text:
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan announced yesterday that he will not seek re-election in 2018, which, as many observers have pointed out, leaves white supremacist Paul Nehlen as the leading Republican candidate in the race for the time being. Given that the Wisconsin Republican Party has formally disowned Nehlen, it seems unlikely that they won't find somebody—anybody—to go up against Nehlen. But even if Nehlen can't clinch the nomination, running for an open seat will give him yet another opportunity to seek a wider audience for his racist ideology.
Nehlen was supported by former White House strategist and Breitbart executive Steve Bannon and other far-right activists like Ann Coulter when he waged his first campaign against Ryan in 2016. However, as Nehlen started to become more transparent about his white supremacist and anti-Semitic views, even far-right figures started to cut their public ties with him.
Bannon publicly disowned Nehlen in late December, after he appeared on an anti-Semitic podcast and shared a stream of white supremacist memes on social media. By February, Nehlen had gone far enough off the deep end—sharing a racist image of royal fiancée Meghan Markle and publishing a list of people he believed to be his Jewish foes in the media— that he was disavowed by Wisconsin's Republican Party (never mind that the party had willfully ignored the flagrant anti-Semitism that he had displayed for months). Republican officials in Wisconsin called Nehlen a "racist bigot" and told reporters that they didn't want Nehlen in the state's GOP.
And as if that wasn't enough, Nehlen lost even many of his remaining supporters in the racist alt-right movement when he published the private identity of an alt-right troll, leaving him with a support base that now seems to consist solely of violent, neo-Nazi fascists.
Despite Nehlen's massive unpopularity—even among extremists—Ryan's departure from Congress means that he is now the frontrunner in the Republican primary in Wisconsin's 1st District. Nehlen may respond to this turn of events by trying to present himself as a more moderate candidate, although that might be difficult given that he openly declared himself a "race realist" as recently as last week.
Last week, Nehlen appeared on "Radical Agenda," a podcast that host "crying Nazi" Christopher Cantwell describes as a "white nationalist podcast." During the interview, Cantwell asked Nehlen about the fact that he claimed to be "pro-white" but was married to a person of color.
"I completely get that people have a problem with that and quite honestly I don't give a shit. I am a pro-white candidate. I'm white. I personally am white all the way, Northern European. So when I hear people say that the white man needs to die, that the problem in this nation is the white man, I have a huge freaking problem with that and I'm not going to back down to it," Nehlen told Cantwell. "Not to anyone."
He continued, "When the [Southern Poverty Law Center] or the [Anti-Defamation League] says I'm a white supremacist, well if a pro-Jewish person isn't a Jewish supremacist then a pro-white candidate isn't a white supremacist. I don't want to hear it."
Cantwell told Nehlen that "white supremacy" was really just "observations of reality."
"If you're like, her white people sort of have accomplished more than other groups then you're a white supremacist and that just happens to be the case and so fuck it, right?" Cantwell said.
"Look, I'm a race realist. My wife is a race realist. We all have a good sense of what each other's races are best at," Nehlen responded.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Additional information
|13 oz
It can be so hard to find beautiful and functional art to hang in your office or clinic. That's what drove us to develop this new collection of auriculotherapy wellness posters for Earseeds Professionals.
These beautifully printed high quality posters feature four systems frequently addressed by auriculotherapy.
Hang them together as a collection or place them strategically throughout your treatment rooms to invite your clients or patients to ask how you can help them through auriculotherapy.
Each poster measures 12 x 18 inches and are priced at Professional-Only Discount Pricing for the entire set of Four!
|13 oz
BLACK FRIDAY: Code: save20 on orders up to $200 👉🏼 Code: save25 over $250 👉🏽Code save30 orders over $300!!! FREE US SHIPPING FOR ORDERS $100+ Dismiss


text:
We manage your business books and provide advisory as well as tax compliant services.
We manage your personel payroll management, PAYE tax deductions.
We prepare your business statement to meet Companies House standard.
You are passionate about your business, but dislike the paper work. This is where AACSL comes in handy to provide you a bespoke accounting solution.
Our team keeps you updated with important HMRC and Company House regulatory requirement so your buiness don't miss important deadlines and pay penalties. Advisory on legal tax efficiency is also provided.
Get a clearer understanding of your business cash flow, financial statement and profit & loss statement so you know where to make the right improvements.
AACSL Accountants provides with complete rest of mind needed enough to concentrate on my job as I have left all the Admin jobs to them and I am happy I did.
- Fatukasi, IT Security Expert, Sheffield
The best thing that can happen to a contractor is using the services of AACSL Accountants as you will be as happy as I am today. And very affordable too! You are the best.
- Ayofe, Medical Consultant, Bradford
Thanks always for your help and the excellent job always. I am really impressed and proud to have known you for these while.
- John Mayford, CEO, Olmec, London
AACSL efficiency and professionalism is top-class in the United Kingdom. Tried and trusted. You will be impressed.
- Yemi Ayeni, Restaurant Owner, London
With over 25 years experience, our team of CCAB qualified Chartered Certified Accountants have been providing excellent and professional accounting services to small amd medium organisations. We help our clients succeed by navigating complex accounting and regulatory demands on their behalf. So you will be in good hands!


text:
Industrialist and Business Tycoon Yash Birla had been declared as India's latest willful defaulter by UCO Bank. The surprise action came from the bank over the failure of a Yash Birla Group to repay Rs 67.65 crore it owed to the state-owned bank. The real debt was owed to the bank by Birla Surya, a wholly owned subsidiary of the group involved in the manufacturing of solar power equipment.
Legalizing Sports Betting Will Help Regulate 3 Lakh Crore Unregulated Business
Its really irony that the UCO bank which took legal action against Yash Birla was founded by his great-grand uncle and a former Business Stalwart, Ghanshyam Das Birla.
The bank was established in 1943 as United Commercial Bank by Ghanshyam Das Birla, the brother of Yash Birla's great grandfather Rameshwar Das Birla. It was than nationalized by the Indian government in 1969.
Birla Surya had borrowed the money for the manufacturing of multi-crystalline solar photo-voltaic cells. The bank said in a press release that the company had a credit of Rs 100 crore, of which Rs 67 crore plus interest rate was due. The bank had termed the loan a non-performing asset (NPA) on June 3, 2013.
As per Reserve Bank of India's guidelines, willful defaulters cannot avail any other facilities and their unit is excluded from floating new ventures or business for five years. The lenders may also initiate criminal proceedings against the defaulter.
According to the RBI's guidelines, a borrower can be declared a 'willful defaulter' when he or she fails to pay his debts due to his own inability or actions. This also involves not paying despite having resources, diverting funds to other businesses or activities, or selling assets without intimating the lenders.
UAE Billionaire Businessman Dr. B R Shetty To Produce Rs 1000 Crores Film On Mahabharata Bigger than Baahubali
Yash Birla Group has more than around 12 companies, including Zenith Steel, Birla Lifestyle, Shola Infotech, Melstar Information Technologies. Couple of these companies are totally stressed or close to bankruptcy and have claimed to not be in a position to repay creditors. Last year, as many as three companies of the group – Birla Cotsyn, Birla Shloka Edutech and Zenith Birla – came under investigation for diversion of funds.
UCO Bank has been reporting losses for 14 quarters and its gross Non Performing Assets is at Rs 29,888 crore.
Birla was just the age of 22 when tragedy struck in his life. He lost his father Ashok Birla, mother Sunanda, and sister Sujata as they died in a plane crash in Bengaluru in 1990. A student in the United States back then, the young man was now suddenly heading a business empire of 20-odd companies ranging from automotive to yarn to power.
In the initial stages the Yash Birls group was run by advisers handpicked by Birla's grandaunt, Priyamvada Birla. These advisers were unbiased and had no real interest in his business, Birla had claimed in 2012 in an interview with Business Standard. "By the time I got my own team, eight or nine years were gone."
Ajay Devgn to invest Rs 600 crore to launch 'NY Cinemas' its Multiplex Chain
In 2012, the group had revenues of Rs3,000 crore ($430 million) and made a profit (before tax) of Rs1,000 crore. He also owned valuable real estate—he was once the proud owner of Birla House, a 1930s mansion which was spread over two acres in Malabar Hill, one of India's most sought after neighborhoods, which once even hosted Mahatma Gandhi.
Yash Birla, who lives in Mumbai's historic Birla House in the Malabar Hill area, has always been in news for his fashion sense, lifestyle and appearance just about everything other than his business.


text:
Comics Will Come Alive At Area Library
Libraries across the state will observe Free Comic Book Day this Saturday, including the Mililani branch.
Costumed characters from the Pacific Outpost of the 501st Imperial Legion, Rebel Legion Hawaii, and Costumers Guild of Hawaii will make appearances at selected locations, and fans of all ages may receive a free comic book by showing their library ID card, while supplies last. This year's featured comics, which vary from branch to branch, include Avengers, Pokemon, Attack on Titan, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Secret Wars and more.
Sponsors are Friends of the Library of Hawaii, Gecko Books & Comics, and Collector Maniacs.
For more information, call 627-7470.


text:
Watch Valentina Strut Her Fab Self At L.A. Pride [PHOTOS] REVIEW+PHOTOS: VALENTINA @ L.A. PRIDE 6/11/17
[twitter style="horizontal" float="left"]
[fbshare type="button" width="100″]
[pinterest count="horizontal"]
In case you aren't familiar with the world of drag, here's a quick synopsis. Drag queens have been a staple in gay nightlife and entertainment for years. They are known to incorporate fashion, popular songs, dance, and even sometimes comedy into their acts. One of the first and most prominent drag queens, Rupaul, has introduced these talented individuals to the world via his television show, Rupaul's Drag Race. The show has brought drag queens and their gifts to the masses, familiarizing many households with gay culture. Currently, Drag Race is on it's 9th season and features many unique queens with never-before-seen looks and talents. One of which is Valentina. This latinx queen immediately won over hearts with her ear-to-ear grin and persistent positivity. Due to an unfortunate lip-sync battle, Valentina's hopes of winning the crown came to an end. Despite her demise on the show, she has skyrocketed to fame and is known for her impeccable attention to details, as well as her fashion forward wardrobe.
Valentina was featured twice on the Latin stage on Sunday for two different 15 minute sets. For her first set of the day, she was over half an hour late. Despite her tardiness, the second she sashayed on stage, the crowd erupted into screams. Valentina has an impressive ability to entertain and hold the gaze of hundreds at once. She mesmerized the crowd with her lip-synchs to Spanish songs, graceful movements, and of course her unforgettable smile. Her flamenco-inspired floor length dress was in-line with typical Valentina fashion. She has been doing drag for less than a quarter of the time that most of the popular drag queens in the circuit have been performing, and yet she has had a lightening fast rise to fame. Many may be envious of her sudden success, but few can say isn't deserved.
Follow Valentina on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
If an image below is pixelated, please click through the "view full size" link for a better view.


