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Half a year has elapsed since President-elect Donald Trump last held a press conference, but when he finally took extensive questions from reporters on Wednesday, most of the focus was on the events of the last 24 hours.
In the wake of Tuesday's reports on classified documents presented to Trump which included allegations that Russian operatives claim to have compromising information about him, tension was high at Trump Tower.
The crowd of journalists gathered there wondered how Trump would respond to BuzzFeed's decision to publish in full unverified memos that were the basis for those allegations.
Trump did his part to build drama. At around 11 a.m. ET, just as many TV networks went live, six aides emerged from a bank of elevators carrying large stacks of papers in manila envelopes. They placed the stacks right next to Trump's podium.
Trump later said that the papers detailed how his companies have been put into a trust. Aides prevented reporters from looking at them at the end of the press conference, saying they were "legal documents." (At a previous press conference, the Trump team laid out what were claimed to be "Trump Steaks," a brand that no longer exists. Reporters there noticed that the meat appeared to have actually been purchased from a local butcher.)
After the stacks of paper were delivered, a radio reporter seated at a table near the back of the room likened it to a move straight out of professional wrestling. "This is a circus-like atmosphere," the host shouted into his microphone.
Ten minutes later, the elevator door swung open again. This time it was carrying a number of people who will be top Trump aides in the White House, including senior counselor Steve Bannon, counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, senior White House adviser Jared Kushner. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani was also in the group.
Trump, his three eldest children, Vice President-elect Mike Pence and incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer arrived three minutes later.
The attacks on the press began immediately.
Spicer approached the podium first. He denounced BuzzFeed, incorrectly, as a "left-wing blog that was openly hostile to the president-elect's campaign" and said the publication of the report was "shameful."
Related: Trump attacks press, conflates CNN, BuzzFeed
Spicer also attacked CNN for publishing a substantiated report that a two-page synopsis of the memos' contents had been included as an annex in classified materials presented to Trump and President Obama.
"The fact that BuzzFeed and CNN made the decision to run with this unsubtantiated claim is a sad and pathetic attempt to get clicks," Spicer said.
(In a statement released after the press conference, CNN noted that its report was "vastly different than BuzzFeed's decision to publish unsubstantiated memos.")
Next up was Pence, who used his time on the mic to bemoan what he called a "concerted effort" by some in the mainstream media to undermine the Trump presidency.
"You know, I have long been a supporter of a free and independent press, and I always will be," Pence said. "But with freedom comes responsibility."
Then it was Trump's turn.
He started by calling press conferences "familiar territory," noting that they were a regular feature of his campaign during the Republican primaries. Trump even suggested that he "won the nomination because of news conferences."
But he had not held one since July 27. While most presidents-elect over the last 40 years held press conferences within days of their victory, Trump broke with the tradition.
He attributed the drought to dishonesty in the media.
"We stopped giving them because we're getting quite a bit of inaccurate news," Trump said.
Some journalists have expressed misgivings about BuzzFeed's decision to publish the memos, and Trump highlighted that divide throughout the press conference. He alluded to remarks by New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet, who said the newspaper did not publish the memos because it could not corroborate the allegations in them.
"I thank the New York Times for saying that," Trump said.
Related: Trump will leave business, but won't sell
Trump was largely calm throughout the presser, even as he waded through several questions about Russia and his relationship with Vladimir Putin.
He responded mockingly when he was asked by NBC News correspondent Hallie Jackson whether he would release his tax returns to prove he has no deals with Russia.
"You know, the only one that cares about my tax returns are the reporters," Trump said.
"You don't think the American public is concerned about that?" Jackson asked.
"No, I don't think so," Trump said breezily. "I won."
Trump called on four reporters before summoning a lawyer, Sherri Dillon of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, on stage to explain -- a month after he was originally scheduled to -- some of the steps he would be taking regarding conflicts of interest between his business and his presidency.
While Dillon spoke, Trump stood next to Pence and his children on the right side of the stage. On the opposite side, Bannon and Conway stood next to each other. Conway's face was glued to her cell phone, while Bannon, the former president of Breitbart News, gazed out at the sea of journalists gathered.
Among those gathered was a former colleague of Bannon's: Breitbart News reporter Matthew Boyle.
Boyle, who was reportedly spotted wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat at Trump's election night party, was one of the reporters Trump later called upon. With his question, Boyle took up the press-bashing theme the Trump team had begun, asking Trump what "reforms" he would recommend for the news media.
"Well, I don't recommend reforms," Trump replied. "I recommend people that have some moral compass."
Other Trump-friendly outlets were represented on Wednesday, positioned alongside reporters from more mainstream organizations. Early in the press conference, Trump called on a reporter from conservative cable network One America News. Right Side Broadcasting Network, an upstart outlet based in Auburn, Alabama that claims to follow Trump "wherever he goes," also had a reporter on the scene on Wednesday.
The press conference produced its most contentious back-and-forth when Trump resumed taking questions after Dillon's 10-minute statement.
Related: Trump says he turned down $2 billion Dubai deal
As CNN's Jim Acosta pleaded to ask a question, Trump repeatedly shouted him down.
"Your organization is terrible," Trump told Acosta. "You are fake news."
Acosta said on-air later that Spicer had threatened to toss him from the news conference if he tried to press Trump again. But Trump did later call on another CNN reporter, Jeremy Diamond.
CNBC's John Harwood and The Atlantic's McKay Coppins, two other reporters who have drawn Trump's scorn, were also present on Wednesday. Harwood waved his hand repeatedly to get Trump's attention, but despite his best efforts, he was never called on.


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There were only six games across the Mid-American Conference last week, so not much has changed since last Tuesday. However, we did pull the trigger on one move. It may appear controversial, but the bump is well-deserved.
The upcoming week features 22 games, and every team but Toledo and Ohio plays twice. So, expect more movement next Tuesday.
With that said...on with the rankings!
1. Bowling Green Falcons (8-1) -- LW: 1
Last week: NO GAMES (Game versus Massachusetts on 12/15 was postponed)
This week: Massachusetts (12/19), at Purdue (12/22)
Bowling Green was scheduled to play Massachusetts on Sunday, but UMass ran into some travel difficulties due to the winter storm that struck the region during the weekend. That contest has been rescheduled for Thursday afternoon. It doesn't appear that UMass will present much of a challenge for BGSU. They should be just another bump in the road as the Fallcons steamroll toward conference play. The real thing to watch with the Falcons this week is their game at Purdue on Sunday. Can the Falcons finish their Big Ten schedule 3-0?
