seamlessly integrate into the three leading home assistant platforms.
tado° CEO Toon Bouten explains, "With its new software tado° becomes the Smart Climate Assistant that works for the users in the background. You open the window - tado° takes care. You leave the house - tado° takes care. The sun is shining - tado° takes care. It is an all-round carefree package for the climate at home that now even offers voice control."
Energy Savings Guarantee
The company is very confident about their new software and guarantees energy savings for their customers. During the first year of use customers of the newest product generation V3 can make use of the Energy Savings Guarantee with the right to return the products and get a full refund.
High resolution image is available here
For more images, please visit www.tado.com.
About tado°
Headquartered in Munich, tado°, the European market leader in intelligent home climate control solutions, was founded in 2011. tado° revolutionises the way energy is consumed at home. The Smart Climate Assistant uses features such as Geofencing, Weather Adaption or Open Window Detection to save up to 31% on the annual energy bill and increase the comfort at home. tado° has 150 employees, raised over €50m in venture funding and is active across Europe and the USA.
Press Contact
tado° GmbH
Verena Grill
Sapporobogen 6-8
80637 Munich

subset: commoncrawl


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Senate Appropriations Chair Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and House Appropriations Chair Representative Hal Rogers (R-KY) introduced an Omnibus Spending bill for Fiscal Year 2014 on Monday night, searching for an end to years of partisan budget battles and averting another government shutdown. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 consolidates the 12 appropriations bills into a single spending bill designed to more efficiently pass through both chambers of Congress without considerable time spent on debate and passage.
The first Omnibus spending bill likely to move since the passage of the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009, this Omnibus bill would set discretionary spending levels for the federal government at $1.012 Trillion for the rest of the 2014 Fiscal Year, ending on September 30, 2014. Building off the framework from the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 that passed in December, the Omnibus spending bill sets discretionary spending levels in-between where the Senate ($1.058 Trillion) and House ($967 Billion) had previously proposed. With the new Omnibus spending bill, $45 Billion in cuts due to the sequester would be replaced.
In addition to preventing another government shutdown, continuous budget battles, and another round of sequester cuts, this spending bill includes a commitment to investing in early childhood programs that is encouraging in a time of fiscal restraint. With many early childhood programs receiving additional funding over post-sequestration FY2013 levels, including Head Start which was fully restored to pre-sequestration levels, this spending bill provides additional investments in CCDBG, Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships, the Community Services Block Grant, IDEA Part C, and RTT-Preschool Development Grants
Some of the investments in early childhood programs in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 include:
Child Care and Development Block Grant: CCDBG FY2014 Discretionary levels set at $2.36 billion). Although the total discretionary funding amount falls short of the $2.5 billion set forth in Harkin's Labor-HHS Appropriations bill introduced over the summer, it still represents a $154 million increase to the program over 2013. Additional set-asides for CCDBG include:
- Child Care Resource and Referral Activities: $19,357,000
- National Toll-Free Hotline: $996,000
- Quality Expenditures: $296,484,000
- Infant and Toddler Quality Improvements: $108,732,000
- Child Care Research: $9,851,000
Head Start: $8.6 billion for Head Start ($1.025 billion increase). This fully restores previous cuts to Head Start and supports a 1.3 % cost of living increase for all current grantees. Another key component included in the deal is $500 million to expand Early Head Start, including the establishment of new EHS-Child Care Partnerships. This increase will provide "high quality Early Head Start services to approximately 40,000 additional children, more than one-third increase. Through these new partnerships, EHS will partner with local center and home-based child care programs to improve the quality of those programs to meet Early Head Start standards. This leverages investments through the Child Care and Development Fund and will further improve the quality of early childhood care and education options for infants and toddlers."
RTT-Preschool Development Grants: The spending bill allows for the allocation of $250 million to be used for grants to States to help them develop, enhance or expand high quality preschool programs for children 4 and over from low and moderate income families or for other early learning activities that improve the quality of such programs.
IDEA Part C: Includes an increase of $18,000,000 for the grants for infants and toddlers.
As the table below shows, the funding levels for these core early childhood programs have been proposed at different levels from FY2013 Proposals and Enactment.
Funding for Child Care and Related Programs
|($ in Millions) Program
|President's FY 2013 Proposal
|FY 2013 Enacted
|President's FY 2014 Proposal
|FY 2014 Omnibus Spending Bill
|Child Care & Development Block GrantDiscretionary
|Social Services Block Grant (SSBG/Title XX)
|Head Start(EHS-CC Partnerships)
|$9,621 ($1,400)
|Preschool Development Grants
Next Steps: As mentioned earlier, after a short three-day continuing resolution is passed to fund the government past the 15th of January to avoid another period without federal funding, the House and Senate will then vote on the 1500+ page bill. With support of the leaders in both the House and Senate and the Administration, passage of the bill is expected, as is the signature of the President, which would signal a temporary relief of budget and appropriations battles until near the next deadline of September 30, 2014.
Although there is still work to do, take the time to send a tweet to Senator Barbara Mikulski, Senator Tom Harkin, Senator Jerry Moran, Senator Richard Shelby, Representative Hal Rogers, Representative Jack Kingston, Representative Nita Lowey, and Representative Rosa Delauro to let them know your appreciation for a commitment to a quality early learning experience for young children and families.


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Twenty-three years ago, a 29 year-old Montreal native, Daniel Breton, walked into a Vw dealer and purchased what would be his favorite car ever: A 1982 Golf diesel.
"I've always loved the Mk2," said Daniel. "It's my favorite model." And he's not alone because there's something about the Mk2 - something that was missing from each subsequent generation. It's got an attitude. Maybe it's the angular nature of the body, the perfect proportions, the iconic front-end. It just works in metallic harmony.
We generally see Mk2s owned by young kids with pocket change and a love for air-ride, but Daniel's enthusiasm comes from a different time. At 52 years old, he loves the car with every bone in his body, and each aches equally because he's been the only one wrenching on it since day one. He's been in his garage with just hand tools and a floor jack.
He didn't take a slow approach to modifying, though. Actually, the stock Golf only lasted seven days. "One week after driving it home, I built a brand new motor with Weber carburetors," he explained. "I went back to the dealer and the salesman asked me about the warranty but I didn't care about that!" Correct answer.
Fast forward to today and what you see here might be the perfect example of the Mk2. Sure, the tuning world encompasses an enormous variety of styles and tastes, but this car speaks to you. It's highly modified, no doubt, but maintains its original, old school character.
Daniel finally repainted it two years ago. But instead of choosing a color that's impossible to find, or something showy and vibrant, he kept the factory Charcoal Grey as if it was repainted at the VW factory again.
It's not all looks either, this hatch is a goddamn monster. Let's see, it's certainly lighter than its original 2006 lb but now packs its third motor, a 2.1-liter 16v turbo motor with a 25psi uppercut that'll rip the tires to shreds.
"I'm very happy with it," Daniel gloated. "The engine's so strong, it's crazy." Barely breaking into the sweet spot of the Garrett GT30R, the 2.1L makes a generous 400whp on pump gas, and you can bet the skinny 195/45 rubber isn't doing much to aid traction. Thankfully, Daniel didn't skip a beat in his build. Utilizing a G60 casing, he stuffed a VR6 1-4 gear set inside the transmission, along with the long TDI 5th gear for highway cruising. It was topped off with a Quaife limited-slip.
While the power can be frenetic in the lower gears, the car hooks hard in top. But let's face it, this Mk2 turbo isn't for 0-60mph records; it's a toy. A really well-built toy.
Inside is minimalist. Nicely upholstered two-tone Recaros, a bright silver six-point rollcage and deleted rear seat: weight reduction and chassis stiffening at its finest.
"I love curvy roads," Daniel explained. "Every time I see a nice off-ramp, it's my favorite part of the drive."
The car handles exceptionally well thanks to sticky rubber, light BBS RM wheels and Bilstein PSS9 coilovers. It'll probably out-brake a Porsche, too, with its four-piston Wilwood front calipers squeezing 13" rotors.
Despite its obvious performance assets, Daniel still drives it to every show he can, including H2O International in Maryland; a show he's attended every year since it's inception [see p94 for our coverage]. "Everybody knows the car because I've owned it so long," he laughed.
Daniel's a diehard enthusiast. He's the epitome of what the VW scene needs; a true fan of the brand and its culture. His Golf won't be going anywhere, for now, so don't bother lowballing him online. "I'll keep it forever!" he exclaimed. And we're sure you would too if you somehow managed to dump nearly $100,000 in your German econobox over the course of more than two decades.
1989 Volkswagen Golf Diesel
Daniel Breton
Montreal, Canada
Engine 2.1-liter 16v four-cylinder with JE pistons, Carrillo rods, ported, polished head, Garrett GT30R .63a/r turbo, 38mm TiAL wastegate and Q blow-off valve, custom intake, exhaust manifold and 3" exhaust with Magnaflow muffler, RMR intake manifold and fuel rail, custom front-mount intercooler with Garrett core, SDS engine management
Brakes Wilwood six-piston calipers and 13" rotors f, stock rear
Suspension Bilstein PSS9 coilovers, six-point Autotech rollcage, front and rear sway bars
Wheels & Tires 15x8" BBS RM wheels with 2" lips, 195/45 R15 Marangoni Zeta tires
Exterior Golf Rallye headlamps and badgeless grille, VR6 chin spoiler, single wiper, wider fenders, rubbing strips removed, de-badged rear, tinted tail lights, pop-out rear windows, Sparco fuel cap, Golf CL rear window, rear wiper and spoiler removed
Interior two-tone leather Recaro seats with matching door cards, SDS programmer, Oettinger steering wheel, painted dash pieces, rear-seat delete
Audio Pioneer head unit, MB Quart speakers, 10" Boston Acoustics G2 sub in custom enclosure, Phoenix Gold amps


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so the accelerometer/rate gyro combonation is usually used in segway style self balancing robots.since the angle of your base will always be the same (ie, paralell to the ground) and you are just trying to measure the angle between it and the stick, what about encoders round the pivot point?dunk.
this actually belongs more in the mechanics section, but how would I actually go around attaching a pole to a robot that'll allow the pole to fall in the x-y axes?