text:
Mission Statement
Our mission is to be dedicated to achieving the goals of those we serve – our customers, our employees, and our community.
Corporate Background
R&M was founded in 1995 by the Miller family – Ron Miller Sr. and his 3 sons, Ron Miller Jr., Randy Miller and Russ Miller. Since the early 2000's, Ron Miller Jr. took over as sole owner and has grown the Company into the success it is today. Ron has approximately 40 years of precision machining experience. He started his career in the industry at a very early age and learned the importance of quality before working at and owing R&M. When Ron started R&M he had a goal of focusing on consistently providing quality products with attentive and reliable customer service. Today, the Company is ISO 9001:2015 certified and services OEM, Tier I and Tier II customers in many different industries. R&M is located in Freeland, Michigan and its facility is over 9,000 square feet with room for expansion. The factory portion is heated in the winter and has central air in the summer to provide the climate necessary to maintain close tolerances and quality control.
R&M Experience
Having over 25 employees with an average of 15 plus years of precision machining experience, the Company has evolved into a high quality machine shop with a family atmosphere. R&M is continuously investing in the latest technology and newest equipment to ensure it can provide the capabilities, quality and reduced lead times expected from the highest demanding of customers.
Leadership Team Members


text:
I am delighted to be sharing this interview series with you, where I will be talking to a different woman every fortnight about parenting, motherhood, their daily rhythm and what makes a beautiful childhood. So without further ado, let's meet the mother…
This week, I'd like to welcome mama of two Amelia Allen Sherwood to Frida be Mighty. I first met Amelia on Instagram, when she took the time to call me out on an ill-considered post I had written on parenting. Amelia reminded me that intersectionality is vitally important when speaking about issues like peaceful parenting; structural inequality has an impact on parenting and this needs to be discussed and addressed, especially by those with a voice and a platform. I am honoured to be able to share Amelia's powerful and important words with you. This is an interview that I recommend reading twice, three times, as many times as you need for some of Amelia's messages to sink in.
Can you introduce yourself and your family?
My name is Amelia Allen Sherwood. My pronouns are she /her. I am a descendant of Freddie Lee Tyson, a man exploited by the syphilis experiment (please google if you do not know about this history) but he was more than his oppression. He was a carpenter and helped build Moton Field, where the famed Tuskegee Airmen learned to fly during World War II, he later worked as a firefighter and loved to build. I am a descendant of Charles Sherwood Senior, a man who fought for his country in World War II and dehumanized when he came back on American soil yet he still managed to buy his own home! I am all of my ancestors dreams, their legacy, their voice, so how can I not honor them. For all of the ancestors I cannot call by name, I love you and the fight continues.
I am a mama of two amazing children named Nesta Tafari (5) and Shiloh Brave (3), and a partner to an amazing beautiful black man I call my Rasta. Our family lives on the stolen land of Quinnipiac people, but you may know it as New Haven, Connecticut in the U.S.
I wear many hats in the field of education. I am the Dean of Social Emotional Learning at a public Montessori school, an anti-bias & anti-racist organizer, and Montessorian of Color in training. My only real job that matters is to show up for my children every day and be better than what I was yesterday.
Do you have a daily rhythm? What do your days look like?
We have a rhythm that crescendos and descends throughout our day. It never really feels the same, but fits for our family. Usually, my Rasta leaves the house before I do. The kids crawl into our bed (if they didn't scurry in in the middle of the night) whether we are in it or not! We start our morning routines with lots of kisses and gentle tugs to the bathroom/ room to get ready. We have some type of quick meal. By the time my Rasta gets back, I am out the door and off to work while he drops off the littles. He loves bringing his children to school and I love to have a little me time before I go into work. When I get to work, I try to ground myself and shift my mind to care for my other children at school. By the time I get the kids in the afternoon, get home, and clean up from the mess of the morning, the children usually play around until dinner and bath time. We read books, off to bed, and repeat til the weekend when we have more freedom to slow down our days.
Are there any philosophies or books which have influenced your approach to parenting?
There are so many philosophies and books that influence my approach to parenting, but my experience of being parented has influenced me significantly. Some of the ways I show up in my own children's lives have been muscle memory of childhood. It is a cycle of change and progress. My mother was a single mom, rebuilding herself after addiction, and going to school full time. It was hard for her to be fully present and stress got in the way of authentic connection, so there are traits that I have taken from her and behaviors I have had to unlearn. For instance, she let me sleep in her bed until I was 12 years old! No matter how much she wanted her alone time, she always made space for me and even in my adulthood, I find so much healing force by crawling in her bed after a tough week. I am still unlearning the yelling.
I found Circle of Security and attachment parenting working in early childhood programs. It is a parent intervention workshop that centres attachment theory, held for eight weeks. The model just made a lot of sense and I am a proud COS facilitator now. There are so many other influencers in my life like Tiffany Jewell and Britt Hawthorne that challenge me to free up my children in a not-so-free America.
You are an experienced Montessori teacher, and Dean in a Montessori school – what was it that first drew you to train in the Montessori method?
I think I am still growing in my experience and learning. I have been in Montessori spaces for almost six years and this is the year where I am actually getting my training. When I got out of college, I stumbled across a position in an early childhood center with the name Montessori in it. I immediately started googling and reading up to prepare for the interview. At the end of my searches, I think I wept. I cried for the little black girl in me that needed this type of learning. I cried because if I had Montessori math, I would be a different person, but ultimately I saw so much liberation in following the child and cultivating a love for learning that all children should feel in their education. Montessori education can be a vehicle for healing marginalized communities and there are so many great examples of this across the world!
I think there is often a view that Montessori education is only for wealthy, privileged children, something you are actively working to dismantle through your work. What would you say to parents who might think that Montessori is not for them, perhaps because their family doesn't look like the Montessori families they see on Instagram or Pinterest, or because they can't afford expensive materials?
I would say to them that the Montessori community has harmed People of the Global Majority as has any other powerful institution. We are doing a disservice to the legacy of Maria Montessori if we continue to let white supremacy inhale and exhale into a theory based education that was suppose to liberate poor, unwanted children in the hood.
We are contaminating a pedagogical approach with our own biases, privileges, and experiences.
As a Montessori community, we have to acknowledge this in order to change the elitist view and go back to the roots of where Montessori started.
Our children deserve to be free and I believe Montessori can do that when it is rooted in anti-bias and anti-racist practices, academic rigor, and social emotional learning. Ask hard questions. Tell your story and find a Montessori program that is challenging the status quo (lead teachers of color, leadership of color, and equity in their mission). This type of education is for everyone.
You said something to me recently which made me sit up straight in my seat: "Most black women want their children to feel liberated, we just know the world sees their freedom as a threat instead of being just children." This truth is something which is rarely acknowledged in parenting circles (something I have been guilty of): that peaceful parenting as a black parent is much harder if you live in a racist country such as the US or the UK where you are still more likely to be expelled from school, arrested, or killed based solely on the colour of your skin. Seen through this lens, peaceful parenting becomes more nuanced. I wondered if you wanted to talk a little more about this?
Historically, black children have played different roles throughout the American timeline. When they were captured and enslaved through the Transatlantic Slave Trade, there was a mass displacement of family and community. So from the very beginning, folx used their bodies like machines.
One of the hard truths of American history is slave farms where children and adults were literally being forced to mate because they were apart of an industry. They were seen as a commodity like tobacco or cotton. I remember a story where if a pregnant enslaved person got a beating, they would dig up a hole to protect their investment. This is just a piece of historical trauma black families carry in their blood. After we were technically free other adversities were created to police, surveillance, and silence black children and families.
Today, institutional racism and white supremacy continue to uphold the lie that black children are inferior to white children to the point where some black people have bought into too. So yes, we want our children to feel liberated, but it is very nuanced.
I have had to have too many conversations around race with my littles. My children are both under 5 years old. We live in a world where white children don't learn that they are white until their black friend gets treated differently or goes to college. There is a great privilege to shield children from racism because they are not impacted by it. Whether I am at the aquarium or the grocery store, I have to be on watch. My two black children have had their hair touched, strangers come up to tell them to stop being so wild, and they have had children not wanting to sit next to them. Parenting in public is an act I dread every time I walk out the door.
I am learning how to calm the rage and advocate/educate people when harm is done, but I am only human. I too have fallen into my own internalized racial oppression doing the very same things I fight against. No black mother wants to yell or to hold their child closely in public, but they are literally being jailed and killed at alarming rates because of their very existence. Home is a safe place for their freedom to be just that! When that door closes, they know mama is a different person.
Something I love about the Montessori method is the importance it places on peace, and peace education. What are some of your favourite resources and / or ideas for discussing peace, social justice, and anti-bias / anti-racist ideas with young children?
In my experience (and I can only speak from it), peace specifically in Montessori has been a way to silence children of color. I try to use the lens of justice. My friend Britt says, "When a child has been harmed, I give them the language to say 'and don't do it again'". I try to live in justice rather than peace. Peace is an inner feeling and justice is empowering others to see people like mirrors. There are a ton of Instagrammers that have more resources on their pages. Some are Tiffany Jewell, Britt Hawthorne, Katie Kitchens, The Conscious Kid, Teach and Transform, so many more!
Which aspects of parenting bring you the most joy?
There are so many joys in parenting! My favorite is simple. It is in the morning when I am setting my intentions and I hear them rustling from their slumber. That first hug and cheek kisses is the best. I wish I could bottle that moment every day and open the jar when I get really old to remind myself of the feeling of being loved in the morning time.
Which parts of motherhood do you find challenging?
O gosh… all of it (lol)! I find the most challenging is typical: tantrums, whining, and not having the privacy you once had. It is the time when you and your partner haven't been intimate, hearing the big prancing of little feet coming to rain on your morning sex. It is the tantrum that just never ends and you stepping away makes you feel guilty, but you know if you don't, you will have one yourself. It is dreadful winter blues when you have to be the most creative because you cannot go outside and the whining feels like nails on a chalkboard. It is all of this and yet we still show up, bear hugging our big feelings away… and drinking lots of coffee!
What do you think makes for a beautiful childhood?
Creating memories your children will be proud to recall makes for a beautiful childhood. They won't remember how you worked your ass off to buy that toy. They will remember the walks in the park, explorations in the backyard, and the scrumptious meals they helped create! Meaningful experiences make up a delightful childhood.
If you could share one insight or piece of advice with other mothers, what would it be?
You are enough! Slow down when you can. Be your child's playmate even when its hard (I am still trying to free up myself in this). Connect with them and remember behavior is a language. They are telling us something. Listen.
Finally, what is your favourite children's book?
There are so many. I am always a sucker for Amelia Bedelia, but my favorite in this moment is The ABC's of the Black Panther Party by Khalilah Brann and Chemay Morales-James!
Thank you so much for your powerful and important writing Amelia.
You can find Amelia on Instagram here, and you can support her Montessori journey through Cash App ($ameliasherwood) or by buying one of these awesome t-shirts.
Further links and resources
Amelia has shared some Instagrammers for us to follow and support on our Anti-Racist / Anti-Bias journeys: Tiffany Jewell / Britt Hawthorne / Katie Kitchens / The Conscious Kid / Teach and Transform.
Amelia has also recommended some parenting resources: Circle of Security / Conscious Discipline / Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline / The Whole-Brain Child Workbook.
I'd like to add a few resources of my own, especially for white parents like me: Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race / White Kids: Growing Up with Privilege in a Racially Divided America (I have just started reading this and it is really challenging and eye opening) / Me and White Supremacy: The Workbook.