2. Eastern Michigan Eagles (7-1) -- LW: 3
Last week: at Michigan (L, 89-75), at Detroit (W, 104-96)
This week: (at Stony Brook Tournament) vs Wagner (12/21), vs Monmouth (12/22)
Yes, I did it. It's time. I might have liked Eastern Michigan to play a little closer to Michigan, but that game (which wasn't a runaway) was only their first loss of the year. They also followed that with a win at Detroit. The Eagles are young and immensely talented. With that youth, they'll likely experience some growing pains during conference play, but there's one inescapable fact about them so far -- they've played more consistently and risen to more challenges than all but one other MAC team so far. At 7-1, they deserve this spot.
3. Central Michigan Chippewas (3-5) -- LW: 2
Last week: at South Dakota State (L, 87-82)
This week: Prairie View A&M (12/18), at Notre Dame (12/22)
Given how murderous their schedule has been so far, it really doesn't seem fair to penalize Central Michigan, but at some point, you have to win games. They gave a gallant effort against a very talented South Dakota State team, but let's be honest -- without some Reggie Miller-esque heroics by Crystal Bradford against Dayton, this would be a 2-6 team. I have no doubt that they'll be one of the top teams in the MAC when conference play begins, but these rankings have to reflect what's happening now, not what we think will happen in one or two months.
CMU should get a big win tomorrow against a winless Prairie View teams. After that, it's another daunting challenge at 9-0 Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have won all but one of their games by at least 15 points and have wins over three other ranked teams.
4. Toledo Rockets (5-4) -- LW: 4
Last week: at St. Bonaventure (W, 64-62)
This week: Dayton (12/22)
Toledo gutted out an impressive win over St. Bonaventure last week. Could it save their season? That remains to be determined, but the Rockets certainly have a chance to build on that win with a home game against Dayton on Sunday. The Flyers have had a very difficult non-conference schedule and suffered a devastating last-second loss at Central Michigan at the beginning of December. However, Dayton responded with a good ten-point win at home over Washington State.
5. Ball State Cardinals (3-5) -- LW: 5
Last week: at Wyoming (L, 71-51)
This week: Louisville (12/17), at Northern Kentucky (12/21)
I was very tempted to move Ball State down after losing by 20 at Wyoming, but then I remember what was said in this space last week:
"Ball State's next game is back on the road at Wyoming. Wyoming is 6-2 this year. While they don't have any stand-out wins thus far, they did take #11 Colorado to the limit before falling 63-59 last Wednesday."
So, while I don't typically like 20-point losses (even on the road), I'm willing to excuse it. This is especially true when the teams below the Cardinals didn't play at all.
Tonight's home game with Louisville does not promise to be pretty. The "other" Cardinals are 10-1, with only a five-point loss to then-#7 Kentucky on their slate. They're a powerhouse on offense, as they've scored at least 88 points in eight of their 11 games. Louisville has already broken the triple-digit barrier three times. The road trip to Northern Kentucky should be much more telling about Ball State. NKU beat Cincinnati to open the season but is just 3-5 since, and that includes a loss at home to MIami.
6. Akron Zips (4-4) -- LW: 6
Last week: NO GAMES
This week: at Cincinnati (12/17), Rochester College (12/20)
Akron seemed to find themselves in their 88-70 win over George Mason two weeks ago, but they'll have to be at the top of their game tonight when they play at Cincinnati. the Bearcats didn't start the season so well themselves, but they've won three in a row, including a very impressive 15-point win over Ohio State. After the trip to Cincinnati, the Zips get a must-win gimme against Rochester College.
7. Buffalo Bulls (5-3) -- LW: 7
Last week: NO GAMES
This week: at St. Bonaventure (12/17), at Niagara (12/21)
The Bulls have looked good and not-so-good at times this season, and they have two difficult road games ahead of them this week. St. Bonaventure has been no pushover for anyone in an 8-4 start and just lost to Toledo by only two. Niagara has lost big to both Bowling Green and Kent State; however, the Purple Eagles are 2-1 at home and won their most recent game by 11 over Robert Morris.
8. Northern Illinois Huskies (4-3) -- LW: 8
Last week: NO GAMES
This week: at South Dakota State (12/17), Northern Iowa (12/21)
Northern Illinois has an up-and-down week ahead of them. First, they have to go on the road to face a South Dakota State team that has beaten Green Bay, #12 Penn State and Central Michigan in their last three games. NIU has fared relatively well in road tests this year, but this one will probably be their toughest road game yet. After that, they face Northern Iowa at home. Northern Iowa is just 3-7, and the Huskies' early returns would indicate that they should win this game. Expect a split of the two games.
9. Ohio Bobcats (4-4) -- LW: 9
Last week: Notre Dame College (W, 72-55)
This week: at East Carolina (12/20)
The Bobcats rebounded from their loss at Cleveland State by taking care of business against Notre Dame College. Now, they have to go on the road to face East Carolina just three days before the football teams from the two schools meet in the Beef 'O'Brady's Bowl. The Pirates are 8-1 but lost their most recent game, 86-76 against Grand Canyon.
10. Miami RedHawks (3-5) -- LW: 10
Last week: NO GAMES
This week: at Long Beach State (12/17), at San Diego State (12/19)
Miami built quite a bit of momentum with back-to-back road wins two weeks ago, but now the RedHawks have to travel much farther for two more road tilts. Long Beach State is 5-4 but lost their most recent game at home to San Diego by 17 points. San Diego State has won just one game all season, but they've been very close in several losses. Outside of two blowouts against ranked teams, the Aztecs' four other losses were by a combined 10 points. That includes a four-point loss at USC and a one-point loss to UCLA. This week ought to tell us a lot about exactly where Miami is.
11. Western Michigan Broncos (3-5) -- LW: 11
Last week: NO GAMES
This week: Illinois-Chicago (12/18), Oakland (12/22)
The Broncos have had several days to stew over a home loss to IUPUI and now get two chances for redemption at home this week. UIC has rebounded very well from an embarrassing opening loss to an NAIA team by winning their last six. That includes wins over Miami and Ohio, as well as a true road win over Butler. Oakland is 2-7, but that is a bit deceiving -- Oakland's schedule has included games against Tennessee, Michigan State, Miami (Fla.), Indiana and Central Florida. These will be two difficult games, so a split would be pretty good. However, a sweep of the two would be a big step forward.
12. Kent State Golden Flashes (3-6) -- LW: 12
Last week: NO GAMES
This week: Massachusetts (12/17), St. Bonaventure (12/20)
After getting a week off, Kent State continues their long stretch of home games with two more this week. Massachusetts is just 2-7 and hasn't really looked good much this season. They opened with back-to-back losses to Western Michigan and Central Michigan. Meanwhile, St. Bonaventure is much better. The Bonnies beat Green Bay early in the season and took Toledo to the limit. Their only other losses are to North Carolina State, Connecticut and mid-major power Marist. Take what I just said above about MIami and repeat it here -- a split would be a good result, and a sweep would be a big step forward.