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Benign-by-Design: Synthesis of Engineered Silicon Nanoparticles and their Application to Oil Sands Water Contaminant RemediationDownload
Iqbal, M., Veinot, J.G.C., Purkait, T.K., Goss, G.G.
Oil sands are naturally occurring mixtures of sand or clay, water, fine silts, and bitumen. The oil sands extraction process consumes large volumes of water (i.e., ca. 3 barrels of fresh water for every 1 barrel of oil). Following the extraction of bitumen from the oil sands, a tailings slurry...
Iqbal, M., Gamal El-Din, M., Aghajamali, M., Veinot, J.G.C., Purkait, T.K., Goss, G.G., Hadidi, L.
There are many candidate technologies that could be applied to the treatment of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are particularly useful for degrading biologically toxic or non-degradable materials such as aromatics, pesticides, petroleum constituents,...


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Trifecta: The NewlywedPosted in Fiction, Tacar on April 26th, 2012 by Annabelle – 15 Comments
"So," Raicha started. "Sahmin Bahlaru." It was the first time since the wedding that she'd had the chance to talk to Camilia privately, and her curiosity was killing her.
Camilia smiled a little, and took a sip of her wine. A bead of condensation ran down the side of the glass. "Charming, isn't he?" Camilia's head turned toward where he was standing by the fountain, talking to one of her half-brothers.
"He is," she agreed dubiously, looking at him. He was, certainly. Pleasant, acceptably good looking, of excellent birth, entirely appropriate in every respect. Camilia's choice had relieved and disconcerted the nobility in equal measure, depending on how well they really knew her. She could see out of the corner of her eye that Camilia's nose was wrinkling in amusement.
She recognized that expression. Her suspicion deepened. "Camilia, what are you up to?"
Camilia's mouth turned up, but she shook her head. "Raicha, really." She motioned lightly for one of the servants to adjust the awning above them where the sun had moved around the edge.
One of the late Emperor's lesser wives swept past, looking as pinched as she had ever since Camilia's coronation. A sudden thought struck Raicha. She put her head back against the chair, and touched her sweating wineglass to her cheek. It was probably marring her paints, but it felt good all the same. She tilted her head. "I'm told Aila Sino is taking a second husband to administer the estates she just inherited." It wasn't common for a woman to take multiple husbands, but…
Aha! That earned her a slanting glance from those sharp green eyes, pregnant with mischief. It was as good as a confidence, that look. Raicha started to laugh softly. "To your wedding, my dear." Camilia, still twinkling, solemnly clinked her glass against Raicha's. Raicha subsided into her chair, grinning. They lay in companionable silence while Raicha began to review all the scandalously inappropriate men of their acquaintance in her head.
Second prompt! This time a little fiction, in response to this week's Trifecta Writing Challenge. This week's prompt called for use of the third meaning of the word confidence (noun), defined as:
3 a: a relation of trust or intimacy <took his friend into hisconfidence>
c : support especially in a legislative body <vote ofconfidence>


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Material: Polyketone (PK), ivory-colored.Moulded version. Bores machined. Pressure angle 20º. Usable also under water or other mediums.Lower friction than polyacetal gears leads to much larger lifespan, even without lubrication. Much higher safety against tooth breaking, specially at longterm usage. Temperature Range: -40°C to +140°C due to the load.
Zusätzliche Informationen
The supplied 3D models, pictures and technical drawings are made with reasonable care.Nevertheless liability is excluded for the accuracy and correctness of this data.
go to Group


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Monday it has approved Bayer AG's drug Stivarga for the treatment of a rare type of gastrointestinal tract cancer.
Stivarga is already approved to treat colon cancer that has progressed after prior treatment or that has spread to other parts of the body. Bayer will now also be able to market the drug as a treatment for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).
Stivarga, known chemically as regorafenib, was tested in 199 patients with GIST that could not be surgically removed and had progressed after treatment with other therapies. Patients taking Stivarga had a delay in tumor growth progression that was on average 3.9 months later than patients given a placebo.
Reporting By Toni Clarke in Washington; editing by John Wallace


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Please read description carefully.
Do not base your order on the picture presented.
Features of the Globe Scientific Adjustable Volume Diamond Pro Pipette:
Our Diamond PRO Research micropipettes are designed with super soft thermo plastic elastomer grips that minimize fatigue of hands and fingers. The unique padding not only reduces thumb stress, but also minimizes the transfer of body heat to the pipette, resulting in consistant accuracy. All Diamond pipettors come with a certificate of calibration, a recalibration tool kit and a full one year warranty
Eligible for FREE or discounted ground shipping.
Medex SKU: GSB-3311-20


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Video Conferencing at the Isaac Newton Institute
Equipped to produce high level quality live sound and image broadcasts, the Institute Video Conferencing facilities encourage participants to use the latest voice and video technology to communicate and collaborate with one another.
Typical uses of Video Conferencing include:
- Small to medium sized meetings.
- Distance Learning, Lectures and Tutorials.
- Professional presentations.
- Interviews.
- Office web conferences (laptop computer available)
Video Conferencing facilities have been acquired through a grant from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851.


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A "No Fly" in the Ointment in LibyaNews Abroad
For days we have been watching the ebb and flow of frustration protests in Libya, echoing but not matching the overthrow of long-time despots in Tunis and Egypt, but seemingly less capable of driving the longest terminator of all into an exilic tent (though probably outside one of Berlusconi's mansions rather than above a madrasa in Saudi Arabia). A week ago it looked like "rebel" forces might march on Tripoli; such was the rhetoric of liberation on the lips of those who took back the streets east and west of the capital and rattled the very tent pegs of the leader's Tripoli holdout.
Last night, amidst reports of an escalating disaster alert at a Japanese nuclear reactor, the U.N. Security Council met to deal with Qaddadi, the colonel not known for fried chicken wings but with a distinct love of his female guard's hidden charms. To no-fly or not to no-fly: that was the dramatic question debated. Would Russia and China resort to Cold War negativism or embrace pragmatic realpolitic and let French planes scramble to destroy the older planes the French probably supplied Qaddadi with at some point? Would international involvement lead to a land invasion? Another Iraq or Afghanistan? The pundits were all over the map. Many had their predictions; none of the crystal balls seemed very trustworthy.
April 4, 1941: a day that is not particularly associated with infamy, but it is the day the Nazi tank commander Rommel captured Benghazi, now the second largest city in Libya. At the time the Allies could not yet mount a no-fly zone, although the North African campaign did end in their favor. To my knowledge, the Nazi newsreel scenes of Rommel's tanks and Luftwaffe planes strafing Libya were not shown at the U.N. last night. Simply colorizing the film might have speeded up the decision. Rommel or Qaddafi: the bad guy had to be routed by the good guys. In this case, however, the Libyans were actually front and center, not simply the Risk board for a world war not of their choosing.
And the result? Libya declares immediate ceasefire. A reality check for the mad non-mullah? As the deliberation was being made Qaddafi went on the airwaves warning of bloodshed and doom for all who oppose him. Was it a bluff? I suppose that depends on exactly how "mad" one thinks he is. How long before he falls off that bluff for good, indeed for the good of all? A stalling tactic? Not very likely, unless he is really crazed, since this would allow the forces that would be needed to enforce such a no-fly zone more time to be ready.
The questions are legion, greater than the number of tanks Rommel needed to roll over Libya in the 1940s. Are there secret negotiations with Qaddafi to spirit him and his bevy of female guards out of Tripoli to a safe haven in Caracas (why not Las Vegas for a show of shows)? And if an assassin's bullet does pierce his security, is he expecting 72 virgins in Paradise? Could such a madman even be expecting paradise? I suppose he might be allotted a room with Idi Amin, if such despots are ever saved from the hell they make for their own people here on earth.
I make no predictions, not even in mirth. My hopes are with the vast majority of Libyans, who want to taste some semblance of freedom, to speak their minds, to afford a family, to raise their children, to have a decent job in their own country. Will these hopes fly now that the U.N. has weighed in? Time will tell, the easiest of all intellectually concocted copouts; but what will it tell us? Stay tuned.
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Arnold Shcherban - 3/23/2011
The Western media, going along (without any verification) with governmental statements, reported "hundreds of civilians" had been killed by Colonel Qaddafi's forces, the killings that served as an exclusive justification for military assault on Libyan regime.
However, we yet to get any proof of those statements and reports. (What we heard up to now is just hearsay.)
The whole Libyan affair looks more and more like Kosovo one, when greatly exaggerated number of Albanians, allegedly killed by Serb security forces (not already mentioning the number of Serbs killed by terrorist KLA, and Albanians in general), was used by the "usual suspects" (Western powers) as a justification for the similar "humanitarian mission"; in reality - taking away native Serbian territory to form illegal and ridiculous independent Kosovo state.
Which, of course, created unprecedented, in modern history, situation: ONE nation and ethnic group - Albanians - having TWO independent states (Albania, and Kosovo) bordering each other...
Arnold Shcherban - 3/23/2011
Article One, Section Eight of the Constitution of the USA says "Congress shall have power to ... declare War".
Therefore, President Obama violated his country's Supreme Law by engaging in the
military campaign/war against Libya.
Clear and simple.
Arnold Shcherban - 3/23/2011
Sorry, should be "February", instead of "November."
james joseph butler - 3/22/2011
Those Libyans actually attacked Americans going about their maritime business. Stephen Decatur is a hero because of a rescue mission not a bombing mission.
Keep it simple.
Arnold Shcherban - 3/22/2011
<Would Russia and China resort to Cold War negativism...>
The US alone negated (by using its veto power; the last time in November 2011), acting directly against the majority opinion, much more submitted SC resolutions than Russia and China combined, during Cold War and after, but... if not for that damn negativism of Russia and China...(?!)
Leopard, never changes his spots, indeed.
Arnold Shcherban - 3/21/2011
One of the America's core problems is the ABSOLUTISM with which it treats US constitution and the liturgies of its Founding Fathers.
The faster this country recognizes that ALL ancient moral, ideological, socio-economic, etc. ideals/principles are gradually becoming obsolete and inapplicable to ever changing world, the better off it will be.
Joseph E. Cavalli - 3/21/2011
I did! I did channel the founding fathers, Presidents Jefferson & Madison to be precise. They were busy planning US Naval operations against the forefathers today's Libyans in the Mediterranean near Tripoli...Obama might be wrong but the Founding Fathers have been there -done that.
james joseph butler - 3/21/2011
Once upon a time Colonel Quadaffi was loved by all but the most compromised Libyans and wasn't General Rommel everyone's only favorite Nazi?
There's one small problem with the No-Fly Zone; history, naturally Mr Loony Tune Ghadaffi exploits this. America, the West, the Crusaders, have never stopped using the Middle East for their own most self-interested and ignorant of reasons.
Decades after America used the Middle East to fill 57 Chevys and Billy Graham's dreams we find ourselves pariahs and saviors, the fullfillment of foreigners and oligarchs. Please, tell me, why the hell am I here?!
My sweet Libyan, or Toledoan,(Ohio), you are there because because there are times when then are discontinuties between this narrative, 2011, and the preceding 59 years.
When President Obama and the United States of America can stop embodying contradictions the whole world can start believing all the hoo hah that our founding fathers believed in.
If I was to channel those founding fathers they would say mind your own business and take care of Planet America. Obama wrong. Founding Fathers right.
Joseph Mutik - 3/21/2011
Libya has about 140 tribes, most of them against Qaddafi but part of them support Qaddafi. If Qaddafi is defeated, are the western powers going to intervene if rebel tribes, in the great Muslim tradition, begin to slaughter the tribes that support Qaddafi now?
A similar question about Syria. In 1982 Assad the father ordered his army to put down an upheaval in Hamah. About 20000 people were killed and the town almost erased. Are the western powers going to intervene if Assad the son will do the same as his father?
The road to democracy is a long process of learning and understanding. For example, in France after the French revolution took about 100 years till France became a real democracy. The only hope is that the Arabs will be able to learn faster?!
Arnold Shcherban - 3/20/2011
The so-called international coalition of the billing - oops, sorry - willing, has already violated the same SC resolution it has fully endorsed: instead of protecting "civilians" (really supporting armed rebels, whether they are right or wrong), they launched, essentially, indiscriminate bombing attacks that already caused civilian casualties, and supplied arms to the rebels,... to enforced the ceasefire.
Turkey alone, of all NATO members, rejected the support for the military attack on Libya, and rightfully so.
Only "a mad dog" observer would claim
that the purpose of that no-fly zone operation is not the regime change, as
the US and its partners stubbornly and ludicrously claim.
I bet anyone that as the result of the operation in question it will be regime change in Libya.
Any takers among "usual suspects"?
- Chicago-Area Leaders Call for Illinois to Halt History Classes Until Curriculum is Updated
- John Hume, Nobel Laureate for Work in Northern Ireland, Dies at 83
- Statue of White Woman Holding Hatchet and Scalps Sparks Backlash in New England
- 'We Always Knew What It Stood For': Small Texas Town Torn Over Its Confederate Statue
- UNC Tenured Faculty Tell Students to Stay Home Amid COVID Concerns: 'It Is Not Safe for You to Come to Campus'