text:
01233 638080
Unit 3, Epps Bldg, Bridge Rd, Ashford TN23 1BB
Providing quality MOT testing all year round, you can always rely on our expertise and experience when it comes to MOT testing. Our MOT testers use the latest equipment and are provided with MOT test update training to make sure we can provide the highest standard all year round.
For vehicles that come within the MOT scheme, testing is mandatory every year after the vehicle is 3 years old. This test features dozens of checks to ensure that the vehicle meets the safety and environmental standards set by the government. Once the test is complete we will be able to advise you of any major faults preventing your vehicle from being deemed roadworthy.
We will also be able to advise on any minor issues that will need addressing in the future, of course, we will not conduct any work without your permission and have provided you with a quote. The MOT can only be conducted at an authorised garage by a certified tester.
Call our team today to book your MOT in Hinxhill, Kent on 01233 638080.
At Sibley Automotive we will carry out an extensive list of checks to ensure that your vehicle meets the legal requirements. Some of the things that will be checked during an MOT include:
© Sibley Automotive 2023 | Design by Motasoft | Sitemap
Terms | Privacy
Just in case you're not sure, here's how to check your tyre size.


text:
If you live in the Spokane area here in Washington, then I'm guessing you either already visited Green Bluff this fall or are planning your trip soon! For those of you who don't know, Green Bluff is a delightfully rustic collection of farms on the northeast hills of Spokane, Washington. These farms offer year-round festivities like flower and fruit picking, Christmas tree cutting, barn music, festivals and more. While there's something fun to do there every season, fall is a particularly perfect time to visit. The crisp weather pairs impeccably with the hot cider and fall activities.
Fall Fun at Green Bluff
October 2, 2017 by


text:
Seattle Wine & Food Experience has been THE epicurean weekend to sample the best food and wine the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Back for its 8th year (February 20th and 21st), this year's event is bigger and better than ever.
Saturday evening kicks off with Pop! Bubbles & Seafood experience located at the elegant McCaw Hall. Pop! features the bounty of the Pacific Northwest's seafood paired with sparkling wines and Champagne. This is sure to be a sparkling evening!
At Sunday's Wine & Food Experience get ready to sip and taste your way through an amazing event line up!
Some favorites and must check outs are:
- –'Brews and Ewes' – where select breweries are paired with top chefs' lamb creations! Yum!
- -"Riesling Challenge" at the Ste. Michelle's booth – you can and determine which wine pleases your palate – Dry, Off Dry or Sweet.
No matter which day you decide to attend (or maybe make a weekend of it!), you'll have the opportunity to try hundreds of wines, beers, ciders, and local chef dishes. Now, doesn't that sound like fun? Visit event website for info on tickets and full line-up of exhibitors.
Cheers! -Kathy


text:
5377 State Highway N, Ste 219
Cottleville, MO 63304
Assured Mortgage Services in Jonesburg, MO provides professional mortgage services in all major areas around Jonesburg, including Rolla, MO; St. James, MO; Fort Leonard Wood, MO; Lebanon, MO; St. Charles, MO; St. Louis, MO; Chesterfield, MO; Cottleville, MO; Kansas City, MO; Lee Summit, MO; Marshall, MO; Climax Springs, MO; Cottage Hills, IL; Defiance, MO; Dixon, MO; Fenton, MO; Hazelwood, MO; Lake Saint Louis, MO; St. Peters, MO; Pacific, MO; Maryland Heights, MO; Stanton, MO; Stover, MO; Wright City, MO and others.
Assured Mortgage Services has been servicing the metro St. Louis area for over 5 years. Since the beginning Assured Mortgage Services has built a reputation for excellent service and professionalism. With a small staff of employees and many resources at their disposal, the metro St. Louis franchise is prepared to tackle any mortgage job.
Along with their commitment to service, the Assured Mortgage team is driven to give back to the community. They proudly support the United States Veterans and are a member of Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP), and several other local charities.


text:
For the Diva's Challenge I have once again put myself centre stage. This time I have created a void using my avatar as a silhouette and tangled around it. The tangle pattern 'Footlights' just begged to be used across the bottom, and then after that I used the old favourites, Pokeroot, Mysteria and Bunzo.
Monday 3 August 2015
Star of the Show Again
For the Diva's Challenge I have once again put myself centre stage. This time I have created a void using my avatar as a silhouette and tangled around it. The tangle pattern 'Footlights' just begged to be used across the bottom, and then after that I used the old favourites, Pokeroot, Mysteria and Bunzo.
23 comments:
this tile makes me so happy... and your bunzo is fantastic.ReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.ReplyDelete
AWww... cute!ReplyDelete
very funny turtle! Harmonious balance between white and blackReplyDelete
Oh excellent tortoise! Works perfectly. I haven't felt the need to watermark yet either....working on it! AxxxReplyDelete
This is definitely a happy tortoise surrounded by cheerful tangles. The piece is so integrated that I don't even see the turtle as "negative" space.ReplyDelete
I don't watermark, but in my other on line world as a travel blogger, many of my fellow bloggers do. At the moment, I think that neither my tangle compositions nor my travel blog photography is marketable, so I'm not very concerned about "stealing". In fact, my blog has a Creative Commons licence that allows people to use my work----but with attribution.Replies
That sounds like a great idea. I think attribution is the main thing, particularly as opposed to trying to pass something off as your own work.Delete
So cute to use your tortoise to leave as a negative focal point. I have seen that most of our work is up for sale at some site. At first, I was amused, then I was angry, and now I don't really care. On a tile, a watermark just destroys the purpose of sharing it. I do watermark all my work on my card making blog though.ReplyDelete
Interesting that you have actually come up against the problem and still think it is best not to watermark. Annoying not to be asked first, I think I would probably say yes if I was asked as I have no intentions of selling anything myself,ReplyDelete
I've recently started adding watermark to my art, but not to my daily art I do in my journal. It's not something Im used to so I do forget, as I'm told that initials in terms corner of your work is insufficient..ReplyDelete
Your tortoise is adorable, clearly surrounded by happy patterns!
Wonderful composition and the white avatar is a great idea :-)ReplyDelete
So cute!
I like your happy tortoise and he/she seems pretty comfortable in the middle of all that activity.ReplyDelete
I enjoyed the space a lot and then really loved it when I saw it was a dear tortoise. How creative! SarahReplyDelete
Your tile is beautiful! I saw some watermarks on tiles and to be honest I think it takes the beauty away for a GREAT part. I HATE that stealing thing, but am not doing watermarks.ReplyDelete
I love your turtle!! It so works and she does need to be in the spotlights :) :) I had been putting my name into my zentangle work - hopefully just "in" the pattern ... but since this outbreak, I have been putting © Diane Clancy at the bottom (or side) of the work. To me then it doesn't take away.ReplyDelete
I made a decision over 15 years ago that I would use a certain "size" image on the internet and not very large ones - to make them less marketable. Because of this specific stealing lately, I now use the © ... again. On my paintings (using traditional mediums - that is, not digital) I always use © ... On my digital paintings I have often done that too (but just my signature) - listening to readers' feedback about size and placement ... but I have stopped doing it some of the time because it takes time.
The proposed changed in copyright law (in the US which affects everyone) is part of this latest concern. Now that I have written a book :) :) (And I do *not* like the watermarks across the middle - it detracts a lot from the image)
~ Diane Clancy
Great tile, I love the little trutle dancing on the footlights. I do use a watermark in my pictures, but it is more because I want to count how many pieces I create in one year, and I did loose track any time. Now in the app I have the last number in my watermark, and it is very easy to change it anytime. The app I use is free, but possibility to change the watermark is a purchable add in. The position of the watermark is only located on the bottom, and not move-able to another spot. So not realy good for watermarking, but for me it works just for the counting.ReplyDelete
Such a lovely tile with this cute tortoise! Wonderful choice of tangles!ReplyDelete
Love that tortoise! Your work makes me smile;-)ReplyDelete
I love your tortoise in its performance venue! Such a jam-packed tile except for the star in the Footlights!ReplyDelete
I really like your Tortoise avatar! What a sweet idea! Great tile. And I also don't watermark…I doubt anyone will use my stuff because I'm just not that good or that well known.ReplyDelete
I love the turtle! It gives such a friendly, happy impression. Very cute and brought out well in a beautiuful tile!ReplyDelete
Love your use of white space on this weeks challenge!ReplyDelete
That tortoise is really in the lime light!ReplyDelete