subset: commoncrawl


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"Star of India" Movie Poster
Original studio stamped Star of India (1954) movie poster. Plot: After many years in India during the wars, the Chevalier de St. Laurent returns to 17th century France only to find his estate has been confiscated and sold due to the machinations of the infamous Duc de Narbonne for back taxes, and resold to Katrina, a Dutch Countess. Katrina offers to return Pierre's property if he will help her get possession of the priceless 'Star of India,' a fabulous sapphire, held at the moment by Narbonne. The Dutch government wants it returned to its Indian worshipers, in order to keep peace. Pierre is a guest at Narbonne's château during a visit from King Louis IV, who wants to acquire the sapphire for his new court-favorite, Mme. de Montespan. Pierre discovers that the "Star" is hidden in the hilt of Narbonne's sword, He challenges Narbonne to a duel, gains possession of Narbonne's sword, extracts the jewel and escapes the castle with Narbonne's men in pursuit. Katrina is on a Dutch ship in the harbor and is soon joined by Pierre and his pursuers.
Measurements: 27″W X 41″H


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Science Recruiters
It's almost always going to be to your advantage to use a recruiter from the beginning in your job search—especially if you are making a significant career transition. Why? Because the right recruiter is going to be a valuable part of your network, a vital resource for insider company information and jobs, and an advocate for you in your job search. Understanding how this relationship works is key to your successful outcome—a job offer.
The basics
Some recruiters work directly for a particular company (an internal recruiter) and look for candidates for only that company. Most recruiters are contingency recruiters (external recruiters) who work independently, finding candidates to submit for positions at multiple companies. Their client is the hiring company, and they get paid by that company when the candidate is successfully hired. That's why a recruiter never charges a candidate for "finding" a job for him or her. Some candidates mistakenly believe they can give their resumes to recruiters and expect them to find jobs that will be a good fit. In reality, it's the other way around. Recruiters have jobs to fill, and look for candidates who can successfully fill that role. The candidate is the commodity, not the client, in that transaction. It's a subtle but distinct difference.
A recruiter is a resource
Because recruiters' own paychecks hinge on knowing who's hiring, they are fantastic resources for the job seeker—better than any job board. They know where the jobs are, what specific hiring managers are looking for, and what companies are like to work for. Another benefit: Many of the jobs recruiters fill are never advertised. So, you get access to the "hidden job market" and become one of the select few applying for that job, rather than one of the thousands who apply to jobs posted online. In addition, a recruiter will only submit you for a job you have a good chance of getting—so your odds go up even more.
A recruiter is your advocate
Even though a recruiter is more motivated to find a candidate for a client than to find a job for you, once a recruiter submits you for a position, he or she becomes your greatest champion. Why? Because now, he or she has a vested interest in your success—the recruiter doesn't get paid unless you get the job. That means that not only will you get the inside scoop on the hiring manager and the company, you'll have someone who will push for a first interview, help you prepare for it based on that inside information, correct mistakes before you make them, and give you specific feedback after the interview.
The fine print
You have to remember that a recruiter won't work with you to get a job you've already applied for, because the recruiter won't get paid unless they were the first person to submit the candidate. Because recruiter's businesses and reputations are on the line every time they submit candidates, they appreciate candidates who are up-front and honest through the entire process. Letting your recruiter run into an embarrassing surprise about you during the interview process won't win you any points—and certainly won't get you submitted for any more jobs.
The bottom line
If you're serious about your job search, you will use all the resources you can find—LinkedIn, your own network, and a good recruiter. If you can find a recruiter you're comfortable working with and respect the business relationship, you'll find that he or she can be a gold mine of opportunity for you.
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What is it about space that brings out the Machiavelli in people? There's the factionary warring of EVE Online, the ideological statecraft of Elite: Dangerous, and now - in what might come as a surprise to some - the galactic institutions actively governing the procedurally generated expanses of No Man's Sky.
The reason that might be surprising is that, upon its release, Hello Games' indie passion project was criticised heavily for its disappointingly shallow complexion, especially after the studio had promised the world (or 18 quintillion of them) in the lead up to launch. Where were the dynamic resource wars? The elaborate trading networks? The diplomatic space factions?
Whether a result of unrealistic expectations or mixed messaging, No Man's Sky was not the sci-fi flavoured politics sim that many might have been expecting, and that was just another factor feeding into the negative reaction the game received in 2016. But things have changed since then. Big time.
While many have now moved on to new games and more satisfying pasttimes, a dedicated subset of players stayed behind, continuing to uncover more layers in No Man's Sky's infinite universe through hard work, communication, and a lot of their freely given hours.
Over time, the community coalesced into something that began to look less like a nebulous constellation of lone explorers and more like an in-game manifestation of the United Nations. By April 2017, the United Federation of Travellers was officially founded, and it's gone on to become one of the most fascinating virtual organisations operating in video games today.
The Federation describes itself as an "interstellar, intergalactic federal republic" made up of various "civilisations", which are essentially communities and zones in No Man's Sky dedicated to organised cooperative play. While the UN has three founding pillars which defines its identity and purpose (peace and security, human rights, and development), the Federation has four, which together can be read as the body's official motto; "To document, aid, create, and communicate."
In other words, Federation members work to document all their No Man's Sky discoveries into one central Wiki, aid in the establishment of new civilizations and hubs, create environments conducive to further cooperation, and communicate as official channels of interaction between civilized space zones.
Conor is a General Moderator for one of the Federation's largest and oldest civilizations, the Galactic Hub, and adds that the "prime directive" for the organisation is "to unite civilizations behind universally beneficial goals without hindering any sovereign civilization's customs or practices."
Conor points to Unification Day 2017 as the best example of the Federation's impact in No Man's Sky, hailing it as "probably our most tangible grand achievement [in which we] successfully planned No Man's Sky's largest multiplayer event to date, with dozens of people attending, exceeding the game's '16 players per [solar] system' limit a few times over."
Procedural politics
King Hova, a founding member of The Federation explains that the organisation also acts as a sort of virtual deliberation chamber "where Ambassadors and leaders come together to do their best impression of space politicians. Most of the time we get along, other times we don't and wind up having to wipe a civilization or two out of existence."
There are 26 of these Federation member civilizations in total, and each has a vote in matters relating to civilized space. Think of the way in which decisions are made by politicians in the British Parliament or US Congress, and you get the idea. Earlier this year, for instance, a majority of members voted against a proposal to implement a fixed Galactic Standard Time across all Federation zones in No Man's Sky.