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I don't believe in spirits, ghosts nor do I believe in reincarnation.
Well maybe spirits…
But I can keep an open mind.
Myra died in 1958 when I was 10 years old.
I never met Myra Alexandre. She was living in the United States and I was living in Montreal. I had heard that my grandfather once had lived in the U.S. That was the only link.
I did not know Myra had ever existed before 2010 when my third cousin Sandy first contacted me on this blog. Since then I have found almost everything about Myra's life.
So this is the closing chapter.
This is young Myra Alexandre.
Joe had this cabinet card in his collection when I met him last September. Sandy had the same picture in her collection in 2010.
We had few clues then… this is why we had called this young woman Bristol late 1890s. Sandy had also these.
Flavie Alexandre and Myra Alexandre
I first thought the picture of Myra was that of either Malvina Lagasse or Lillie Lagasse, my grandfather's sisters.
I have come a long way since 2010 haven't I.
Look at those eyes…
Myra Alexandre 1877-1958
Frank Archambeault told me his grandmother had quite a strong character.
He did not have to tell me.
Frank also told me about little Raymond, Myra's first child.
When Frank, Joe and I visited St. Joseph cemetery I did not know little Raymond Archambeault was resting in peace beside his daughter Marian.
Marian died when she was only 12.
Little Raymond must have been devastated by her death.
I know I would have been.
Myra Alexandre died in 1958 at the age of 81. Marian was four years old.
Myra probably played with her granddaughter Marian sometimes like I do with my two grandchildren Théo and Iris.
I love to play with my grandchildren probably like Stanislas Lagacé seen here with his grandchildren Marie Rose Elmira and Harvey Lagasse when they were young.
I don't believe in reincarnation, but if I did, I think I am the reincarnation of Grandpa Lagassy…
Just a thought.


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Vulnerable Women Outreach
The Nakulabye area of Kampala is estimated to have at least 500 working prostitutes, some are as young as 14 years old. Others are married women who trek in from rural areas to make money for their families.
Being Salt and light in the most difficult circumstances
At the entrance of the Buskenyi slum in Western Kampala stands Nakulabye West church of Uganda. The side walls of the church actually form one side of the slum gateway, and the back of the church overlooks the slum proper.
The Importance of Prayer in Mission: Kampala
City outreach and stratified evangelism began this morning with our team being invited to speak to the police officers in the Old Kampala Police Headquarters. The mission team arrived as the officers were completing their morning march.
Kampala: A Local Church
When AE Uganda began preparing for this mission over a year ago, they found that there were deep divisions in the local churches and some refused to work together at all. Before we could do effective outreach to the city, we first had to help heal the divisions within the churches.
Salvation in the slums of Kampala
Hundreds of mission volunteers arrived at the Buskenyi Slum in western Kampala to clean the streets as an act of love and service to the community. The streets and gutters were piled high with rubbish and filth, but our team faithfully cleaned and witnessed to the community about Christ's love.
Trauma Healing: Equipping leaders to minister to the most vulnerable
Violence and war have left a deep scar on the nations of Africa and on the hearts of many affected most acutely by it. African Enterprise has been challenged during recent years by the number of people who are victims of violence. The need is truly overwhelming.
Read more
Ghana Street Children Apprenticeship Project
In the last four years over 200 children have been trained in a variety of vocational skills including: dress making and tailoring, computing, hairdressing and beauty, aluminium fabrication and auto mechanics. The young people are also taught the Gospel,...
Lubumbashi Mission Update
Overall, 6,000 people were reached with the Gospel, with 700 completing decision cards, and 300 being actively discipled post-mission. Praise God that he kept all local and international evangelists safe during this time.
Ghana Pastor Training
"Many of the students expressed how much they had appreciated learning to understand the big picture of the bible and its implications for preaching and teaching ministries." In August 2016 Tony Spencer taught African Enterprise's first ever PTC course in...
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On this episode of Culinary Nunnsense we explore the bounty of the sea and the fresh fruits, veggies and seafood we can find at reputable roadside vendors.
We are very lucky to live in an area so rich with farm fresh food and the beautiful bounty of the Atlantic and local water ways. A few weeks ago I was sitting at a stop light when I saw a sign, "Fresh Mayport Shrimp 3# for $12." I stopped and checked this roadside deal. Turns out the shrimp were really from Darien (still local) and they were HUGE. While they may not be from "Mayport" they were still local and they were fresh. So I bought a mess of shrimp and headed home.
There is something nostalgic about roadside shopping for fruits, veggies or in this case shrimp. It got me thinking of the little spots my mom and dad would visit. This got me thinking about the neighborhood I grew up in and before I even got home, I knew I wanted a southern favorite with a tropical twist.
Mojo Shrimp and Grits
Mojo sauce changes from island to island and truly from house to house. This is a great starter Mojo that you can build on. Works great on chicken, pork and flank steak.
7 cloves garlic, peeled and roasted (pan roasting with oil works best)
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup lime juice (from 4 to 5 limes)
1/4 cup orange juice (from 1 orange)
1/4 cup olive oil
Prepare the mojo
Make a wet garlic paste by mashing the roasted garlic cloves with salt in a bowl. The back of a spoon or through the tines of a fork works well.
Place the garlic mix in a small bowl and add lime juice and orange juice. Stir to combine. Let mix rest for for 20 minutes.
Add mix to a small saucepan and set it over medium heat. (This can be done on your grill or on your stove.) When small bubbles begin to rise to the surface give the mix a good stir to combine and tighten up the paste. Set aside.
2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, and butterflied
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Salt and black pepper
2 limes, cut into small wedges
Season and grill the shrimp
Place the shrimp in a large mixing bowl and drizzle them with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss well. It's best to use your hands for this, as you want to make sure the oil and seasonings get inside the slits you made in the shrimp.
Heat your grill to high (550°F) and close the lid or heat a large skillet to high. If you are using the grill make sure to oil the grill grates with a vegetable or grape seed oil-soaked paper towel held with a long pair of tongs if using skillet method lightly oil skillet.
Either way it is important to properly place the shrimp on the grill or not over crowd a skillet so that they cook quickly and evenly. To ensure even cooking I recommend using a skewer so you can cook a number of shrimp at once. Grill or sauté until the flesh of the shrimp has turned white and is no longer translucent. You should only need to turn shrimp one time.
Serve the shrimp and mojo
Mound the grilled shrimp on a large platter and garnish with lime wedges. Serve with the garlicky mojo for your guests to use as a dipping sauce.
For the Yellow Grits or Polenta
Follow the directions on your favorite grits. If you are looking for a favorite try Bob's Red Mill or for really fresh grits try http://noramill.com/
I think if you combine some island flavors to your classic southern shrimp and grits add a little Culinary Nunnsense, you too will say there is Nunn better.