text:
September 28, 2009
Gameday wasn't the best ever. The signs weren't the best. I blame this partially on the failed attempt to white out gameday. It was a great idea, but required a lot of work and cooperation for it to work. There were three parts I greatly enjoyed: the JoePa interview, the weather report, and this video of Rob Stone spending the night in Paternoville.
March 5, 2014
September 16, 2012


text:
Good morning. It's November 21, and today's image takes us into the heart of our galaxy.
Specifically, the image from the James Webb Space Telescope features a star-forming region named Sagittarius C, which is about 300 light-years from the Milky Way's central supermassive black hole.
According to astronomers, there are about 500,000 stars in this image. Because the center of the galaxy is relatively close at 25,000 light-years away—compared to the distance of other galaxies from our own—Webb can discern lots of details about individual stars. This image, in particular, will provide important insights into the nature of stellar formation.
Here's some more detail on this image from the European Space Agency: "At the heart of this young cluster is a previously known, massive protostar over 30 times the mass of our Sun. The cloud the protostars are emerging from is so dense that the light from stars behind it cannot reach Webb, making it appear less crowded when in fact it is one of the most densely packed areas of the image. Smaller infrared-dark clouds dot the image, looking like holes in the star field. That's where future stars are forming."
Source: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, S. Crowe.
Do you want to submit a photo for the Daily Telescope? Reach out and say hello.


text:
U.S. wind energy layoffs continue this week in Colorado and Iowa as federal policy uncertainty continues
Aug 24 2012
More jobs in American wind power were lost this week, this time in manufacturing facilities in Colorado and Iowa, in the absence of a policy signal only Congress can provide: extension of the Production Tax Credit, the policy driver behind the rapid growth in U.S. jobs and manufacturing since 2005.
WASHINGTON—More jobs in American wind power were lost this week, this time in manufacturing facilities in Colorado and Iowa, in the absence of a policy signal only Congress can provide: extension of the Production Tax Credit, the policy driver behind the rapid growth in U.S. jobs and manufacturing since 2005.
Layoffs announced so far this week include:
- In Cedar Rapids, IA, Clipper Wind Power downsized its operations in reducing the company's staff by 32%, from 550 employees to 376.
- In Brighton, CO, Vestas Wind Systems cut about 30 workers on Monday, leaving about 200 still employed. These cuts follow more than 90 layoffs at the company's tower plant in Pueblo, announced last week.
- Walker Component Group, a Denver-based cable supplier for Vestas Wind Systems, has also had to cut a portion of its workforce, reducing its staff by 15 workers to 24.
Confirming that the layoffs at Walker Component Group were directly tied to Congress' inaction to extend tax relief for wind power, company President Craig Walker told the Denver Post, "[T]he thing that distresses me is that there is so much controversy about it in Washington.
"Not here," Walker continued, "not at other energy companies."
Immediately responding to the layoffs at Clipper Wind power, the Cedar Rapids Gazette in Iowa editorialized that "the tax credit is a necessary tool, although it shouldn't live forever. But Congress keeps playing games with this tax break, and the uncertainty has helped feed a boom-bust cycle in this industry over the past decade."
This continues the drumbeat of support in Iowa, from opinion articles and recent editorials in the Des Moines Register and Denver Post to repeated statements by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Govs. Terry Branstad (R-IA) and Sam Brownback (R-KS), and other leading Republicans.
"This week, once again, we are seeing the effects of policy uncertainty hit hard," said Denise Bode, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association. "The people of Colorado and Iowa understand the importance of wind energy to their states and to America, and that's why they and their representatives in Washington strongly support extending the PTC. But unfortunately, jobs in Iowa, Colorado, and across the country will continue to be at risk until Congress acts."
Among recent newspaper editorials supporting the PTC and noting the threat to jobs are:
Denver: "The industry has previously said that wind energy will soon be able to compete on the open market without the tax credit, and we think a short-term extension will help them get to that point. But we're also aware that early on in the next Congress, the nation's entire tax system will need review and overhaul if we are to get a handle on the federal debt…The wind association estimates that failure to extend the tax credit would result in the loss of 5,000 jobs in Colorado and tens of thousands more across the country. Given the state of the economy, we hope to see the Senate and the House rally around this bipartisan issue in short order." (Denver Post, 8/6/12)
Des Moines: "Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, may have tilted at the wrong windmills when he said he would allow wind energy tax credits to expire… Gov. Terry Branstad and the entire congressional delegation heartily support the wind production tax credit and want it extended…there are good reasons why the tax credit should be extended for as long as necessary to get wind energy production to the point where it is competitive with other forms of energy." (Des Moines Register, 8/5/12)
Bakersfield, Calif.: "[A} level playing field doesn't exist in the energy sector. Almost every form of energy receives subsidies of some sort, in the form of tax breaks, credits or direct investment. And in the case of fossil fuels, those subsidies have been around much longer than renewable energy credits, and many don't have expiration dates…Just the talk of expiring tax credits has some companies that manufacture wind turbines and other parts halting production and laying off workers." (Bakersfield Californian, 8/11/12)
This week's layoffs add to a long list announced so far this year. Those include:
- The largest wind tower manufacturer in the U.S., DMI Industries, announced 167 workers will be unemployed by November (August 7, Bloomberg News)
- DMI Industries also announced that 216 jobs stand at risk in their plant in West Fargo, North Dakota (August 7, Bloomberg News)
- LM Wind Power announced job reductions that will impact 94 full-time employees and 140 temporary workers and contractors (August 6, North American Wind Power)
- Trinity Structural Towers said it will shift resources away from wind turbine tower manufacturing (August 14, Wind Power Monthly)
- Wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa furloughed 165 of its Pennsylvania-based workers (July 5, Bloomberg)
- Wind measurement technology manufacturer NRG Systems laid off 18 Vermont-based employees in May, and an additional 12 in July– the first time in 30 years the firm has had to make any layoffs (May 22, Windpower Monthly and July 18, Burlington Free Press)
- Wind turbine manufacturer Vestas plans to layoff 182 employees (January 12, Huffington Post)
- Wind project developer Iberdrola Renewables laid off 50 U.S. employees, about half of whom were based in Oregon (January 25, North American Windpower)
- Wind pattern analysis company Windlogics cut 10 of their Minnesota-based employees (July 2, Minnesota Public Radio)
These are just the tip of the iceberg of job losses expected throughout the wind energy supply chain. According to Navigant Consulting 37,000 Americans stand to lose their jobs by the end of the first quarter of 2013 if Congress does not extend the PTC. As seen below, Navigant projects that turbine deliveries will peak right now, in the third quarter of 2012, and then begin to steadily decline.
With that decline, employees at these factories will be let go at a rapid pace. According to a study on the According to a study on the historical impact of the PTC expiration on annual wind installation, the job-loss rate was between 73% and 93% when the tax credit was allowed to expire
"I'm deeply distressed that our wind industry colleagues are facing furloughs and layoffs due to lack of stable tax policy," Bode said. "Unfortunately, the industry has begun letting workers go up and down our American manufacturing supply chain, which the industry has so proudly built up in support of the U.S. economy and made-in-the-USA manufacturing. Congress must act now to give wind energy a stable business environment to keep building this new industry and save 37,000 American jobs by the first quarter of next year."
Extending the Production Tax Credit (PTC) enjoys bipartisan support. Examples of Republican endorsements:
Gov. Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS): "If we expect the wind-energy industry to provide for our country's future energy needs and make long-term investments in their businesses, Congress must reauthorize the wind-production tax credit that expires this year. By extending the wind PTC, Congress will allow the wind industry to complete its transformation from being a high-tech startup to becoming cost-competitive in the energy marketplace." (Op-ed in The Wichita Eagle, 3/18/12)
Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA): "Grassley said extending the Production Tax Credit is a "no-brainer for many of us," and noted he has introduced legislation that would do that. "The stakes for the wind industry and the country in general will only get worse with delay. It's time to act, not politick," he said." (Wall Street Journal, 5/24/12)
Karl Rove, GOP strategist: "My hope is that after the election people say, look, let's start making some priorities and find some things that we can agree on, and maybe one of them is the production tax credit. It is a market mechanism, you don't get paid unless you produce the power, and we're not picking winners and losers, we're simply saying for some period of time we will provide this incentive as we scale up and get improvements in technology." (Associated Press, 6/5/12)


text:
I am not a huge white potato fan, but I can't say no to sweet potatoes or red potatoes. I find red potatoes incredibly delicious, even when cooked in the most simple way possible. I also like that they bake quickly because of their relatively smaller sauce and are that much closer to my tummy! The following roasted red potatoes recipe is seasoned with rosemary and garlic and cooked to ultimate perfect. You won't be able to get enough. Enjoy!
Here's why they glow:
Red Potatoes: are rich in iron, potassium and vitamin C, lending to increased energy and the better functioning of cells, tissues and organs. Red potatoes are packed with antioxidants called anthocyanins; in fact, 5-times more than the regular russet potato. Red potatoes also contain protein – about 4 grams per medium-sized potato.
Rosemary & Garlic Spiced Roasted Red Potatoes Recipe
Serves 4-6
- 20-24 small red potatoes
- 12-16 small white onions
- 1-2 tablespoons mustard
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon dried rosemary
- ½ tablespoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel the onions (keep them whole), and place them in a large bowl with the potatoes (also whole). In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and Pour over the onions and red potatoes. Toss with clean hands until all of the onions and potatoes are evenly coated.
Transfer to a roasting pan and cook for 45-60 minutes or until the potatoes are tender to the core and slightly browned and the onions caramelized. After 20 minutes into roasting, give the onions and potatoes a light toss to facilitate evenly cooking them. Serve and enjoy!
Bon Appetit!
xo Aylin
Twitter: www.twitter.com/glowkitchen
Facebook: www.facebook.com/glowkitchen
Follow and Like me


text:
Get more participants to your event with an email sent directly to runners.
Maximize your event advertising dollars! Our proven direct email service lets you send an exclusive event promotion email to runners that are eager to hear about events like yours.
A direct email is one of the most effective event promotion services available.
Open rates for Running Guru emails are 25% higher than industry averages:
A direct email with Running Guru is one of the best ROIs for your marketing and promotion dollar!
Follow these easy steps to send an email and start getting more event registrants!
Our direct email service provides real-time tracking tools that report opens, clicks, and sharing your of your emails.
We recommend you include a source code in your event links so you know who signed up and how well the email is working!
Boost results even higher with event promotions and discount codes.
You have four simple ways to create an exiciting, custom event email:
Send an email only to runners in your geographic area.
Our members are segmented by gender and state, so you can target only those that you want to receive your email.