What's more, all member civilizations have their own sigils, traditions, in-game jurisdictions, and functions, which gives plenty of choice to new players looking to find the right home for potential citizenship. For example, the Alliance of Galactic Travellers are a nomadic group of explorers who focus on discovery, never staying in one place but using freighters as mobile homes to continually escort them around their occupied AGT Nexus system.
Alternatively, the Spacing Guild are a service-based network, committed to assisting other players by visiting planets and offering advice, resources, and other forms of practical help. The Federation's 'hands-off' policy means each civilization can pursue these different interests freely, so long as they contribute to the goals outlined by the Four Pillars in doing so.
There are a number of civilizations that exist outside of the Federation too, and while peaceful relations with non-members are generally encouraged, it is here where conflicts have broken out amongst the No Man's Sky community at large. For example, after being expelled from the Federation as a result of antagonistic conduct in November 2017, the Vestroga Hub found itself under attack by the Empire of Hova, a militaristic Federation member that had recently been threatened by a Vestroga Ambassador.
Of course, players can't really interact with one another in No Man's Sky, let alone wage full-scale warfare, so galactic conflict is practiced using the game's primary language; discovery. Citizens from the Empire of Hova invaded the Vestroga Hub's star cluster en masse, and began to claim every undiscovered system and planet within it, even going so far as to name them with deliberately provocative titles like "Vestroga Falls" or "Hova's Victory."
This made it so difficult for the Vestroga Hub to navigate their territory that they had to abandon it altogether, and by securing the victory, Hova set a new precedent for No Man's Sky's civilized space, proving that aggression is a viable means to achieve one's goals in a game that was previously thought to be lacking in any form of PvP.
And this is exactly what makes No Man's Sky's civilized space politics so interesting. Players are interacting in ways that Hello Games presumably never even imagined was possible, using every available grain of sand in this wholly unique sandbox to construct intricate political complexes and live out their own epic sci-fi stories where the game's barebones narrative fell short. Thanks to bodies like the Federation, what was once lambasted as a surface-level survival game now has a wikipedia hub so comprehensive that you'd think it belonged to a decade old MMORPG.
To infinity and beyond
Andy Krycek is another Galactic Hub Ambassador, and tells me a little about what it's been like to see No Man's Sky evolve in such unpredictable and exciting ways over the last two and a half years.
"I can say for certain that the Federation has made the community within the game a lot closer", he explains. "We have our ups and downs, that sometimes lead to conflict, but mostly it provides a way forward for small, up and coming civilizations to grow themselves and to entice other players to join them.
"Whether they are lore based, farming based, warmongers, or people who just like to relax, the Federation will always try to help them get started and to make sure they follow the not too strict rules. It certainly brings a whole other side to a video game with seemingly no multiplayer. We all have great fun, even in conflict-times."
To conclude, here's Devoid 666, the Ambassador for the Federation-affiliated Discovery Coalition (a "non-localized civilization"... I told you it's complicated) with one of the best summaries of how civilized space has changed No Man's Sky for the better.
"This game has provided me with an experience I've never had with any other: the chance to change its history." he tells me. "We at the Federation make our own history, and we've helped shape the game into what it's become, simply by existing as a force in the universe.
"It's the only game where I've ever felt I have a life I live outside my own, within an ever-changing simulation that I personally can make change within. That's it's appeal, though it takes a specific kind of person to enjoy it the way we do."
Certainly, with No Man's Sky Next and an Xbox One release on the horizon, the civilized space community has a lot to look forward to, and their continued growth and evolution might just reignite your belief in the grand potential of No Man's Sky once again.
Learn about No Man's Sky new features from the 2017 Atlas Rises update and discover how No Man's Sky has improved since launch.


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Jack Markell on Free Trade
Delaware Democratic Governor
Companies like Wal-Mart and Dole have made our Port their East Coast hub for Chilean fruit and over the last year, the amount of Chilean fruit unloaded at the Port of Wilmington increased by nearly 20%. This means jobs--more than 600 jobs that rely on this business. This week, my mission has been to finalize the deal .
We are working to promote Delaware's reputation internationally and make sure that any companies looking for a new location know about Delaware.
For many employers, we are the ideal gateway to the American market. Our world-class port, prime location on the East coast and quality workforce and transportation infrastructure make Delaware a practical choice.
Press release on Letter from 31 Governors to House Republican leaders:
We urge you to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) before its charter expires this year. In its role as the official export credit agency, Ex-Im is a vital export finance tool for exporters in our states, at no cost to American taxpayers.
Ex-Im allows our companies and workers to compete on a level playing field against our competitors. Without Ex-Im financing, US firms would have lost many sales campaigns to their overseas competitors.
Reauthorizing Ex-Im is the right thing to do for our economy, companies and workers. 41 GOP lawmakers and 865 business organizations have called for the charter`s immediate renewal. And, House Democrats have already introduced legislation to reauthorize the bank. Speaker Boehner, it`s time to act; quit jeopardizing the nation`s economy and American jobs.
Argument in opposition from FreedomWorks:
As governors of states whose economies and workforces depend on exports, we strongly urge Congress to support legislation that provides for the long-term reauthorization of the U.S. Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank) before its charter expires on June 30, 2015. The Ex-Im Bank is a crucial tool that both small and large businesses use to compete fairly in the world market, increase their exports, stimulate job creation, and contribute to the growth of our states` economies.
As the official export credit agency of the United States, the Ex-Im Bank assumes the credit and country risks that private sector lenders are unable or unwilling to accept, and without it, U.S. firms would lose many sales to overseas competitors. The Ex-Im Bank allows our companies and workers to compete on a level playing field against international competitors who receive extensive support from their own export credit agencies.
In 2014, the Ex-Im Bank supplied more than $20 billion in financing to support approximately $27 billion in exports. In that same fiscal year, the Ex-Im Bank supported more than 160,000 American jobs. And the overwhelming majority of the Ex-Im Bank`s transactions--nearly 90 percent--assisted small businesses.
The Ex-Im Bank is financially self-sustaining, and operates at no cost to hard-working American taxpayers. In fact, in fiscal year 2014 alone, the Ex-Im Bank returned approximately $675 million in deficit-reducing receipts to the U.S. Treasury.
Last year, Congress reauthorized the Ex-Im Bank [for one year]. It is essential that both chambers act again, this time to pass a long-term, multi-year reauthorization.


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Fitness, Inspiration
You will never know what it means to have pain in some of the weirdest parts of your body until you do two things. Give birth, or run 21kms at the Ndakaini Half Marathon. I have done both, and if I should dare add, the former twice! Five days later, my mind and body are still reeling from the brutality of the verdant Murang'a county hills. They served me a humble pie, one that took a lot of grit to swallow.