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Owning It
April 13, 2012
10 Comments leave one →
April 13, 2012 7:21 pm
it is effing awesome! i bet it looks even better in person. 😀 congrats!
April 13, 2012 8:23 pm
Wow! Can't wait to see some more pictures. How long have you been working on it? Congrats on making another amazing piece!
April 14, 2012 12:19 pm
New follower here 🙂 Just wanted to say WOW, so amazing that you made that! I'm in awe, as someone who does not get how people can just create amazing things by hand!
eddunsmore permalinkApril 15, 2012 4:23 pm
Everything you make is a work of art. How did it go with the continental knitting? Hope you and Lily had a good weekend. cathy


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Beat the Streak Report: Tuesday, June 7
Maybe you've put together a few nice streaks this season. Maybe you've even made a cameo on Page 1 of the BTS standings, or had your name mentioned on this here blog. By all accounts, you're in the prime of a respectable Streaking career.
But then one day you're sitting on your couch waiting for your chicken with broccoli to arrive and watching "Intentional Talk" when the question hits you: Am I a better Streaker than those MLB Network personalities?
It starts as a casual Thursday night curiosity, then slowly grows into something more — a personal mission, a yearning that beats inside you day after day. You simply need to know how your Streaking abilities stack up against Hazel Mae, Kevin Millar and Chris Rose.
Well, now you can.
Check the new BTS Featured Contestants page daily to play against the hosts of MLB Network's "Intentional Talk" and "Quick Pitch," as well as yours truly — writer of the fourth-most popular pro blog in the entire MLBlogs network — and a whole bunch of BTS season champions. You can see their current streak, season high and daily selection right alongside your own.
Keep making those picks, and you just might find your own mugshot rubbing elbows with BTS legends like Michael Karatzia and Geoffrey Croke someday.
Tuesday's picks:
(Make a BTS pick)
Oh, hello there …
Asdrubal Cabrera: .588 (10-for-17) since '06 vs. Twins starter Francisco Liriano
Brandon Phillips: .429 (9-for-21) since '06 vs. Cubs starter Doug Davis
David Ortiz: .438 (7-for-16) since '06 vs. Yankees starter Freddy Garcia
Justin Upton: .351 (13-for-37) since '06 vs. Pirates starter Kevin Correia
Miguel Cabrera: .400 (4-for-10) since '06 vs. Rangers starter Matt Harrison
Feeling kinda spicy?
Gerardo Parra: .409 (9-for-22) since '06 vs. Pirates starter Kevin Correia
You'll thank me later …
Jayson Werth: .000 (0-for-14) since '06 vs. Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez
Ben Zobrist: .059 (1-for-17) since '06 vs. Angels starter Dan Haren
Grady Sizemore: .136 (3-for-22) since '06 vs. Twins starter Francisco Liriano
Colby Rasmus: .091 (1-for-11) since '06 vs. Astros starter Brett Myers
Andre Ethier: .176 (3-for-17) since '06 vs. Phillies starter Roy Oswalt
Leaderboard time!
Yesterday, it looked like jsmnapoli might be headed for a spot alongside our past season champs on the Featured Contestants page. Twenty-four hours and one Michael Young 0-fer later, it's a whole different story. Napoli is still our season leader at 31 games, but leahydpt sits just two games back in the current catbird seat at 29.
Top MLB streakers
Ryan Theriot: 19 games
Hunter Pence: 17 games
Chase Headley: 16 games
Jose Reyes: 10 games
Nelson Cruz: 10 games
Home Run Beat the Streak pick:
David Ortiz: (13 HR this season) vs. Yankees starter Freddy Garcia
17 Comments
Just on my way to work. Post will b up in an hour or so.
I finally went with David Ortiz. Having second thoughts for some reason. Probably because A. Cabrera has his hit already and he was my first choice.
LaV's List
Tuesday's Top Picks of the current Top2500,
153 Batters picked overall
Batter, Times Picked, Percentage
Asdrbal Cabrera 331 13.37
Joey Votto 206 8.32
Albert Pujols 181 7.31
Ryan Braun 169 6.83
Brandon Philips 149 6.02 (2ND)
Adrian Gonzalez 135 5.45
Jose Bautista 121 4.89 (1RST)
Miguel Cabrera 80 3.23
David Ortiz 62 2.51
Hunter Pence 62 2.51
Jose Reyes 50 2.02
No Selection 32 1.29
Jon Jay 8 0.32 (2ND)
Kevin Youkilis 2 0.08 (2ND)
Highest "No Selection" 😛 pg# 5 with streak of 17 back to zero.
Yesterday's Top2500 Reset rate was % with reseting the most.
There was also % PPD due to players not playing. These streakers do not reset, but did not increase either.
Got Pinched OR 1 AB Wonders
TOP2500 saved or reset by PHA (going to include any pinch hitters and/or double switch, 1 AB or More)
Will update this section later tonight.
Bloggers Group Top2500
UserName, Streak, Page#, Rank, Pick, (Times picked in top2500)
Yanksgiantsdevils33, 16, pg 8, 187, Pujols (PICKED 181X)
ajemelka, 9, pg 88, 2001, Hunter Pence (PICKED 62X)
Bloggers Reset Yesterday
tterbnivel, 10, RESET by ADAM LIND
GL to all
Yesterday's Top2500 Reset rate was 29.01% with B Phillips reseting the most.
There was also 4.76% PPD due to players not playing. These streakers do not reset, but did not increase either.
Got Pinched OR 1 AB Wonders
TOP2500 saved or reset by PHA (going to include any pinch hitters and/or double switch, 1 AB or More)
A Ethier LAD, RESET 11, Highest was 22 gamer
R Ibanez PHI, RESET 3, 11,10,10 gamers
A Kennedy SEA, RESET 2, 12,10 gamers
M Burriss SF, RESET 2, 14,10 gamers
C Counsell MIL, RESET 1 Was 16 gamer
M Maier KC, RESET 1, was 26 gamer
Why would someone with a 26-game hit streak pick Mitch Maier?
The no selection had a streak of 24 earlier in the year between being back to 17 and a 7:00 lock time how did he/she forget to pick?
What had the potential of being a killer night of resets just got whittled down significantly with both B.Phillips & Votto getting last AB hits. Will Pujols and/or Braun be the sacrificial lambs tonite?
Appears Braun was the one. Not a great reset day, but a good reset day wtih some quality resets; including 2 of the 3 tied for 2nd place.
Anyone know of any DL picks for tomorrow?
I have to be out for most of tomorrow and will not have time for much analysis.
May want to catch up on rotoworld later tonight for more recent updates. There were 3 leg injuries tonight: TOR Encarnacion, STL Craig & NYY Teixeira.
My bad, not Encarnacion; it was Escobar
Escobar's was a quad also so he more than likely isn't playing tomorrow.
Guaranteed not to play tomorrow: SEA M.Wilson — sent back down to minors
Thanks for the info, but unfortunately, Mike Wilson was taken off the list of pickable players, before I could put him in.
Since I was only at 1, I decided to just go for it with Ichiro.
I just wanted to test my ability to pick players not playing today, so when that might be extremely important, I could have some practice.
I guarantee that Asdrubal Cabrera will be on the you'll thank me later list tomorrow. He is 0 for 16 off of Carl Pavano.
Pujols brought me to 17 with a home run in the 8th! 🙂 Today is a big day, almost a year ago I was at 17 and took Nick Swisher against supposedly Jeremy Guthrie. Around 12:15PM on June 10, 2010 I was reading the game preview of that Yankees vs. Orioles game on my phone. To my fear it announced that a then unfamiliar pitcher named Jake Arrietia was going to make his Major League Debut. It was a 12:30 lock day and I was far away from a computer. Swisher went on to be 0 for 3 with a Sac Fly (essentially 0 for 4) including hitting into a game ending ground out. Swisher has gone on to be 0 fer in all 4 games that he has been in that are started by Jake Arrieta at this point.
Well, at least you do not have to feel bad that he got a hit in his very next AB.


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Another polar vortex has the Midwest in its crosshairs but Iowans' attention is focused squarely on spring and going camping. The reservation window for the Memorial Day Weekend campsites for a Friday arrival opened on Sunday.
By 9 a.m. Tuesday, six state parks had filled all reservable campsites for Memorial Day Weekend that offer electricity or full hook ups.
Camping options for the big holiday weekend in a state park are quickly shrinking.
Campers wanting to spend the holiday weekend at Elinor Bedell, Lake of Three Fires, Lewis and Clark, Pleasant Creek, Viking Lake, and Waubonsie should plan to arrive a few days early for one of the walk up sites with electricity – all the reservation sites have been taken.
Other parks are close to hanging up the no reservations sign.
Ledges, Green Valley, Prairie Rose, Lake Anita and Rock Creek state parks only have the handicap accessible site available. Brushy Creek had one equestrian site; Backbone, McIntosh Woods and Walnut Woods have three; Fairport, Maquoketa Caves and Union Grove have four; Dolliver, George Wyth and Wapsipinicon have six and most include a handicap accessible site.
Lake Geode is not taking reservations until construction on the wastewater system is complete. The park is open and accepting campers while the work is underway.
Most parks will have nonelectric sites available for the Memorial Day Weekend.
"We had a flurry of reservations when campers began getting their sites for a two week stay that includes Memorial Day Weekend," said Todd Coffelt, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources State Parks Bureau. Campers can make reservations for a site three months ahead of their first night stay.
Not every campsite is available on the reservation system. Parks maintain between 25 and 50 percent of the electric and non electric sites as non-reservation sites, available for walk up camping.
Information on Iowa's state parks is available online at www.iowadnr.gov including links to the reservations page.