text:
So You Want to Roleplay…
So, you want to roleplay, good. That will help stimulate your imagination, give you an outlet to be someone or something else, see things you never imagined you would, while sharing the experience with like-minded people.
Now, what you will see or experience while roleplaying will depend on what the genre of the game is. If it's science-fiction you can go anywhere you can see the future going, even alter the past. Fantasy gives you things from your wildest dreams, mixture of sorcery and sword play, faeries and dragons, witches and castles. Mystery, allows you to be a detective and solve a crime or find something, power of deduction. Simply go through https://www.paultolandlaw.com/vacating-criminal-convictions/ for the best criminal defense attorney.
Wherever you go, it will be because your character takes you there. Your character will be your best friend, and sometimes your worst enemy, all rolled into one. It'll be calling for you when you want to sleep, telling you that it wants to go out and play, and all you'll be able to do is obey, because your mind will be awake wondering where it wants to take you.
So, create a character, and open you mind while designing it, maybe it's already designed and is waiting for you to see that it's been jumping up and down in front of you screaming "Hey! I'm HERE! Let's go out." Once you have your character, then, you want to let it show you its world, where it came from, where it wants to go. Enjoy the ride as it'll be a roller coaster. You'll have good times where you are asking to do that again, eagerly, and you'll experience its heartbreaks wanting to protect it from its world.
The world you chose to roleplay in will have different players, with their characters also living out their dreams and nightmares, and you'll be an intricate part of that, you and your character will affect them and theirs. The effect may be something small, or world shaking. And because you are playing with other people, you can't have a story in your head all etched out in permanent marker, you should have the story written in outline form, in pencil, ready for the waste basket if not salvageable. But that's the fun.
In the story my character is a part of, someone missed picking us up from the planet, so we are down there stranded, but writing my character's reaction to that accident was the most fun I have had, and it is having some unexpected side effects for everyone on the team, not just me.
So, now that you know you want to role play, create your character, close your eyes, and trust it to take you where you need to go. Have fun!
This article was written by Ensign Sundassa Faranster, a member of the USS Apollo sim with the Starbase 118 Star Trek RPG.


text:
Parisian French Bulldog Birthday Card
Write a review
Regular price $5.00
The most adorable illustrated french bulldog birthday card! Our high quality paper will cherish the special moments.
A2 size (5.5 x 4.25" / 14cm x 10.7cm when folded)
Printed on 80 lb white paper that writes smoothly
Comes with a crystal metallic envelope
Blank inside
Made in USA


text:
Otter Lake Travel Tumbler | 20 oz
- Regular Price
- $32.99
- Sale Price
- $32.99
- Regular Price
Sold Out
- Unit Price
- per
Whether it's morning coffee or a cold drink, you'll love this 20 ounce double insulated stainless steel tumbler. Keeps cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot for hours.
- Multiple colors to choose from Stainless Steel
- Double-wall vacuum insulation with a clear lid.
- Fits most standard cup holders.
- 2X heat & cold resistant compared to a normal travel mug.
- BPA and lead free.
- Sweat free
- Tremendous temperature retention that can keep your beverage COLD for up to 24 hours or HOT for up to 6 hours.
- Air sealed between 2 layers provide maximum insulation to maintain beverage temperature.
- It's the best option to keep your coffee, ice tea or your favorite beverage fresher and longer than ever.
- Top rack dishwasher safe - hand washing preferred.
- Lightweight
- Comes in a variety of colors.
- Permanently laser etched - this is NOT a sticker.
- Free Shipping
Add some text content to a popup modal


text: Loading view. There were no results found. There were no results found. Port Townsend Yacht Club Events Venues Port Townsend Yacht Club 2503 Washington Street Port Townsend, WA 98368 United States Get Directions Events at this venue Today Upcoming Upcoming Select date. Previous Events Today Next Events Subscribe to calendar Google Calendar iCalendar Outlook 365 Outlook Live Export .ics file Export Outlook .ics file