Last year around the same time, my friends and I drove down to Murang'a for the same race, only that I was participating in the 10km run. I was a wiser woman then. I remember having signed up for the 21km race initially. One Saturday morning while training at Karura Forest, I was making small talk with some guys at the field where all runners flock to stretch. There's this guy I had sported initially as I was setting up my running app just before I started my run. He did a few dynamic stretches and then took off. I trotted behind him and after about 500m he was out of my sight. I envied his pace.
Back at the field, as I swung my trunk to the left and stretched my interlocked hands to the right, I overheard some lady ask him if he had signed up for the Ndakaini Half Marathon.
"Definitely! The views down there are sublime." He said.
"21 kilometres?" She ventured.
"Never!!" He barked, his response reeking of pain and fear. "I am only doing 10kms."
"Excuse me." I said to him. "Sorry to be intrusive but how far did you run today?"
"15 kilometres." He said, his left eyebrow arched.
"I saw you take off like you run for the Kenya team. You also don't look like you broke a sweat in your run today. Pray tell me, why would you not run 21kms at Ndakaini?" I pressed on.
"Are you running 21kms?" He asked me.
"Yes, matter of fact, I am." I said.
"Have you ever been to Ndakaini?" He inquired further.
"Nope. But I hear Vietnam has nothing on its splendour!" I jested.
"There's a point the hill is so steep, almost at a ninety-degree angle to the ground. It could easily slap your forehead." He said then let out a rueful laugh. As he outlined the gory details, he had this distant look as if the memory of the marathon still frightened him.
"If you are prepared to run uphill then go for it." He warned me and carried on with his stretching.
Later that afternoon, I signed up for the 10km run. It did not matter that I had already paid KSH 800 for the 21km one. I was prepared to lose the money but not my life!
Fast forward to this year when I felt that 10kms was too mainstream for someone who ran a minimum of three times a week. I mean, how does one step up their mileage from 10kms to 17kms while clocking impressive speed (best long run pace: 6:25 min/km); and then sign up for a 10km race? It would have been a grave disappointment to myself, my readers and most importantly the many people I have inspired to take up running! So, this year, I signed up for 21kms despite all the horror stories.
We started our journey at 5.50am. There were four of us; my good friend Raphael, two millennials- CJ and Nungari- and I. Raphael had this imperturbable composure like he was born to run. You could tell from how calmly he was driving. CJ was his supposed co-driver, never mind that he had just got back home from the party scene. He had been celebrating his birthday or something. In case you are wondering, he wasn't taking part in the marathon. Nungari was a bunch of nerves. She barely slept the previous night for fear of missing the alarm and missing the ride. I slept alright but woke up feeling anxious, which had me sitting on the toilet bowl for about fifteen minutes emptying my gut. You would have thought I was producing Roadman Shaq's Man's Not Hot! So obviously, I did not have the guts to have breakfast since I had already emptied them haha (please don't let that joke pass you!)
Rule #1: Never miss a meal prior to the run.
As we approached Ndakaini about 1 hour 15 minutes later, I was starving. But the sudden change of scenery took my mind off my woes for a while. Lush rolling hills cloaked in dense foliage. Further ahead was a dramatic stretch of tea fields and trees. The air was crisp and fresh. We were lucky enough to get VIP parking close to the starting point, otherwise most people had to park further away and walk about 5kms. CJ immediately jumped to the back seat, reclined the seat to flat position and snored away. The rest of us checked to see we had all our gear in order; ear phones, arm bands and fitness watches then headed towards the starting point. Thankfully, we came across a kiosk selling bananas and bought a bunch. I had two.
Raph and Nungari had registered for the 10km run which was slated for 10.00am. It was 7.45am and my race was starting in 15 minutes so I rushed ahead and joined the 21km squad. The adrenalized crowd was eager for the gun to go off and set them off on the treacherous road. Kenyans are a bunch of masochists.
I couldn't see any familiar face. I called Roselyn who I occasionally train with on Saturdays but she was at the back of the crowd and the race would start in a minute. Immediately, I knew I was in trouble.
Rule #2: Always have a running partner, or better yet, run in a pack.
8.00am. Gunshot. Bang. As one heaving mass, we started to move.
The first five-kilometre stretch was a walk in the park. It was mostly downhill with very little elevation. My average speed was 5:45 min/km. I recall thinking to myself that had I signed up for the 5km family run, I would have done spectacularly well! I also imagined that the marathon was not as dreadful as the folklore stipulates. The weather was still refreshingly cool. Everything was just right.
But then, 5.5kms in, like a couple in their first year of marriage, Ndakaini revealed its true colours. This was my first taste of its savagery. We kept going uphill with no end to the ascent in sight. I reminded myself that the road would eventually flatten out and I would be so pumped up after persevering the hilly stretch. So, I struggled up hill, jogging at snail's pace, but jogging nonetheless. My average speed had now come down to 6:23min/km. It was worsening quite fast and I was worried.
Finally, slightly after 7kms, we got to flat ground. I felt like I had spotted a well in the desert and I wanted to sit there and drink from it. Especially because I could see another hill slowly revealing itself about 200 metres ahead and it freaked me out. By the time I was crossing the 10km mark, my average speed had deteriorated to 6:48min/km. It dawned on me that it was impossible for me to finish the race at an average speed of 6:30 min/km, which was my initial goal. I set a new goal of 7:00min/km.
"I will humble the next set of hills. People have conquered more gruesome stunts." I thought to myself. "Surely, it can't get any worse. Unless we are running up Mt. Everest!"
With renewed energy, I picked up my pace and resolved to finish strong. That pep talk did not accomplish much as in about a minute, another precipitous hill presented itself. My eyes welled up. I threw in the towel and started walking.
Rule #3: Acquaint yourself with the race route (from the official map) before the D-day. It helps to avoid unpleasant surprises.
As I walked leisurely uphill, I thought about my choices in life. I wondered when this search for adrenaline rush will end. When was I going to be content with just walking to the kiosk to buy bread and going to church on Sundays and plaiting matutas on my kids' heads? At 35 perhaps? Three more years of seeking outrageous thrills? I zoned out completely and only when some lady tapped me to ask for the time did I snap out of it. It was 9.24am and we were 12kms in. The sun was already out and burning furiously. I grabbed a bottle of water at the next water spot.