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The new ABC drama series Nashville, premiering on October 10th, tells the story of music legend and entertainment icon Rayna Jaymes (Connie Britton), who has been one of the industry's top female vocalists for two decades. Now, she is forced to compete with the new generation of talent lighting up the charts, putting her in direct contention with the sexy and sassy Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere), currently the hottest act in country music. With a pilot written by Callie Khouri (Thelma & Louise), the show also stars Powers Boothe, Eric Close, Jonathan Jackson and Robert Wisdom.
While at the ABC portion of the TCA Press Tour, co-stars Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere talked about what it's like to do all of their own singing, mastering the archetype of the Southern woman, how this show compares to their previous television experiences, what inspired their performances, portraying the generational divide, and whether they're fans of country music themselves. Check out what they had to say after the jump.
Question: What's it like to do all of the singing for this?
CONNIE BRITTON: Hayden is a great singer. She's a legitimately great singer.
HAYDEN PANETTIERE: What Connie's not saying is that she's been amazing since the beginning. But, I just recently heard some of the newer tracks that she's recorded, and they're pretty unbelievable. She's going to be schooling us all.
BRITTON: It's an exciting journey because it's a journey with T-Bone Burnett.
PANETTIERE: Exactly! I recorded an album when I was younger, from about 15 to 19, and in that period of time, I just was so ever-changing, as a person. And I think music really reflects who you are, as a person, so you're really putting yourself out there. I quit after about four or five years of recording and said, "This is not me." But I also said that, if I was ever going to do music again, I would do country music. So, for this to come along, and to get both of the things I love combined in one show, it's a dream come true, really. I don't mean that in a cliche way.
BRITTON: I would actually say it's a dream come true, for me too, as an actor, to have the opportunity to stretch my muscles in this way. I have sung my whole life, but not professionally, at all. So, as an actor, to be able to work with the best writer and the best music producer, that's also a dream come true.
Connie, you mastered this archetype of the Southern woman on Friday Night Lights, and now you're doing it with this show. What was it like for you, as a Northerner moving down to Virginia, when you were a kid? Have you gotten to know this Southern persona now?
BRITTON: There's something about Southern women that is so unique and yet so universal. I think that's why people really respond to strong Southern women. They are allowed to be soft and feminine and have a sense of humor, and there's something that I really love about that. But, what I love about it, in particular, is actually the universality of it. My family did spend time in the North, and then I ultimately grew up in Virginia, so I feel that I've had a lot of different backgrounds. This character is actually incredibly different from Tami Taylor of Friday Night Lights. Even her accent is gonna be different. There probably won't be as many y'alls.
When you first got down to Virginia, as a kid, what struck you about it?
BRITTON: I went pretty young. I was born in Boston, but then I went down to Virginia. We spent a little time in Maryland, and then were in Virginia by the time I was seven. What struck me the most was that my mother thought that she had gone to the middle of nowhere, and we would still drive four hours for her to get her hair cut in Washington, D.C.
Connie, you're coming from American Horror Story, and Hayden, you're coming from Heroes. What were the experiences on those shows like, compared to the one that you're having now?
PANETTIERE: Our previous shows were not the same, but they were in the same vein of sci-fi, in a way. They both were grounded, different stories. I was dealing with CGI for four years of my life, 10 months out of the year. It was a very large part of my life, for years. You can't really compare that. That's the great thing about this industry, and what I love about being an actor. Every project, you hope, is different and every character, you hope, is different, along with everywhere you get to go and the people you meet and get to work with. That's what keeps me interested in what I do.
BRITTON: In terms of American Horror Story and Nashville, what attracted me to those, and Friday Night Lights, for that matter, is that they felt like something innovative and something that we hadn't seen before. As an actor, that's exciting. And my hope is that Nashville will be that, too. I think it will. As an actor, I always want to stretch myself and do something that I haven't done before. So, from American Horror Story to Nashville is a plenty big stretch.
Are you guys thinking about specific artists, when you're creating these roles?
BRITTON: I ran into Reba McEntire on a plane and she said, "Did you hear that they're saying that you're playing me in your show?" And I said, "No, I had no idea." For me, at least, it's an amalgam of a lot of different people. I think it's really fun to take from that palette, and then just really let this lone character emerge. So, I don't really have any one person that I'm basing the character on.
PANETTIERE: I've heard the Taylor Swift thing quite a bit. But, aside from being around the same age and blonde, they're very different. Once you see her and get to know Juliette, my character, a little bit better, you'll see that. I really think Taylor would disagree, wholeheartedly, as well. She's much nicer than my character.
One of the central ideas in this show is this generational divide between your two characters. How much fun it is to play that?
PANETTIERE: I've grown up doing this, my whole life. One thing that my parents instilled in me was respect for other people. So, when I have to go on set and completely go against the grain and disrespect somebody so wholeheartedly, it's definitely something new to me. I even get a little bit shy sometimes. They'll call, "Cut!," and I'll be like, "I'm so sorry! You know I adore and respect you!" But, it's interesting and it does make it fun. I think that, the more we explore it and the more people understand the depths of our characters, then it will get more interesting and more fun.
BRITTON: Yeah, I think some of the most fun scenes that we shot were those scenes that we had at the Opry because they were so kooky. It's just two people behaving in such bizarre ways. I think that we have a real opportunity to show the complexities of these two people in show business, and particularly women. I, for one, feel a really strong responsibility to do that, in a way that is true and dignified. My whole mantra, from the beginning, is that this is not a catfight. I'm not doing a catfight, and I don't think anybody is interested in that. I think we're much more interested in just showing these two people, at different places in their lives, and what their journeys will be.
Are you a fan of country music, either before or now?
PANETTIERE: One of the intriguing things about this is that you get the question all the time of, "What if you don't like country music?" And one thing that we've all learned, especially being down in Nashville and working with such talented singers and songwriters, is just how broad the term country music is. You don't have to be a fan of country music. There's soul, there's blues and there's bluegrass. It really is a wide variety. It's American. And I think people will realize that they can come to like this kind of music.
BRITTON: I think our characters actually cover that variation, too. All of our characters have a different style, which is very representative of Nashville. There's every kind of music in Nashville.


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Did you happen to catch Sunday's Mad Men Finale? Entitled "Tomorrowland," as always, the show served up a heaping dose of Yesteryear reality, tarted up in a no-detail-left-behind package of pitch-perfect mid-century style porn.
Initially–and despite the big jaw-dropper–I turned off the TV and thought about the women. Faye, the successful, independent, and beautiful doctor who challenged Don, encouraged him to be himself–even with some knowledge of his secret past–and seemed to have something verging on the serious with him… until, that is, Don took off to California with his much-younger secretary Megan, whom he'd slept with once before while working a late night at the office during which she proclaimed she was "interested in advertising," and whom, in this episode, he asked to babysit during the trip after Betty canned the kids' longtime nanny in a fit of temper. After a brush with his past that included the reclaiming of an heirloom ring, Don witnessed Megan leading the children in some sort of French nursery rhyme (just call her Megan VonTrapp), calmly cleaning spilled milkshakes, in a bikini and decked out for a night at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go. Ergo, he slept with her, promptly decided he was in love, and, in the long and grand tradition of ad men and their secretaries, proposed. Back at the office, Peggy scored a six-figure deal with some panty-hose slingers, but news of the interoffice engagement trumped hers, despite the fact that the agency was going under. Seeing her shock, Don attempts to–what? console her?–by saying of Megan, "she reminds me of you." Just a little younger, more beautiful, maternal, and not quite so smart… And then Don picks up the phone to dump Faye, who takes it like a woman–an understandably pissed off woman. Oh, also: Joan got a promotion. In title only–no raise for you, Joanie. (In a New York Times piece in which the writer watched the finale with National Women's Political Caucus co-founder and "How to Make It in a Man's World" author Letty Cottin Pogrebin, the scene "prompt[ed] Ms. Pogrebin to laugh out loud and point at the screen: 'We got the titles and not the salary.'")
So much to say! (Alas, Joan and Peggy beat me to a fair chunk of it, in their hilarious shit-talking session in Joan's office, post-engagement bomb.) But, hey, the show's already been deconstructed and reconstructed, backwards and forward. (Although, am I the only one who calls "Foul" at the irony of all the critics who praise the show for its accurate depiction of an incredibly sexist time–and then describe Peggy, who's started to prove herself professionally, as "increasingly arrogant?" For. The. Love.) But anyway. What goes on in the show is often shocking, but also not, because while wardrobe and workplace mores may have changed, certain human tendencies have not. Take even Betty, arguably the most shockingly-behaved character on the show. In a Washington Post piece entitled "Why 'Mad Men' Is TV's Most Feminist Show," which ran a week or so ahead of the finale, Stephanie Coontz says:
Betty Draper won most viewers' sympathy in the first season because of her husband's infidelities and lies. But since then, many have come to hate her for displaying the traits of the dependent housewife that Betty Friedan critiqued so vividly in her 1963 bestseller, "The Feminine Mystique." She is a woman who thinks a redecorated living room, a brief affair or a new husband might fill the emptiness inside her, and her attempts to appear the perfect wife render her incapable of fully knowing her children of even her successive husbands.
Interesting, that. (And it's little wonder that the Sallys of the world are the ones who led feminism's second wave, looking to live lives on equal, independent footing. As Pogrebin said in that NYT piece, "You should feel sorry for [Betty]… She has such a stunted life.") But those issues–of misguided attempts at filling the emptiness inside, or the lengths one might go to in the service of avoiding getting to know oneself or one's family or dealing with one's or one's family's shit–become even more interesting when you consider this, from a New York magazine post-finale-premiere Q&A with Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner.
Faye seemed like Don Draper's mistress type…
MW: No, I think Faye seemed like the next Mrs. Don Draper. She's a professional and he's an equal. I mean, who knows? There's no stories about men in this situation. Maybe The Odd Couple. I realized because guys like this weren't single for that long. To me, the reason this episode is called "Tomorrowland" is because it's really about the choice between, "Do you want to deal with who you are, and live with that?" or "Do you want to think about the person you could be in the future and you're becoming?" And Megan said, "Go to Tomorrowland." Everything's pushing towards that fact. Why don't you be the person you want to be, and not worry about dealing with the person you are?
Excellent question, Mr. Weiner. And, while thankfully, much of what goes down in Mad Men's yesterdayland is relegated to the past, that question gets to me. In the show, both Betty and Don would rather do anything than figure out who they are and be that person. Whether they prefer Fantasyland or Tomorrowland is incidental; it's the need for escape that's the same. Betty is a frightful cautionary tale, an emotional infant who deals in temper tantrums; Don is… a frightful cautionary tale, an emotional infant who deals in advertising, cocktails, and sex. Either one would sooner quit their Lucky Strike habit than give up the chase and take a moment to think.
As Salon.com's Heather Havrilesky put it:
But Sunday night's "Mad Men" finale reminds us of what Matthew Weiner's riveting drama captures best of all: the particularly modern affliction of dissatisfaction, a sickness that robs us of our ability to savor the moment, to relish the mundane details of our lives and delight in all of the joys that our comforts and conveniences bring. Perversely, the more comfortable we are, the more we want. We're constantly distracted by the notion that we could do better or have more, that we might become someone new overnight, that there's a magic pot of gold around the next corner. Whether it's advertising or celebrity or culture or some twisted mix of radio jingles, cartoons, soap operas, political speeches and suspense thrillers, our cultural marinade makes us fixate on easy answers, shortcuts, and magical thinking. We're each about to win the lottery; salvation lies just around the next bend, we just have to wait and see what happens.
Of course, Mad Men is fiction. But what about the rest of us? How often do we push down our real self, procrastinate the work of getting to know her, and instead obsess over changing our external circumstances, hoping they'll offer us some sort of satisfaction? Or ignore who we are today in favor of who we think we'll be tomorrow, what we think will satisfy us then? Or find ourselves categorically incapable of being in the here and now, distracted instead by the bright, shiny promise of what could be? It's so funny, isn't it, how, sometimes, somehow, we actually believe it's easier to make decisions based on who we want to be than who we actually are–or possible to distract ourselves out of our dissatisfaction. I'm not happy, but maybe if I leave my philandering husband for this politician, or up and move my family across town, then I'll feel better? Or, perhaps I'll have a seventh scotch and screw my secretary–that should do the trick! Or, everything is great… but couldn't it–shouldn't it–be better?
Ridiculous, right? And yet. It's kinda funny how that part carries the disturbing ring of truth, how Fantasyland and Tomorrowland hold such a timeless, universal appeal. I'm in a shitty relationship, but I don't want to deal with it… I'm gonna cut my hair! And dye it, too! My job is sucking my soul… Time to plan a vacay! Everything is fine, but I sure am bored… maybe I'll go back to school! Or maybe I should take up with that barista who makes a skull-and-crossbones in my latte foam… Or this: I'm so stressed out over the pages of final edits to my very first book, I just can't deal… maybe I'll pour myself a glass of wine, cozy up to the couch, and settled in to watch some salacious TV instead.
Although actually, for 56 minutes, that last one worked like a charm.