text:
my personal web pages
18th January 2009 - OK, so it's been a while since I last updated, but in a quick update, the care is great, really pleased with it, Christmas was good with some nice gifts both given and received and I'm now in the process of getting my head down for the next six months running up to our wedding in July... More soon ;¬)
30th November 2008 - I collect my new car on Tuesday, another BMW, this time a 330i M Sport, 3.0 Litres of straight six with 272bhp, greedy ? Hmmm... perhaps ! I've gone a little old man in that it's an automatic, but because it's a M Sport model, it does come with a Tiptronic type steering wheel gear change. I've added leather, heated seats and the Media Pack that puts a fancy screen on the dash board and a controller on the centre console for controlling music, heating, bringing up servicing information, navigation linked to Google, connected drive that calls 999 if the airbags deploy and you can also retrieve news, weather, traffic and local information via the internet - yes, that's right, even my car now has internet access !
16th November 2008 - The wedding plans have moved on a little further this week, we now have a photographer to record the day ! Not much else going off this week, apart from a few aches and pains with my shoulder, which is probably indirectly attributable to my earlier back troubles... ho-hum !
1st November 2008 - Had a reasonably busy home day today, you know the sort of day, up early, clear some rubbish from the garage, trip to the tip returning via the local DIY store, few jobs around the house, few jobs in the garden, trip to mums, trip to Waitrose, then home for a selection of nibbles in front of the telly for tea, all washed down with a few drinks, a selection of specialist beers tonight I fear ;¬)
26th October 2008 - Started to bring my roads related content across from my old site, moving to the new site has involved a tad more work than I had hoped for, but keeps me busy on a Sunday !
19th October 2008 - After a few days of back troubles again, I'm starting to feel much better, I've had a day of PC fixing today, my uncles PC died last week, so in comes Haydn to save the day and build a new one from some new bits and some rescued parts of the old one. Attended an event at Elland Road last week presented by a firm that supplies LED road studs and traffic count equipment and services... oddly, some of the talks were interesting and the food was excellent. Plan on getting back onto normal hours this week after several weeks of back troubles, my bank balance could do with some help !
12th October 2008 - Holiday was great, lovely villa overlooking Puerto Pollenca, although it did seem a little damp there, the sun shone for most of the week, the pool wasn't quite as warm as I'd have liked, the food wasn't as great in the usual places, but we had two great meals in the square, one at Maxims and the other at the Italian a few doors up, which is owned by the same people. The Tango has moved and was altogether most odd and felt like a piece of Pollenca has been taken away forever...
28th September 2008 - My back problems are easing thanks to the Chiropractor, hopefully a week away will help, but dreading the trip to and from Majorca with all the bag lifting, small airline seats, troubles with hire cars and the unexpected problems of a villa that we haven't used before.
16th September 2008 - Had a little trouble with my back this last week, doctor didn't help so I've enlisted a Chiropractor to sort out my pains... Saw the eye surgeon last week too, he's explained what he could do with my eye, but I've the feeling that I shouldn't be messing with something that isn't giving me any trouble at the moment - any thoughts ? answers on a postcard !
9th September 2008 - Went to sort the marriage licence out today, seems odd that all you need is a passport and a driving licence to get married !
25th August 2008 - Added a new feature to the website today, a portfolio of photographs taken recently and over the years... I hope to add loads to the site as I get around to looking through the old ones and taking new ones...
24th August 2008 - The cityscape of Sheffield changed forever today as the twin cooling towers at Tinsley were demolished with explosives this morning at 3am. I was there of course to take some picture which can be found in the photo pages.
18th August 2008 - Just returned from a few days up in Cumbria, staying at the Drunken Duck Inn, which I must say, was rather nice. We had a great view from the room, I had a fantastic meal each night, including delights such as venison, scallops and loin of lamb... Yum !
25th July 2008 - In a moment of wild shoot from the hip purchasing, I've gone and bought myself a Canon EOS 450D Digital SLR...
15th July 2008 - Had my first visit to see the eye specialist today, it's the first time I've been back to the hospital in about 15 years. The surgeon talked about a few options for my right eye, most of them seemed just cosmetic, I've got to go for a few test next month, but perhaps I've already made my mind up, will see how things go.
17th June 2008 - Back on the updates, transferring the last bits of the old site over into this site. Also working on a new style for the business website, which will hopefully look a lot more professional and express my future business ideas in a much clearer format.
20th May 2008 - After much consideration, I left Hull today, keeping both Hull and Calderdale happy wasn't easy, so I'm concentrating on providing services to Calderdale for the short term, giving me time to concentrate on looking at my future and what I want to do from here on - more later
13th March 2008 - This sees the launch of the Traffic Engineer Forum to a select few unwitting folk that I know - It's a site just for professionals in the Traffic and Transportation Sector to talk shop and exchange ideas... Time will tell if it's a good idea or not !
1st March 2008 - It's been a long time in the making, but yesterday, being a leap year 29th February, Lesley asked me to marry her, I accepted of course. No date, location or other arrangements made yet, so keep in touch and I'll let you know the details.
25th February 2008 :: Go east
young man !
Back to my past with some work with Hull City Council with some traffic regulation and democratic process work.
6th February 2008 :: Go west
young man !
Although seemingly light years away, I've picked up some work with Calderdale Council looking mainly at road safety, including safety cameras, traffic calming, speed limit, parking, maintenance and assistance to the Highways Development Control Team
14th January 2008 :: Thanks for
the help lads
After a few cold leads, some former colleagues from Hull come up with the goods at their firm in Beverley, I'm grateful for the work and also pleased with the company, sadly it's not a long term prospect.
2nd January 2008 :: Bye bye
Time to move on, Sheffield was getting me down and a complete lack of understanding by the people there about what I was going through with mum before Christmas really made the final straw. I'm currently taking some time off and checking out some work options.
15th November 2007 :: Where did
the year go ?
It's perhaps been the longest period between updates on here, why ? Well, I have been quite busy, continuing with D-zyne Ltd, taking my first steps into Property Development and also putting some time back into being a School Governor for a local Secondary School.
D-zyne Ltd - Had a good year so far, with lots of bus priority work, developer related schemes and a fair share of road safety work for my main client. I'm also getting some work done for some other clients, but that side of the business is less developed, partly due to the amount of work I'm getting from my main client.
Property - I've spent some considerable time since September 2007 working on business plans, investigation of sites, talking with planning officers, financial people and getting my head into the details of house building. I'm fairly confident that I'll get my first development on site in the next 12 months and fairly confident that when I do find the right site, all hell will break loose whilst I get the planning consent, finance and build team together. Fingers crossed !
Governor - Having expressed an interest in becoming a School Governor in Dec 2006, my local council put me forward as a LEA Governor for Birley Community College. I'm now in the thick of it as a Core Governor, helping improve the performance of the school, sitting on the disciplinary and finance groups and starting to get involved in the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project earmarked for the school. It's all good fun, but generally very daunting !
21st July 2007 :: It's a bit
wet here...
It's been a while, so I'll keep it as short as I can :¬) Big news is that I'm swapping my car again, the BMW 320Si that took delivery of last September and what I was so happy with, has developed a fault that neither the dealer, nor BMW UK, nor BMW AB can't fix ! So after some lengthy negotiation I'm taking deliver of a BMW 325i M Sport next Saturday. It's in Le Mans blue, has leather seats, xenon headlamps and rides on some lovely 18" alloys... How do I feel ? well, I'm not happy, but I'm not unhappy ;¬)
The business is going fine, I'm paying my taxes and working at a steady pace, still waiting for some things to get sorted, like my Corporation Tax and VAT registration, but letters I have had this week indicate that perhaps it will be sorted in the next few weeks.
Last but not least, I've just returned from three weeks in Canada, visited my aunt in Medicine Hat, from there, toured into the Rockies, visiting Lake Louise, Jasper, Kamloops, Kelowna and Nelson... The scenery was awesome, the roads (work interest here), where quite different and the people where almost too nice ! I'll be heading back their some time soon though.
13th May 2007 :: D-zyne Limited
is born
I've gone and started my own Private Limited Company this month, it's scary, there is a whole new language to learn, I now have an Accountant, Company Secretary, Certificate of Incorporation, Company Bank Account, books and a company seal ! All that is left to finalise is the VAT Registration and then I can start invoicing for the time I'm currently working.
8th April 2007 :: Summer is
The days are getting longer, the nights are getting warmer, I've got some new garden furniture and we had the first BBQ of the season yesterday...
Getting into a bit of website admin, I've decided to remove all e-mail addresses from this site in a feeble effort to reduce my spam, which is getting on for up to 200 a day sometimes :¬( so, if you wish to e-mail me, e-mail Haydn at my domain name, it should get to me !
29th March 2007 :: I must hide
my Switch Card !
The fireplace is fitted, coving is up in the lounge and hall, the walls are painted and the undercoating is almost all done... phew... Not content with a nice new laptop, I'd talked myself out of a big screen telly, then walking past the Panasonic Shop in Sheffield, I saw a deal I couldn't miss, so I've now got a big fat 42" Plasma ! yeah !
Under changes to the financial laws covering my freelance working, I've had to become a Director of my own personal company... Laughable really, but hey, it looks good on the business cards !
11th February 2007 :: Been
spending again...
Always one for the toys, I've bought myself a new laptop, a lovely Sony Vaio FE41S, Core2 Duo, 1.66Ghzm 2GB RAM, 160GB HD and a 15.4" X-Black screen... Mmmmm... Only trouble is that I'm scouting around looking for a mobile data deal that will give me cheap internet access in the UK, Europe and whilst I'm in Canada !
What else ? Well, work is fine, keeping very busy, we have been through a bit of a journey with kitchens, conservatories and back to kitchens, we are about to have a fireplace fitted, looking into some block paving or imprint paving for the front garden and also into other bits and bobs around the house... We have booked the flights for Canada, three weeks in the summer, just need to sort of the hire car and where we are staying !
12th January 2007 :: Happy New
It's been a right busy few months, not much of an excuse, but, it's mine, for not updating here...
Anyways, what's happened ? Biggest news perhaps is my Aunt emigrating to Canada with her family, thus the update, to keep them up to date from here onwards. I've remortgaged, so I've paid things off, got money waiting to do other things and well, just feel now it's sorted that a few problems have been lifted. Work has changed a bit, just short of putting my notice in, a lovely package of work landed on my desk, so I'm as happy as a pig in brown stuff, with roundabouts to remodel, roads to widen, little schemes to sort and all the mopping up of the 2006/7 schemes, so I'm a very busy boy !
In other news, my mate Dave has emigrated to the far east, a little known place call Gateford Meadows, near ye olde town of Worksop, which is funny, because most of the residents of Worksop, don't work ;¬) What else ? Hmmmm... well the Bimmer is going well, although I must book it in for a service as it needs a wash !
9th October 2006 :: A month of
Lazy Haydn again ! Well the new car came, it's fantastic, I've been away for two weeks, which was nice, was off sick for a week, which wasn't so nice and I'm having trouble getting back into the swing of work... ho-hum !
31st August 2006 :: Tis the
night before Christmas !
Well, it is for me... get the new car tomorrow !
12th August 2006 :: Delivery
Had the call yesterday to confirm delivery of the new car. I'll be driving it away from the 1st September and I'm like a child the night before Christmas waiting for Santa to visit !
29th July 2006 :: BMW wins over