Between 12kms and 14kms, the terrain was still hilly but interspersed with several dips and levelled ground which provided much-needed breaks. It was also laced with a cocktail of cheerleaders who kept urging us on. Two five or six-year old boys dressed in brown mboshoris despite the scorching sun (kikuyus will kill their kids with heat!) were seated on a terrace outside a kiosk cheering "kaza kaza". Further ahead, a gorgeous girl (possibly seven years old) with beautiful brown skin, decked out in a dirty floral dress and short hair stood in the middle of the road giving runners high-fives. It felt like she was feeding us with glucose because everyone who tapped her hand, picked up their pace. And then there were some elderly women that clapped their hands dramatically from the side of the road, and when I smiled at one of them, she reminded me to share the spoils if I won. The last cheerleaders were some high school kids in green uniform chanting victory songs. Finally, we were at 15kms.
I felt the sudden urge to pee and after holding back for a while, I ducked into the bushes. Suddenly, I was lighter and I had everything it took to trounce the remaining stretch and improve my speed, which was now at 6:59 min/km. But shortly after, all hell broke loose. We found ourselves on this dramatically steep 2.5km ascent which reminded me of the stair case to heaven that the Babylonians attempted to construct. I was sure the pearly gates awaited us at the top. And when I imagined we couldn't go up any further, another hill appeared around the bend.
Eventually at 17.5km, the road levelled out but I could not be bothered to run. At 20km, I spotted two guys who were extremely determined in their run, despite their obviously knackered status. I joined them. Much as Ndakaini did me in, I wasn't going to be those guys who walk to the finish line. I completed the race in 2hrs and 43 minutes. It was a miracle that I did not collapse at the finish line! My legs felt like stilts, my lower back was hurting and my hips were on fire. My hands felt lifeless.
Later on, I met up with my other crew who had driven down separately. Silvia Njoki flew down to Nairobi from Mombasa just for the run and flew back the same evening. She had a knee injury but finished her 10km run in decent time. The rest of the crew; Zawadi Nyong'o and Namnyak Odupoy as well Raphael and Nungari also did spectacularly well. I can't remember everybody's exact time but some finished in under 1 hour 10 minutes and others 1 hour 15 minutes.
We settled at the EABL tent thanks to some VIP passes that Zawadi got us. A hearty meal and about four doubles of Lagavulin later, all my pain was gone. We met Catherine Ndereba, such a wonderful soul and humble woman. Catherine broke the word record at the Chicago Marathon in 2001, having completed the 42km race in 2 hours 18 minutes and 46 seconds! She smiled at us and for our cameras and spoke proudly of her 19-year old daughter, currently studying at the University of Bradford, UK. Apparently, the running gene did not pass down to her but she is quite athletic all the same.
By 9.00pm I was sound asleep in my bed, but then I woke up at 2.00am with a nasty migraine and severe body aches. Every part of my body was crying for help.
Have you ever felt pain inside (not around) the small of your waist? What about that part of your foot that doesn't touch the ground? Has that ever ached? When was the last time you felt pain in your derriere? And your eyelids? Elbows? No?? Then you my friend don't know pain. One physio session and two Bikram Yoga classes later, I am yet to recover. The worst part is that the organisers of the Ndakaini Half Marathon never think it necessary to award medals to 21km finishers. After all that, I have nothing to hang in my wall of fame that will speak of my bravery and valor.
Thank's Raphael for driving us down, CJ for being such a gentleman despite your fatigue (he helped with the photos), Silvia Njoki for being such a champ (knee injury and all) and for the photos, Zawadi Nyong'o for the VIP tickets, Namnyak for the wonderful company and Nungari for making me laugh. Above all, thanks to all of you (as well as Roselyn Omanga, Eve Serro, Christine Kagure, Mercy Mukami and Winnie Gechaga) for the motivation weeks prior to the race.
Thanks to my kid sister Brenda for editing this piece. I heart you.
14 Comments
So proud of you ma….I remember doing a 10km run in highschool,I knew from that very moment that I wasn't born to run….Have you ever wished to die?It was only after that terrying run which left me in pain allover that I wished so….i quit running from that day but that doesn't mean that I will not go for stancart marathon…. Hope to see you there. Ndakaini organizers should have surely given you a token of appreciation,but because they didn't,please receive my hearty congratulations.
Amazing piece as always.


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Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation
While optimism can help us alleviate immediate suffering and persevere in challenging times, merely dreaming about the future actually makes people more frustrated over the long term and less likely to achieve their goals. Oettingen introduces a new way to visualize the future, combining our dreams with visualizing the obstacles that stand in our way, allowing us to make concrete plans, and gain energy to take action.
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Fall is in full swing, and the list of excellent books is a mile high. Whether you're in need of something on big-picture strategy or personal improvement, the options are many. Here are a few that are on our radar for October. READ FULL DESCRIPTION
Full Description
"The solution isn't to do away with dreaming and positive thinking. Rather, it's making the most of our fantasies by brushing them up against the very thing most of us are taught to ignore or diminish: the obstacles that stand in our way." So often in our day-to-day lives we're inundated with advice to "think positively." From pop music to political speeches to commercials, the general message is the same: look on the bright side, be optimistic in the face of adversity, and focus on your dreams. And whether we're trying to motivate ourselves to lose weight, snag a promotion at work, or run a marathon, we're told time and time again that focusing on fulfilling our wishes will make them come true. Gabriele Oettingen draws on more than twenty years of research in the science of human motivation to reveal why the conventional wisdom falls short. The obstacles that we think prevent us from realizing our deepest wishes can actually lead to their fulfillment. Starry-eyed dreaming isn't all it's cracked up to be, and as it turns out, dreamers are not often doers. While optimism can help us alleviate immediate suffering and persevere in challenging times, merely dreaming about the future actually makes people more frustrated and unhappy over the long term and less likely to achieve their goals. In fact, the pleasure we gain from positive fantasies allows us to fulfill our wishes virtually, sapping our energy to perform the hard work of meeting challenges and achieving goals in real life. Based on her groundbreaking research and large-scale scientific studies, Oettingen introduces a new way to visualize the future, calledmental contrasting. It combines focusing on our dreams with visualizing the obstacles that stand in our way. By experiencing our dreams in our minds and facing reality we can address our fears, make concrete plans, and gain energy to take action. In Rethinking Positive Thinking, Oettingen applies mental contrasting to three key areas of personal change-- becoming healthier, nurturing personal and professional relationships, and performing better at work. She introduces readers to the key phases of mental contrasting using a proven four-step process called WOOP--Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan--and offers advice and exercises on how to best apply this method to daily life. Through mental contrasting, people in Oettingen's studies have become significantly more motivated to quit smoking, lose weight, get better grades, sustain fulfilling relationships, and negotiate more effectively in business situations. Whether you are unhappy and struggling with serious problems or you just want to improve, discover, and explore new opportunities, this book will deepen your ideas about human motivation and help you boldly chart a new path ahead.