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I'm setting up this thread for personal info that might affect any player's involvement in RPing. I thought at first of posting this in the General OOC thread, but since it is meant to be mostly fluff, important info would get buried under lots of posts. And since the In Topic Discussion is for storyline stuff, it doesn't fit either. :whaat:
Anyway, I'm finally buying a house, which means that I'm all nervous and can't concentrate on RPing right now. That's the reason why I'm so behind with my RPs. I'll try to keep up, but for most of August, my time in this forum would be very limited. I'd like to put some storylines I'm involved with on temporary hold, but I'd like to hear what you have to say first.
This is a continuation thread, the old thread is Here by Meteoro Titled Personal Announcements (which affect RPing)


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Roger Goodell gets dreamy while reality bites his backside
NEW YORK — It was the same theme, different year for commissioner Roger Goodell's annual "state of the NFL" address Friday ahead of the Super Bowl.
Let's try to make the league bigger, instead of better. If the league wants to maintain its global domination, it must focus on expanding something that already exists — the video-replay system — and nothing less.
Now that the week leading up to Super Bowl XLVIII in MetLife Stadium and the game itself looks like it will go off without a hitch, weather or otherwise, Goodell made it clear the NFL is open to other such cities with outdoor stadiums getting into the mix, notably Philadelphia and Denver.
There was also speculation about whether a stadium might be built in Los Angeles to draw an NFL team there, and the possibility of expanding overseas with a franchise in London in the near future.
Then there was the worst idea of them all: the intention to expand the playoff field that's bound to become reality.
At least Goodell didn't push for the dreaded longer regular season.
We already told you last month it was a terrible idea. Of course, Goodell doesn't see it that way.
There are "a lot of benefits," Goodell said of having 14 teams, instead of 12, qualifying for the playoffs. "We can make the league more competitive. We can make the matchups more competitive toward the end of the season. There will be more excitement, more memorable moments for our fans."
More teams playing more games? That's nice — because it means more money for the owners, for whom, lest we forget, Goodell works.
The NFL has found many ways to miff its players. Watering down the regular-season product just to add another tier of games won't improve pro football's growing popularity with the fans.
You know what can? Getting the officiating right. There's a lot at stake for teams, players and coaches as close calls can affect the outcome of their real business: winning games.
But fans also are tired of seeing blown calls when it doesn't take much effort to get them corrected. A centralized replay system where there's no limit to what's reviewable? Check. A more efficient system where the drama of "under the hood" is replaced with results that don't slow the game? Check.
That should be highest priority in any NFL meetings going forward. Until they fix what's wrong with the games themselves, there's no point in trying to play more of them in more places.


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Marc Piscotty / Getty Images
Liz Cheney pictured in July announcing her candidacy in Wyoming.
Citing "serious health issues" in her family, Liz Cheney has dropped her primary challenge against Wyoming Republican Sen. Mike Enzi, ending a bitter political contest that had spilled over into a public fight over gay marriage with her sister.
In an official statement released by her campaign,the eldest daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney said the health of her family was her "overriding priority."
"Serious health issues have recently arisen in our family, and under the circumstances, I have decided to discontinue my campaign," the statement said.
"My children and their futures were the motivation for our campaign and their health and well being will always be my overriding priority. Phil and I want to thank the thousands of people in Wyoming and all across the country who have supported my campaign.
The daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney said she will drop out of competition for a U.S. Senate seat from Wyoming, citing family health concerns. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.
"As a mother and a patriot, I know that the work of defending freedom and protecting liberty must continue for each generation. Though this campaign stops today, my commitment to keep fighting with you and your families for the fundamental values that have made this nation and Wyoming great will never stop."
NBC News has learned through sources close to the family that the "serious health issues" cited involve Cheney's children and not her father who has a well-chronicled medical history. Cheney and husband Phil Perry have three daughters and two sons. Despite her political setbacks in this race, sources say the decision is "about real family matters" and it was "not a light decision to get in or out of the race."
Her election bid in the deeply conservative state was controversial from the outset, and Cheney struggled to win over voters within the state. A partisan poll commissioned in November showed that Cheney garnered the support of just 17 percent of likely primary voters, compared to 69 percent for Enzi, the incumbent.
"While it is not always easy, Diana and I have always believed in putting family first. We have tremendous respect for Liz's decision. She and her entire family are in our thoughts and prayers," Enzi said in a statement. "I remain as committed as always to the job the people of Wyoming have elected me to do. I look forward to continuing my campaign for re-election in the coming months."
Her Wyoming credentials were challenged in spite of her family's deep roots in the state, because she spent much of her youth and adult life in Virginia.
Last summer, she committed an embarrassing political gaffe in a state where hunting and fishing are taken very seriously by mistakenly buying the wrong fishing license after living in Wyoming for just a few months.
Then a bitter spat over same-sex marriage between the Cheney sisters spilled over into the public arena when Mary Cheney and her wife, Heather Poe, took to social media to blast the elder sister for her continued opposition to gay marriage.
The Wyoming GOP reacted in a statement: "The Wyoming Republican Party wishes the best to Liz Cheney and her family as they deal with difficult family health issues. Liz has been a stalwart supporter of our party raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for our candidates and county parties. Liz is a rising star in Wyoming and national politics and we look forward to her return when the time is right for her and her family."
NBC News' Alastair Jamieson, Kasie Hunt, Kelly O'Donnell, and Reuters contributed to this report.
This story was originally published on Mon Jan 6, 2014 3:04 AM EST


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Looking for a Local Recruitment Agency in Kerroogarroo?
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Sorry if I already asked you this but is there a way to appeal in order for me to post in the Hero Academia thread again or Im perm banned?
Okay Robby just cause I'm re reading through the thread, Oda has never said no romance on the crew or in the series and in the context it wouldn't become a shoujo manga correct in SBS/interviews correct?
It is YOU! The GUY! The Birthday one!
3 minutes late but Happy birthday :)
Happy 3-5 :)
Here is a happy birthday, take it for it is very special.
HxH is coming back next month, please reopen the thread.
BEAT BELLOWBACK FIRST TRY WOOOOOOOO (not trying to be an ass, just feeling super happy and adrenaline-y, it helps a lot when you buy the blast sling beforehand and know the tricks to set up the wires and stuff beforehand)
Are cauldrons part of quests or do you have to go out of your way to find them?
Can u reopen the Berserk thread plz? The key visuals for Season 2 are out.
It's Chaos.
The Powers that Be
Noseless and Handless
boom boom boom
air to surface missiles
What'd I miss?
laser beams
Kishishi. Yo. Ho. Ho.