Having signed up for a new Audi A4 (see below), I had a series of events that made me decide to cancel the order, will explain if asked. Therefore, I went looking for something else, looked at a Lexus IS250-SE, very nice, took it for a short test drive, hmmm... liked it, took it for a longer test drive a week later, ah, too small inside, awful gear change in 1st & 2nd, also I found it a little too tight on headroom, but on a positive note, a fantastic engine, lovely relaxing drive and a very nice looking car, not sure on the interior centre console though.
So what next, "oh lets call at the BMW dealer, see what they have to show me", an hour later, I'm test driving a BMW 320Si which is rather special being of a limited 500 cars coming to the UK shores. It has a hand built engine inspired by touring car racing, giving more power (173bhp) and it revs higher than the usual 2.0 litre BMW engine. The deal, well I've saved just over £2k on the car, which has a M Sport package of styling features, sports suspension and lovely 18" alloys and is also has leather, upgraded speakers, heated seats, sun protection glazing and Bluetooth phone preparation fitted as optional extras. The car was recently referred to as a "Baby M3" by Vicki Butler-Henderson on C5's Fifth Gear, raved about in EVO, desired as a junior M3 by Autocar and... I'm still smiling, roll on September !!!!
17th July 2006 :: Wikiwhat ?
Being a long time fan of Wikipedia, I couldn't help thinking that I needed to put something back into the site... so yesterday I started making my own contributions, the first is on Puerto Pollença.
13th July 2006 :: Unlucky for
some ? Perhaps
Some associate the 13th with bad luck ! Like a bull in a china shop, I shunned tradition today and bought myself a new car. Signed up today for a Audi A4 2.0TFSi in SE trim... I'm happy ! Delivery in late September.
7th July 2006 :: Tipsy Haydn
Had a great day out yesterday, sat in the beer gardens of Sheffield, soaking up the sun and drinking away all the worries of life ! :¬) Been a busy old month at work this last month, been getting a few consultations out and dealing with a few on site troubles... nothing too taxing though... I seem to have less and less time for updating these pages too, something I'll try and sort out soon !
Back is much better now, as is the computer, Office 2007, wasn't much fun, Word and Excel are fine, but Outlook threw teddy from the pram and didn't like talking with my phone, so back to 2003 I went...
28th May 2006 :: Office 2007
Followed a link on the Sheffield Forum the other day and I now have a fully useable beta copy of Microsoft Office 2007. After a few install issues, been playing with the new "Ribbon" interface, which is quite nice, it's going to be difficult for many to migrate to the new style of working, but overall, I feel that the ribbon interface will open up a lot of the hidden tools in Word, Excel, Access etc... Go take a look and download from Microsoft's UK site...
27th May 2006 :: Double Trouble
Life for me this week has consisted of ibuprofen rub, paracetamol and lots of grumpiness all down to a bad back, which is apparently down to a pulled ligament in my back - didn't realise you had them there, but then again I'm a Traffic Engineer not a a Doctor ! - Anyways, I've been in and out of work, feel stiff and generally really snappy at the moment...
In other news, although I'm not a Labour party member, I attended my local Labour Constituency meeting last Friday, to hear my MP Clive Betts give his regular report, hear what the reporting officer had to say about the recent local elections and also to hear Sheffield's Chair of the Highways and Transport Committee speak. I got up and said my bit and he promised to try and get in touch with me at a later date... I'm currently considering rejoining the party and being slightly active, but just reading through the party policies at the moment, I'm slightly torn between my roots in Labour and what the Liberal Democrats have to offer, although I'm not convinced they can form a Government, it's been a two horse race between Labour and Conservative for decades now.
3rd May 2006 :: Lazy Haydn !
Seems it's been a while since I last updated... Quick news then, Switzerland was great, garden is looking top, not done much in the house, work back at Sheffield is fine... I'll look to post a few more bits later in the week :¬)
4th March 2006 :: Spring is
here, or so we thought...
The bulbs in the garden are popping up, the weather was getting better, I have started booking holidays and looking what to do in the house and garden through the year... Then came the cold and the snow ! LOL
Anyways, speaking of snow, I've booked two weeks in Switzerland, flying to Geneva, then using the train to get around, staying also in Zermatt, St Moritz and then returning to Geneva. The trip includes the famous Glacier Express, we will be taking the opportunity to get some mountain air, the the League of Nations building in Geneva, ride the Gronergrat Railway and take the cable car to kleines Matterhorn.
Feedback on my historical journey along some of Sheffield's roads is good, although I'm finding out that there were a lot of uncompleted projects and many pipe dreams. Take a look :: Here ::
29th January 2006 :: Busy
After the season of good will to all men, comes get bloody busy season... Why is it that January is always a time for getting jobs done, people asking favours and so on.... Anyways, news since last time, mum's looking a bit better, my mate Dave is house hunting in Brinsworth, as is John in Guildford, car buying is writhe, John has a new shape Leon on order, Dave is hovering over the new shape Civic and me, well, I might get a new one in the summer, maybe another A3, maybe a A4, dunno yet.
Been planning my holidays too... Having a long week in Switzerland in late March/early April, then also my obligatory holiday in Pollensa in September, might just slip another one in somewhere, but will see... Also starting looking into the history of some of the roads in Sheffield over the last 30-40years... I've not got far, but jotted down a few notes on the Mosborough Townships Grid System and also the little known Sheffield Urban Motorway, with a plan from 1968 ! Hope to add more as I find out more... Take a look at what I've found so far :: Link ::
12th January 2006 :: Happy New
It's been a tough old year on reflection, starting with stress at work and North Bridge, losing the baby, mum being sick, the stresses of my move from Hull to Carrilion and then to Sheffield in 2 weeks and lastly mum being sick again over Christmas. The good news now, I've settled in at Sheffield, mums starting to get herself together and best of all, she's had news today that she can retire from next Friday !
I've started the New Year running, work is looking good, I've been working on redesigning lane use on a major roundabout in Sheffield, developing three Child Safety Zones in the north of the city and also putting the finishing touches to a new Signing Strategy for the City Centre. For fun, I've started investigating some of the history behind Sheffield's roads from the 1960's to the present day.
Father Christmas was good to me too, lots of new DVD's to watch, new CD's to listen to, a few games to entertain, Battlefield 2 is just amazing... and best of all, I got a massive Technical Lego set, the child in me was engrossed for days ! LOL Great fun
18th December 2005 :: Christmas
It's the time to get stressed and shirty in the shops at people :¬) I've been busy doing some Christmas Shopping, got some real corkers this year for some people, I'm pretty sure they will be happy on Christmas Morning. Had a trip back to Hull last Friday, had lunch with two of the girlies, then into the office to say bye bye to Vali, who's going to a new job in Lancashire, then off to the pub for a drink and the very nice Christmas meal - well done Dave for sorting that one. I'm all PC'ed up right now, not only have I been building new ones, but everybody seems to have come to me with their PC problems this last month... thankfully I have one left to do... Job for in the week :¬)
25th November 2005 :: PC
Been dipping into my credit card again, bought myself a new video cards a nVidia based XFX 7800GT, along with some bits for upgrading Lesleys PC, then I have my uncle's new hard disk to pop in this weekend, to replace his c drive, so that's a full re-install thanks :¬) Busy busy busy I've also set up a network gaming session for the Christmas week, with some serious playing of Half-Life, Half-Life 2, Quake 4 and hopefully some others.
18th November 2005 :: Autumn
Done a little housekeeping on here, not much, but it's the start of a few new pages I'm about to add. I heard that my old boss Vali is leaving Hull - oh no !!! - and that North Bridge finally reopened, without too much of a hitch. I've also been busy this last week, building a new PC for my mate John, another build of some older parts for my cousin Pip and also re-installed my own PC with a fully licensed Windows XP as part of my Autumn tidy !
10th November 2005 :: Settling
After two weeks back at Sheffield, I'm just about settling in there... It's been odd going back, many still see me as I was when I left in 1999, however there has been a considerable amount of water under the bridge since then, not only in my career but in my own personal life. The good news is that some key people have made me feel very welcome and I appreciate that, especially those who I probably didn't get on with that well when I was there before.
As for workload, it's interesting stuff so far, I'm getting quite mind numbingly deep into a new signing strategy for the city centre, building on previous work and adding a little of my own twist to it. I'm also getting more involved by the day in a closure of a part of the inner ring road to enable a 10 storey office block to be demolished. The PTE don't like the planned route, neither will the public... it's North Bridge all over again ! LOL
Missing my old mates from Hull CC, but not the banter about who's turn it is to mash the tea !
27th October 2005 :: CWSP RIP
Hot news this week... Haydn encounters a IR35 problem ! Which has forced my hand to move onto a new role with Sheffield City Council. Seems I've landed on my feet though, I'm involved initially with a Signing Strategy for the Inner Ring Road, issues to do with a new EMS/CPGS system and also a major diversion in the City Centre for the demolition of a old building. It's been odd returning, but I will say I've been made more than welcome which was nice :¬)
My Media Centre PC was delivered yesterday, it had a few issues, but armed with a spare WiFi dongle, some cables from Comet and Focus and a few downloads, I soon fixed them - Early days yet, but initial thoughts are it's a little more noisy than I'd hope for, but I think I'll get used to it, also, it doesn't like recording a TV show, whilst playing a Dvix file. Other than that, I'm rather happy with it :¬)
11th October 2005 :: Hull City
Council RIP !
Having beaten my head till it bleed against the big wall that is Hull City Council, Haydn has left for pastures new - I started yesterday at CarillionWSP working as Principal Engineer for Highways Agency, Area 12 South, looking after improvement projects on the M1 (J30-37), M18, M180, M181, A1(M) past Doncaster, A160, A180, A616 and A628. It's looking promising so far, got a laptop, but waiting for a network login, also got my diary filling up fast, with meetings about traffic lights on most of the M1 junctions, an induction with CWSP, network manager meetings and some "training" days !
In other news, one of my former colleagues at Hull, John Boardman, informed me yesterday that he was now the proud father of a little boy and I'd just like to wish him well on here :¬)
Lastly, I parted company with a big wad of cash at the weekend and bought myself a Windows Media Centre PC for the living room, it's a pre built one from Evesham Computers, it can record TV, has a 14 day forward programme guide and will connect to my other computer to stream stored media such as music and films direct to the TV. I like my toys, so why not... And for the record, the D-Link thing was sent back, it was rubbish !
2nd September 2005 :: Gadget
Having worked hard all this summer getting my garden sorted and getting my projects at Hull rolling, I felt appropriate to reward myself. First came the new mobile, then I've had a bit of a DVD thing going, with Seasons 1, 2 & 3 of the West Wing going down very nicely. Next up, I have been pondering a Media Centre PC, however, with the hassles of Windows MCE and the nasty and small range hardware that is currently available and suitable for a MCPC, I've taken a diversion and bought a D-Link DSM-320 - WTF is that I hear you say, well it connects to my wireless network and allows me to watch videos on my PC upstairs on the TV downstairs. This device also worked with photos and music stored on my main PC.
What else ? Well, 1st September came, PSP dropped out the sky onto a eager nation of gamers and people like me, who can't resist a gadget. Anyways, when I manage to prize it out of someone's hands, I really like this gameboy wannabe... Hang on, it thrashes a Gameboy into the 1800's, believe me, the Sony PSP is one hell of a machine that will endear itself into millions of peoples pockets...
22nd July 2005 :: Deliveries
Having my topsoil delivered this weekend, all 7 tons of it... I must be mad ! I've also got my new phone, a Sony P910i, to replace my old and battered P900i :¬)
8th July 2005 :: A funny old
This last week has been like a rollercoaster, had a fantastic BBQ on the 2nd July, with all the family and lots of friends, everybody went home with full tummy's and humming the tunes of G8. Then we had the sorry news from Edinburgh of rioting and such, then the great news of the 6th July, also my Birthday, when London won the 2012 Olympic Games, only to be followed by the tragic news from London yesterday.