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Community Vehicle Trust
We support community vehicle trusts with funding grants so they can provide transport in areas outside of our urban public transport network. There are trusts in Amberley, Amuri, Ashburton, Cheviot, Darfield (Malvern), Ellesmere, Fairlie, Geraldine, Hanmer Springs, Hawarden-Waikari, Kaikōura, North Canterbury, Pleasant Point, Temuka, Twizel-Tekapo, Waimate and Waitaki Valley.
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Bristol based Mario Saeed is 5-1 and riding a four fight-win streak. He'll be making his long over-due debut for one of Europe's leading promotions, Cage Warriors, on Saturday April 12th at The LC, Swansea, Wales. Coming back from a career threatening injury sustained back in October of last year, whilst training for what was going to be his then debut fight for Cage Warriors in Jordan. Mario suffered a fractured neck, since then he has been under strict instructions to let time heal his injuries with the proper help and guidance.
Mario trains out of Trojan Free Fighters in Cheltenham, with the guidance of Head Coach and Mentor Paul Sutherland . He's looked after by UI Management. I managed to catch up with, a full of beans, hyper active, fully motivated Mario Saeed for our scheduled interview – judging by the very good mood he was in, I had no idea on, how seriously I could get him to answer every single question I had for him, but here is the final cut for you all to read.
EB. The last time we spoke you were about to have your last fight for the promotion Ultimate Impact Cage fighting against Wayne Drake. How did that go?
MS. It went very well thank you, it was a real hard fight but I got the win in the end.
EB. Prior to that fight, it was then announced that on June 19th, you had been signed to fight for the promotion Cage Warriors, with your debut to be in Jordan on October 25th, but a serious training injury occurred just two weeks before. Can you talk me through what happened?
MS. Everything was going great until 2 weeks before the fight, I suffered a fracture in my neck, this meant I had to take a break from training for quite a while! Now I am back stronger than ever.
EB. Being a very positive and motivated person that you are, what kept you going through the 'dark times' you would have experienced on your road back to recovery?
MS. Everything happens for a reason. I believe in myself and this keeps me staying positive. I am looking forward to my next fight.
EB. Your teammate Mark Godbeer had also gone through a very similar experience to yourself; did you take advice from him on any part of the recovery process?
MS. We are all teammates. We help each other and sh*t happens. We all motivate each other. Teammates stick together no matter what.
EB. You also took to posting a few updates via a video blog on your Facebook of your recovery in the very early days. Have you watched any of them back at all? Are they too painful memory for you to watch?
MS. I would not say they are too painful to watch, I have not watched them back. I do not look back I always look forward.
EB. What was your rehab/recovery process like? Did you try to rush the process?
MS. Laughs! I listened to the doctor's advice and took plenty of time out and now I am good to go and ready to fight again.
EB. Once you were given the all clear to leave the hospital and take it easy, I heard you were back at the gym sat watching your teammates train. Can you tell me how you were feeling at this point?
MS. A mixture of frustration and just glad that I was there, also I was happy to support the other lads, but I did want to be fighting myself; I had to be tied to the chair to stop me from moving!
EB. Motivation, dedication and hard work have got you where you are now. I mean it is not everyday someone fractures their neck and 6 months later they are back doing what they love.
MS. I am very lucky to be coming back stronger than ever doing what I love; these things test you in life, and it is all about how bad you want it, how hard you are willing to work for it. I cannot wait to show the world what I am about.
EB. On April 12th, you have your long overdue debut for Cage Warriors in Swansea, what are you looking forward to the most.
MS. I am looking forward to every minute of it, Cage Warrior's is a great show and I cannot wait to get back in the cage and get the big W.
EB. Do you know anything about your new opponent Sean 'Sexy Curls' Carter?
MS. I know that he comes from a great gym and I am friends with a few of his teammates. He is a good fighter but I am a GREAT fighter, come fight night, he will find out.
EB. Now, that you're the co-main event does that, put any more pressure on you?
MS. Co-main event, it makes no difference, as I have been main event before. It is just another fight to me.
EB. With a late change in opponent, (1 week before fight day) does that change anything in you as a fighter and the fight you have already prepared for? (original opponent was Rikki Fortuna 2-2-1)
MS. Not particularly as I train to fight and it does not matter who I fight. I will fight anyone who Cage Warriors choose to put in front of me, but remember my name as I will be going for the Cage Warriors GOLD!
EB. Being, the champion at Ultimate Impact Cage fighting, is there any pressure to be the champion at Cage Warriors or is that the Goal/DREAM?
MS. No, it is just a matter of time!
EB. Sean has had nine fights, and his only loss was for the lightweight title, if you win against Sean on April 12th do you see yourself in title contention?
MS. Hell yes I will be after that belt.
EB. This will be your first fight back since your training accident, some may say in at the deep end. What would you say?
MS. I am a very good swimmer.
EB. What is it about the promotion Cage Warriors that keeps fighters on their roster?
MS. Cage Warriors are the best promotion in the UK and Europe. Cage Warriors, is viewed by millions around the world, the promotion speaks for itself.
EB. You are 'known' as 'The Arm Collector' would you like to be 'known' for more than just that one awesome submission.
MS. I am an all-round fighter, but the armbar is my signature move! The best is yet to come. "Don't fear the man who does a 1,000 techniques; fear the man who does 1 technique a 1,000 times".
EB. You have crazy fans that I for one have witnessed. Can you tell me of a time when things have been just a little bit too crazy at one of your fights?
MS. When I fought and won the UIC title, my fans rushed to see me, to congratulate me in the cage, let us hope Cage Warriors have plenty of security,
EB. Training to you is second nature, what keeps you going and motivated?
MS. My family and friends, the fact I love what I do and I get to do it every day.
EB. Is there anyone you would like to thank?
MS. I would like to thank my coach who is my mentor, Paul Sutherland, my best mate Chris Astley and all my teammates at Trojan and finally my sponsors DiscountMMA, BRITISHF1GHTER, SynergiFitness, SCIMX
You can follow Mario Saeed on Twitter, who in my opinion is well worth the follow, if for just all the motivational quotes he tweets everyday on @MarioRudeboy7
You can watch Mario 'Rudeboy' Saeed take on Sean 'Sexy Curls' Carter at The LC, Swansea, Wales, Saturday April 12th for those of you who have purchased tickets, alternatively you can watch the Main Card via www.cagewarriors.tv which is FREE this weekend for UK viewers. Main Card is at 9pm. Who will be showing 6 out of the 7 fights in total for FREE that night. Any more information go to www.cagewarriors.com
This event is now SOLD OUT so unless some of the fighters have any spare tickets left that will be the only way you will be able to see the whole event live from the venue.