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Milly is the one-page template that includes elements such as Features, Portfolio, Team, Contact, Pricing tables and Blog with auto loading posts.
Main features: Bootstrap 3, retina ready, responsive layout, 2 premium plugins (Isotope and Fancybox 2) google map and streetview. The template has working feedback form and working subscription form. Blog section with autoloading last posts. Also present detailed documentation, PSD version of template and psd-mock-up for landing slider (various devices). Milly has several color themes.
- Responsive HTML5&CSS3 template
- jQuery enhanced
- Bootstrap 3
- Retina Ready
- Working PHP subscription form with validation
- Working PHP feedback form with validation
- Cross browser support
- Template is good optimized for all major modern desktop browsers
- Mobile devices support
- Animated background
- Pricing tables
- Powerful map section: map, streetview, autocentering map.
- Premium plugins.
- Blog: autoloading last posts, creating auto-filter
- Detailed documentation with FAQ
- Files are well commented
- PSD template
- PSD mock-up for landing slider
- Additional 5 color themes
Note: photos not included in the package.
- Update bootstrap.css, bootstrap-theme.css
- Update documentation
2014.02.05 – Release


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Get wrapped up in our collection of ultra-soft and printed scarves, wraps and kimonos.
Women's Scarves
Bundle up in style with a scarf from Sole Society. We've curated our entire collection of scarves from some of the best names in the business to ensure every item we offer is stylish, comfortable, and can stand up to whatever the day brings. Scroll up to start stocking up on scarves from your favorite brands now!
Styles We Offer
No matter what coast you live on, we've got a scarf for you. Living in the endless summer of the west coast? Stock up on our light and delicate scarves and kimonos. If the east coast is chilling you down to the bone, get your hands on our wool, faux fur, and blanket scarves to keep you warm and stylish all winter long. We've got the perfect scarves for wherever you live.
Styling Tips
Your scarf can be the ultimate statement piece no matter if it's printed, solid, or covered in fur. Pair large and thick scarves with subtle outfits—try an all-black outfit and some booties for a total cool-girl look. For printed and embellished scarves, try pairing with a classic white tee or sweater to make them the true star of your outfit. Scroll up to try one of these looks now!


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Victory describes the Core as the following:
"Core is a concept motorcycle designed and built by the Victory Motorcycles Industrial Design team to show what a performance cruiser of the future could look like. It consists of only the essentials: engine, frame, wheels and front suspension — no rear suspension. Its unique cast aluminum frame was made by pouring molten aluminum into a sand core, which was removed when the casting was complete."
In other words, the future will be filled with huge displacement bikes that have no suspension, a wood seat, and be air-cooled…not to mention produced by century old techniques. Someone should remind Victory that time moves forward, not backwards. Never-the-less, we find the Core to be aesthetically pleasing to look at, and would gladly take it around the neighborhood to setoff car alarms.
Sometimes you have to express yourself by making a motorcycle, and this is what the Core is. We can appreciate that.


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Cancer, The Crab
June 20 to July 22
Modality: Cardinal
Element: Water
Ruler: Moon
Keywords: Receptive, patient, intuitive, nurturing, sensitive, imaginative
As a Cancer, you are known for your nurturing nature; you will do your best to make others feel secure, and will go to great lengths to ensure that you have strong family relationships and a warm and welcoming home. You are often very emotional, being ruled by the watery moon; you must be careful, as you are very intuitive and can pick up on energy and vibes (both positive and negative) from others around you.
You are devoted to those in your inner circle of friends; while that circle may not be that wide, you cherish your friends and open to them a side you may never show the outer world. You may be a tad uncomfortable when meeting new people. Family relationships are highly important to you, and you will not only have deep emotional ties (whether good or bad) with your family members but will also likely want a family of your own. You need the security of a personal relationship, but you may have a hard time finding that right person. Don't hold on to a relationship (or a grudge) when it sours. You will likely be rewarded with a lasting love if you are able to move on and keep searching. A Capricorn (your opposite sign) or another water sign (Scorpio or Pisces) could make a good match.
Leadership and independence are highly important to you, no matter what career path you choose; few Cancers will be satisfied with a career that finds them sitting behind a desk. You look for opportunities to learn in the workplace. Financial security is just as important to you as is emotional security. Home ownership is a biggie, and you are a pro at bargain hunting. You have a tendency to become miserly, no matter how much money you have; remember that what you give comes back to you many times over, and be generous with others.
For the year ahead:
Affirmation: Confidence and enthusiastic optimism come from within.
- Jupiter moves into your sign on June 25, making the next twelve months lucky in just about every arena of your life. Optimism will help you attract exciting opportunities for personal growth.
- Saturn continues to advance in Scorpio, your fifth house. You may find that parenting may become trying at times, but Saturn also brings the opportunity to both teach and learn from your children.
- Uranus continues to transit Aries , where it will remain until 2018. Here in your tenth house of career, the next years will bring unexpected changes, but also opportunities.
- Neptune is in Pisces until 2025. Here in your ninth house, you can anticipate an emphasis on spirituality and faith, in addition to a quest for knowledge.
- Pluto continues in Capricorn (your seventh house), highlighting your relationships. Some will be positive, while others will be quite negative, but either way you will learn more about relationships and your role in them. This transit is more about you and learning from relationships than it is about the other people in your life.


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I'm going to confess something that's likely to cost me Twitter followers, kill future career prospects and launch a mild Comment war:
And I can't understand those who are, either. Well, I can align with the casual user. The few utilitarians out there. Those discriminating sorts who reserve their precious device storage space for more valuable content. Like songs, photos and LOLcats. Continue reading


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access my programs from browser Archive
Run any computer application in your browser!Posted on July 29, 2011 | No CommentsThe long awaited future of mobile computer applications is finally here! Gtk+ 3.2 allows you to access your computer applications via Firefox from any computer connected to the internet. Utilizing the new HTML5 gdk backend, Gtk+ 3.2 allows you to run GIMP, Gedit, a video editor or anything really, remotely using a web browser. Although still in the development phase NERD TREK will be following this project with great fervor. Currently Gtk+ 3.2 broadway only works in Firefox 4 and does not support keyboard input, dnd, or c&p… yet. Check out this demo by Alexander Larsson:


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The Polish husaria did carry wings -- as can be seen here or here. Their purpose has been debated with no clear answer. What I want to know is was there an evolution in the wings design or just one type? If the former, does the evolution offers a clue as to what their purpose was? If the latter, what event(s) prompted the adoption?
Because everyone likes action shots:


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Born Again
This story appears in the September 2001 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
This past April, Paul Ginsburg was anxious and scared as he negotiated with Sterling National Bank. The 47-year-old president of Manhattan clothier Moe Ginsburg Men's Better Clothing needed to secure financing quickly. The third generation of his family to run a retail clothing operation in New York City, Ginsburg was coming off his worst year ever. His business was declining significantly.
was this year's first-quarter percentage increase in personal bankruptcies in the United States.
SOURCE: The Orlando Sentinal
Ginsburg had been hit with a triple whammy. The city's financial community had pared its wardrobe expenses last fall as dotcom shares crashed on Wall Street. To make matters worse, the sudden switch to business-casual dress policies at such stalwart suit-and-tie outfits as Morgan Stanley Dean Witter left him holding too much stock in tailored suits.
Ginsburg himself made the mistake that proved to be the coup de grace. He decided to remodel his store in 2000 and, because he had an aversion to banks, financed the renovation with money that might otherwise have tided him over.
Now banks represented his best chance to get the financing to keep him independent. Without Sterling's guidance and money, Ginsburg didn't stand a chance of filing a successful reorganization plan for his company and its debts under the bankruptcy laws. His creditors might use those same laws to dissolve his business.
The bank agreed to a loan in conjunction with Ginsburg's May 1 filing under the bankruptcy reorganization provision known as Chapter 11. He received so-called debtor-in-possession financing (money granted under special provisions to someone under bankruptcy court protection), won approval of his reorganization plan by his creditors and conducted the first layoffs of his life by reducing his staff from 45 to 25. He was on the road to rebuilding his business.
The American Way of Failure
The bankruptcy laws-of which Chapter 11 is but one portion-help individuals and companies that have suffered a bad turn of events resolve their debt problems.
Although the court shields both businesses and individuals from their creditors, they are treated differently under bankruptcy. Individuals can absolve themselves of their debts completely and get on with their lives-albeit with ruined credit for seven years. Businesses don't get off so easy. They must either repay their debts, whether partially or in full, after winning approval of a plan for doing so (Chapter 11), or dissolve the business by selling its assets for what they can bring immediately and divvying up the proceeds among its creditors (Chapter 7).
Bankruptcy provides business owners an essential refuge to regroup. Creditors, however, can force bankruptcy on recalcitrant entrepreneurs. If the court is persuaded by the argument of creditors, it can force the sale of a company's assets under Chapter 7 or-in rare instances-displace the entrepreneur with new management to run the organization under Chapter 11 protection. That's why it's better to act before being acted upon.
But confronting bankruptcy head-on is no panacea. Ginsburg is one of the lucky ones. According to former U.S. bankruptcy judge Michael McConnell, less than 25 percent of the nearly 10,000 companies that enter into Chapter 11 each year receive approval for their reorganization plans. Those that win approval almost always move steadily through their bankruptcy under the watchful eye of a judge and a board of creditors. They exit the system with a new lease on life-and a bill for lawyers and other professionals that can run more than $100,000.
That means, however, that about 75 percent of firms that enter Chapter 11 quickly move to the dreaded Chapter 7-and destroyed credit. With the odds weighted toward dissolution, is it any wonder that bankruptcy carries such dread? Simon Scott calls the Chapter 7 filing that closed his 8-year-old Los Angeles lighting manufacturer Simon & Co. last year his hardest decision ever: "It's the end of your business and life as you've known it for years." Scott is now running a lighting design subsidiary of Everest Lighting Inc. He hopes to run his own business again in the future, but after the tumult of the past year, it won't be for a long time to come.
More entrepreneurs may be joining him. Although total business bankruptcy filings have fallen by more than half since their 1987 peak, much of the decline happened during the prosperous 1990s. With the economic clouds darkening, many experts expect bankruptcies to skyrocket this year.
Those looking for protection had better hurry to the courthouse. Congress is negotiating the final details of bankruptcy legislation that includes a host of provisions that make it less attractive to file. As of this writing, both the House and Senate versions of the bill delay implementation of the new laws for six months after President Bush signs it, which he has indicated is certain. Entrepreneurs should use those six months to weigh the merits of bankruptcy and other options.
I Have a Problem
Before considering bankruptcy, you first have to face the reality that your business is in trouble. But even when entrepreneurs recognize the symptoms, they tend to focus on the upside opportunities that will alleviate them rather than the downside of bankruptcy.
"They remain convinced that with a little more time, money or patience, it'll be fine," says Melanie Rovner Cohen, chair of the Turnaround Management Association.
Get your personal finances in order with Financial Fitness in 45 Days.
Your optimism-essential for starting your venture in the first place-is now working against your best interests. You need to get feedback from outside advisors, says Ed Schiff, the chair of the business services department for Schnader, Harrison, Seagl and Lewis LLP in Washington, DC. Ideally, that's your board of directors or kitchen cabinet. If you don't have a group that regularly advises you, turn to your accountant or attorney. Get their input before you start negotiating with creditors.
Even with a stable business, attorneys advise that you understand how your rights under bankruptcy impact business dealings. "People should do bankruptcy planning all along through their business life," says Melanie Rovner Cohen of the Turnaround Management Association. If your attorney doesn't have expertise in bankruptcy, ask him or her to bring in a specialist.
How beneficial is bankruptcy planning? If you're trying to get out of a lease, know that the law only lets landlords claim one year's rent in bankruptcy hearings. Worse for them, landlords' claims wait in line behind your banker's and other secured claims. Even without mentioning bankruptcy, your negotiating position will be stronger knowing their worst-case scenario.
Alternatives to Filing
Although bankruptcy is a crucial tool for righting a struggling venture, experts caution against filing if you can avoid it. You should always play other angles first.
"Chapter 11 should be a last option," says Len Shulman, who advises small businesses at the Irvine, California, law firm Marshack, Shulman, Hodges, and Bastian LLP.
Once you recognize something is wrong, you need to look into an out-of-court workout. David Dykhouse, a partner with New York City law firm Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, says you have two options: selectively dealing with creditors (say, renegotiating a loan with your bank or your lease with your landlord) or dealing with everybody at once. "The [latter] process can get a little chaotic," he says, "but it is possible to get people to accept less than full payment."
To negotiate, you first have to open communications with your creditors. Tell your vendors why you haven't been able to pay them. Call your banker. "Creditors are very willing to deal with businesses," says Shulman. "They just want to be treated honestly."
Need to do a 180 with your business? Get back on course with advice from Raising the Dead.
If you haven't been truthful or if your creditors perceive that your business is on the brink of breaking up, the shouting can get pretty bad. Those communication breakdowns can be overcome by bringing in a workout expert like Van Conway, president of Conway MacKenzie & Dunleavy PC in Birmingham, Michigan. Workout specialists, who are most easily found on the Internet, identify cost savings in your processes and raise cash by financing assets in ways you might not have considered. When they present their plan to your creditors, they can sound like the voice of reason. "Creditors appreciate the outside voice," says Conway.
There is one other option to consider. Keeping in mind that 75 percent of Chapter 11 filings advance to dissolution under Chapter 7, maybe you should sell your business-or just auction its assets and pay your creditors-and start planning your next one.
"Sometimes a workout is having a graceful exit from a business," says John Ventura, author of The Bankruptcy Kit (Dearborn Financial Trade) and an attorney in Brownsville, Texas. "The fact that you went out of business won't prevent you from getting financing in the future. It's how messy you did it that can get you into a little trouble."
It Goes to 11
Convinced your business can survive Chapter 11? Willing to put in the effort that will be required to save it? Good. You're going to need that determination to make it through alive.
For anyone accustomed to being able to make instant decisions, bankruptcy is a torturous process. Everything has steps. Everything has to have a plan. Get used to making decisions by committee. It begins when your attorney files an application for court protection from creditors under Chapter 11-which is almost always granted, pending approval of your plan. The good news: Your creditors can no longer pester you. The bad: Your every business move from here on out will be second-guessed by the judge and a committee of your creditors.
You have 120 days to put together a reorganization plan for saving your company, which your creditors will vote on. "I would compare it to doing a root canal on every tooth in your mouth," says Ginsburg. And as if that's not painful enough, yours is just one of many cases that the judge is overseeing. You'll always have to wait your turn as the judicial process grinds on.
You'll need two things headed into Chapter 11 to guarantee your survival. First, you need positive cash flow from operations-or the possibility of positive cash flow after taking immediate steps to shrink your expenses.
Second, Shulman says, you need a wad of cash before the judge approves your plan. That money will pay your attorney's retainer fee (cash in advance, thank you), which can run from $5,000 to $20,000, says Ventura. You can sock away cash by not paying creditors for a month or two before filing, or you can secure an agreement with your bank before you file for sufficient debtor-in-possession financing to kick in after you file.
Despite the difficulty, Chapter 11 does work. Sometimes it can provide you with an unexpected confirmation that you're doing the right thing.
Because Moe Ginsburg is a local institution, its filing was covered in all the major New York media-newspapers, TV and radio. "We had customers come into the store who said they'd heard about the events and wanted to show their support," says Ginsburg. "I was very taken aback by that. It really lifted my spirit."
It also made him realize that he would turn the business around.
"I work seven days a week. Nothing will get in our way to getting back on our feet."
Contact Source
- Sterling National Bank


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Spotted at CES by the dapreview folks is this iRiver S10 with a watch-conversion attachment. Interestingly enough, the watch accessory covers the headphone jack on the actual S10, but then it was noticed that this version of the S10 (rather than the older version) actually has a small Bluetooth logo on it. I'd rock that watch, and rock some Bluetooth headphones to go along with it. No details on this updated S10, but we'll keep you posted.
Transform the iriver S10 into a... Watch? [dapreview]


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EVENT: 2016 Walk for Farm Animals and Fun Run
EVENT DATE: Oct 01, 2016
Take a step closer to a more compassionate world at the 2016 Chicago Walk for Farm Animals and Fun Run!
Join the movement on October 1, 2016 at Grove 13 near Belmont Harbor to raise funds and awareness for farm animals. Come with friends, family, and neighbors for a two-mile walk or run along Chicago's lakefront. Registration will begin at 7:45 a.m. The Opening Ceremony with Farm Sanctuary President and Co-founder Gene Baur and Honorary Chair Jane Velez-Mitchell, Editor of JaneUnChained.com & Facebook's #LunchbreakLIVE will begin at 8:45 a.m. followed by the Walk and Fun Run.
After the Walk, participants will gather at the eighth annual Chicago VeganMania for a daylong celebration of compassionate living, including a presentation from Gene at 11 a.m. at the Main Presentation Stage. At 1 p.m., Gene will participate in a panel discussion on "Plant-Powered Fitness" with David Carter ("The 300 Pound Vegan"); author and fitness trainer John Pierre; and author, runner, and coach Ellen Jaffe-Jones.*
Adult walkers and runners must raise a minimum of $100 by 10/10/16 to participate in this event. If, for example, you fall $10 short of the fundraising minimum, your credit card will automatically be charged the extra $10 on 10/10/2016 towards your $100 minimum. If your credit card is charged, the entry on your statement will reference Network for Good, our payment processor. Please refer to the Crowdrise Policy or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
The top fundraisers in the Walk (as of September 23) will receive special recognition at an exclusive dinner with Gene and Jane, hosted by the legendary Chicago Diner. Top fundraisers will join Gene and Jane on Friday, September 30, for a delicious meal featuring some of the Diner's signature dishes.
Register today and help further Farm Sanctuary's life-saving mission to be the rescuer, caregiver, and advocate that farm animals so desperately need.
Sleep In For Farm Animals
Even if you can't make it out in person, you can still be a part of the movement online by joining the 2016 Sleep In for Farm Animals. Simply register above and select Sleep In "Virtual Participant". No matter what your schedule or where you live, you can be a critical part of this powerful campaign to make a difference for farm animals.
You can be a part of the movement by volunteering at the 2016 Chicago Walk for Farm Animals and Fun Run. We need event volunteers to make sure our event is a success! We have several volunteer opportunities, please email email@example.com or register today. Thank you so much for ALL of your support.
The Walk For Farm Animals
The Walk for Farm Animals has been part of Farm Sanctuary since the beginning. In 1986, we didn't yet have our sanctuary in Watkins Glen, but we had a small group of dedicated volunteers who helped us establish the first Walk for Farm Animals in support of our mission to stop animal abuse and suffering. Those first efforts were modest by today's standards, but they helped fund the down payment for what became our first official shelter and national headquarters.
From those humble beginnings, the Walks have continued to be a vital part of our fundraising and outreach efforts and keep growing as more people learn about farm animal issues and want to help. The funds raised by the Walks support our work to rescue farm animals, provide urgent care and lifelong refuge, as well as our education and advocacy efforts for farm animals everywhere. Over the years, the Walks have raised nearly $2 million for Farm Sanctuary thanks to the dedication of our volunteer Walk Coordinators and our amazing walkers! You can join the movement and start making a difference today by registering for the 2016 Chicago Walk for Farm Animals and Fun Run!


text: Konstantin's seminars are AMAZING. He manages to take a large group of people and through pacing and drill choice, create an experience of this optimal internal state. Then he moves the people out of it and offers the tools to keep improving. So many participants have written me and told me how much..read more >>