On a more personal level, I got a few DVD's for my birthday, a red rose plant for my new garden and also some money, which was duly spent on another DVD and a CD, New Order's, Waiting for the siren's call, which as a album is fine, but as a New Order Album, pretty much dull... Work isn't really much fun at the moment, but I'm battling through and will see what happens when I get to the other side :¬)
24th June 2005 :: And now for
the hard bit
The hard landscaping in the garden is now complete, I've made a start on the second deck, which will be circular - cutting the decking will be fun - I've been busy at work this week, so not much chance to get much done after work, hopefully, weather permitting, I'll be making a push to get the decking finished, the water feature working and maybe a few other bits too :¬)
15th June 2005 :: Almost
The garden landscaping is now almost complete, the Granite Sett feature rings are in place, the slate paving is almost complete, the blue brick lawn edgings are in and the water feature base is complete. I have a load of timber coming on Saturday, so I can build the second deck and create a retaining structure for the side beds. Also bought this last week was a Broil King gas BBQ, a outdoor gas heater and mum bought me a gazebo for my birthday next month :¬)
6th June 2005 :: And so it
After repeated redesign, months of anguish and lots of sleepless nights, the garden has finally been started ! Got a bloke in doing the hard stuff, with me just helping where I can. Today the garden was levelled out, hardcore was placed and whacked down. I've also painted four fence panels before it went dark and completed some stuff for work too ! Busy day and I'm pooped !
5th June 2005 :: Long time no
At the request of Colbo, here's an update. May saw a week in Majorca, weather was great, apartment was lovely and the people were as always as friendly as they could be :¬) After seeing mum's camera, I had to get one for Lesley, so she was snapping all over with her birthday toy. Built a PC for my mate Dave, nice P4 3.2GHz with 1Gb DDR Ram and 120Gb Hard Disk, he seems happy now he can play Half-Life 2, but it seems to be running a little hot, so will have to sort that soon.
On a sad note, another close friend of mine lost his dad last month, he's took it hard but hopefully he will find it in himself to come and talk about the ordeal...
As for me, I'm on with the garden now, with tonnes of slate, granite and blue engineering bricks sat on the drive waiting to be laid. Got a man coming to do the hard work starting tomorrow, so hopefully the structural part of the garden will be complete within the next two weeks, in readiness for the planting, which also is already in hand :¬) Work is plodding on currently, two people have recently left, Patrick to work for East Riding Council and Fiona to have a little baby, she popped a little 7lb 2oz boy out last week :¬)
Lastly, I'm playing with the idea of building a Media Centre PC for the living room. I'm not talking some hulking noisy machine here, I'm thinking of using either a Pentium M mobile CPU or even a VIA Eden CPU to reduce heat output and hence require less cooling, therefore reduced fan noise. The options are limited, but maybe I'll get there sometime before Christmas !
29th April 2005 :: Digirama
Mum continues to amazing me in her new found gadget craze... She has now fell victim to buying a digital camera. She said at first, just a £120, then when she got to the shop was willing to spend £270 ! We ended up getting a Fuji F455 for £41 less than list :¬) Haydn the deal maker strikes again.
28th April 2005 :: Victory
Had some great news today, the local Fire Station that had been earmarked for closure by the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has been saved, the vote by the Fire Authority overturned the plan, with all 12 members voting to keep the station open ! I've been very active in saving the station, writing to and phoning councillors, fire authority members, MP's and even John Prescott, who incidentally failed to reply to my letter !
10th April 2005 :: Rough Week
Just looking forward to Majorca in May !
29th March 2005 :: Easter Break
Just back from Edinburgh, had a nice relaxing time, even though it rained, was foggy and I got stuck on the motorway in a post accident traffic jam. I will add the photos as soon as I get around to it :¬)
25th March 2005 :: Site updates
Started to add in my old holiday pictures from my previous website... It's a bit of a ball ache ! Going away on Sunday though, three days in Edinburgh, booked into a nice hotel :: The Bonham :: which is close to the main shopping street and also within a short walk of the castle !
22nd March 2005 :: What ever will I do next ?
With the evasion of doomsday, I've been tasked now with continuing with my VMS project for Hull. Simple you might think ? Well, it will involve pulling many elements of the City Council and the private sector together, to form a basis of what Hull City Centre will look like in a few years from now. I've got approval today to spend about £2M on EMS (Electronic Message Signs), CPGS (Car Park Guidance Signs), control infrastructure, supplementary static signing and staff resource. Also approved today was a report on Decriminalised Parking for Hull, this means that the control of parking will be removed from the Police to be managed by the City Council, with the ticket revenue going back into parking schemes and maintenance. Sounds good in principle, but many of the Traffic Wardens now fear for their jobs, pay, pensions and benefits, that they currently get.
9th March 2005 :: Doomsday, as
predicted didn't happen !
Doomsday came and went, it didn't happen, much to the Hull Daily Mail's disgust, however, the Yorkshire Post gave a honest and truthful account of the days events, yes there was minor niggles, but as predicted by "The team" the closure of North Bridge went to plan.
6th March 2005 :: North Bridge
Well the day is upon us tomorrow, the media in Hull have had a field day on the subject, however, after completing the final on site part of the Traffic Management works yesterday, I'm very confident that the press will have egg all over their faces. I will be in Hull tomorrow from 5:30am, monitoring the CCTV cameras around key routes into the city and managing the team that will deliver Traffic and Travel information and also making some critical traffic management decisions about signal times, traffic warden duties and dealing with the media - after they have wiped the egg off themselves.
13th February 2005 :: Digital Mum
Mum has embraced the 21st century since I've left home, first with an iPod, then Sky Digital, then a Camera Phone... Now she's gone all Pentium on me and asked me to build her a computer. How does this sound ? 2.8GHz Pentium 4 (S775 with 1MB Cache), 80GB SATA 7200RPM hard disk, 512MB DDR ram, DVD writer, a 19" Iiyama monitor and a Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard and Mouse all for about £450 ! She's also gone ADSL too !!! What next, maybe she will get married to a con from the USA on death row !!!
3rd February 2005 :: North
Taken a few days off due to a really bad bout of stomach cramps. Work is very mad right now, due in part to a major project I'm responsible for delivering and also all the other nonsense we get dragged into. I made it into the press this week, picture and quote from myself no less, also in the news is that the North Bridge Closure (the project I'm responsible for) could well be high on the political agenda for the May 2005 General Election (well in Hull at least) where we have both Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and Cabinet Minister Alan Johnson. I'm amazed that whilst building a £230M Tram system in Sheffield, with all the associated diversions to utilities and numerous road closures, we never had as much press coverage as on this little £1.5M bridge maintenance scheme.
10th January 2005 :: Busy
Looks like I've been slack in updating here, but been busy :¬) Christmas was a normal mix of family, chocolate, family deaths and a nasty cold. Enough said... The New Year has started as it means to go on, work is as busy as ever with a major project to divert traffic from a bridge that's closing for repairs and at home I've been left with some storm damage to sort out, only a few ridge tiles, however it seems as though my roof tiles are not fixed as they should be, I'll have to dig deeper and sort that over the next few days...
8th December 2004 :: Councillor
I've had the realisation that most councillors are indeed unaware of the national need for modal shift from single occupancy vehicles and feel that we should be following the US model of building multi lane highways through our cities because its a vote winner ! Hmmm, funny how their tune changes when they have to sign the contract for the Billions of £'s it would cost to do such a thing !
21st November 2004 :: Half-Life
It's been six years in the waiting, I've spent £800 upgrading my computer to play it, it's had rave reviews - All I can say is wow ! Never have I been so engrossed in a game - The game physics, the visual quality, the AI, the whole damn thing is just out of this world ! Play on................
11th November 2004 :: Sickly Me
Opps, I let myself run out of my tablets on Sunday, this means Haydn has had the nasty reflux gullet thing return again. Hit me on Monday night, had a shitty Tuesday, got my new prescription that afternoon and then been playing catch up ever since. Hope to be back in fighting form very soon !
5th November 2004 :: Upgrades
Are Us !
After several months of threatening to upgrade to a kick ass PC, I've finally done it ! Well it's not the ultimate kick ass PC, but S775 3.2GHz Pentium 4, with 1GB DDR, 120+200GB SATA hard disks and a nVidia 6600GT video card, it should give me a fighting chance with :: Half-Life 2 ::
Also been doing a little grave investigation today, my ancestors lived in a nearby village in the late 1700's to 1800's, so we figured that there could be some clues in the village graveyard. Had a quick scan but no initial clues, so back to the drawing board. Some of the old houses seem to date from that era through, so might find something in the local census, births and deaths records.
30th October 2004 :: Me, Myself
and Ikea
Buying flat pack furniture should be easy, but gawd I hate Ikea. Maybe that's a :: Rant :: subject for the future ! However, got them home and I must confess the Ikea "Pax" flat pack is superb and so easy to assemble, shame my walls are straight though ! LOL
23rd October 2004 :: Scaring
John Prescott
Had a wet time on site in the week, supervising some coloured surfacing being laid. Fun bit was firing the thermal lance up (sounds like a machine gun firing) as the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott drove past in his bullet proof Jaguar with Special Branch armed escort ! Needless to say, put a smile on all our faces !
15th October 2004 :: Post
Holiday Blues
Going back to work after a nice, chilled holiday was always going to be bad, but this time it was a little bit worse. I have spent the last two months running around busy as a bee, but now, it's almost like the calm before the storm. I've been tasked with some new work, mainly in the city centre, but I can't help thinking that, the work I am about to begin is a whole lot bigger nightmare than the last few months !
27th September 2004 :: Not so
Bus Station Blues
I was quoted today in the press... "It's gone like a dream" said a council spokesperson. :¬) To sum up, the press was out and waiting for an almighty mess to happen, well what with the hard work of all the people involved, it didn't happen. Funny how my bosses haven't been bothered to praise me !
25th September 2004 :: Bus
Station Blues
Work has been progressing on my current project, the new temporary bus station for Hull. Tomorrow is the crunch day, all the services will move into the Albion Street / Bond Street area and I will find out if the last few months hard work has paid off !
19th September 2004 :: iPod
Mum, who still struggles with the video timer has just moved into the iPod era... a nice bright green one, with 4GB of storage. I must confess to being quite amazed with the device !
9th September 2004 :: Albion
Work is currently very very busy and I'm working very long hours. For more on what's keeping me so busy check :: More here ::
5th September 2004 :: New Site
Launched the new format site, only in a very reduced form currently, will be working on the new pages over the next few months.


text:
Popular Searches
Browse categories
The Sleek Winged Liner Set consists of 1 set of sleek wing stamps (for your left and right eyes) and 1 felt tip liner.
The Sleek wing stamps are 9.5 mm in length with a slim wing curvature for creating the precise pointed look!
As this is specially created for everyday wear, we have balanced the thickness and length of the sleek wing stamps to allow our feisty chicks to achieve the precise pointed look. You can achieve this by stamping the wing stamps right at the upper corner of your eyes and then lining your eyes using the felt tip liner.
However, if your aim is to achieve a more prominent pointed look, you can do so by stamping the wings further from the upper corner of your eyes and then connecting the wings back to your eyes using the felt tip liner.
Our formula is waterproof and smudge-proof so you do not have to worry about your wings not looking on fleek at the end of the day!
The Feisty Chick Pte. Ltd. is the sole proprietor of the design of the sleek wing stamps under the Registered Designs Act (Chapter 266 of Singapore).
Available in black and brown formulas.