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Living a Boundaryless Conscious Within the Bounds of Earthly Experiences
Did you ever think that you wanted to live whole with Spirit guiding your Human Endeavors versus your fears, human challenges, or third-dimension lock-in? Each and every day encourage yourself to make a change from Earth Bound to Heaven-and-Earth Union, and you most certainly can create that union. You can recognize you are a multi-dimensional consciousness. You can recognize your Sacred Essence that is perfect in all you do experience. How do you unify Spirit and Human qualities of yourself? Here is a method of Conscious Breathing forming inner and outer union.
Feel the Cosmic Breath of the Divine moving your inner breath. Become aware of your inner thoughts and emotions. Your first stage of your subconscious is a quality of your present life, past memories, fears and phobias. It is the place where you store your attitudes of challenges and rewards and your belief in your unworthiness and worthiness. It is very subjective, yet the emotions may run from the gamut of beliefs that other's,


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This project is for the hobbyist to design and build a 5 volt precision voltage reference standard that requires no adjustment but still has an accuracy of ±0.01% or better and a temperature coefficient of ±3 ppm/ºC. Also incorporating an auto switch-off and battery monitor feature. PARTS LIST: 1 x Intersil ISL21009BFB850Z, Precision 5V Voltage […]
Month: April 2015
Building a Constant Current Source Box
This project is to build a small Precision Constant Current Source Box which will give a 1mA and 10mA switched output which could be used to check the calibration of a digital multimeter. This project uses the LT3092 programmable two terminal constant current I.C.
DC-DC Boost Converter Test & Review
Review and Test of a cheap DC to DC Boost Converter Module which uses the XLSEMI Integrated Circuit XL6009. Several modules are tested under different input voltage and output load conditions.
Peak Electronic Design Zener Diode Analyzer
New product review of a Zener Diode Analyser designed and manufactured by Peak Electronic Design Ltd. This is a nice little analyser which supports most Zeners, Avalanche diodes and reference diodes from 0V up to 50V. More details from web link below: http://www.peakelec.co.uk/acatalog/zen50-zener-analyser.html
Philips PM5127 Function Generator Repair & Teardown
This is a repair of a Philips PM5127 Function Generator and a teardown of this unit. These frequency generators were manufactured in 1975. They have a frequency range of 0.01Hz to 1MHz with an output variable up to 30 volt peak to peak.
Keithley 225 Current Source Review & Teardown
Review and teardown of a Keithley Instruments model 225 Current Source which dates back to 1976. These units are still very accurate today, with an accuracy of ±0.5%. A range switch and 3 decade switches can provide a current output from 0.1 nanoamps to 100 milliamps.
Sinclair Digital Multimeter PDM35 Teardown (also Micronta)
This is a teardown of a "Micronta" Digital Multimeter which was manufactured by Sinclair Radionics Ltd for Radio Shack (Tandy Corporation) in 1978. Sinclair launched the meter in 1977 and also supplied this meter directly under its own brand name with the model number PDM35 (derived from "Portable Digital Multimeter 3.5 digits). The Sinclair models […]
GPS System with Arduino Mini & OLED Display
Building a simple small portable GPS system which will gave date and time plus Altitude, Number of Satellites detected, Longitude and Latitude. Software Code for this project can be downloaded from the link below: Project source code Parts List: GPS Module (GY-NEO6MV2 ublox) with antenna Arduino Pro Mini Module (Atmega 328 5volt 16mHz) 128×64 OLED […]


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|Borderline map of Vietnam
|Location map of Vietnam
|Flag of Vietnam
Google maps and detailed facts of Vietnam (VN). This page enables you to explore Vietnam and its border countries (Country Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and the South China Sea, as well as China, Laos, and Cambodia) through detailed Satellite imagery – fast and easy as never before Google maps.
Find comprehensive information below about this country in its diversity: Google maps, geography, economy, science, people, culture, environment, government, and history – All in One Wiki page.
There is also Street View and free Driving Directions at your service. Your Google Satellite Map Sightseeing in Vietnam, in Southeast Asia, starts here at Driving Directions and Maps.com.


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What's The Secret To Flawless Skin at 50?
Ever wondered how models have youthful skin at 50?
Have you been looking for noninvasive ways to get youthful looking skin?
The secret is out – and it's called retinol!
Derived from Vitamin A, retinol is a compound that penetrates deep into your skin and speeds up the skin renewal cycle. Along with that, it helps to increase the process of collagen and elastin production, which make skin more youthful. Better than Botox and other skin tightening procedures, Retinol is a natural compound that helps your skin reverse its timeline with the power of nature.
Recently, the retinol trend became quite the hype with retinol products readily available in local grocery stores, but did you know that incorrect use of retinol can leave your skin with harsh burns and rashes?
When used properly, retinol is powerful enough to target dark spots, acne and other kinds of blemishes that can make your skin look inconsistent, dull and old. Not only does retinol help to improve the skin's surface, but it actually goes deep within the layers of your skin to help tighten saggy skin, smooth fine lines and also diminish wrinkles!
How is that possible?
It Adds Collagen To Your Skin
Retinol helps to tighten your skin and make it firmer because of how it jumpstarts the collagen producing mechanisms, which have otherwise slowed down, causing your skin to sag and wrinkle. Not only that, it's also able to make your skin suppler and tighter, even at 50!
It Controls Sebum Production
Sebum production is the biggest problem faced by those who have acne, blackheads and blemishes on their skin. Because retinol helps to dramatically reduce sebum production and tighten pores, it's a miracle product which makes skin look more youthful.
It Exfoliates Your Skin
Sure your topical scrub is a great way to get rid of dead skin and dry flakes on the epidermis, but the problem is actually skin deep. Thanks to its ability to boost skin cells' renewal cycle, it begins to clear your skin from layers within.
Luckily, the world of beauty has become better at infusing retinol in face care products, and recently, an all natural retinol cream has been making waves for its success, and here's why:
It Contains A Safe Dose of Retinol
With just 0.5% of encapsulated retinol, this cream delivers the benefits of retinol without being too harsh on the skin, which means even those with sensitive skin can use it!
It Contains Skin-Loving Emollients
Containing Jojoba Seed Oil, Squalane, Hydrolyzed Coconut Oil and Safflower Seed Oil, this miracle retinol moisturizer hydrates your skin and strengthens its ability to retain moisture and stay plump.
It Contains Skin Protectant
With Ceramide-3, your skin's barrier against environmental damage is fortified, which means lesser premature aging and lesser Hyperpigmentation, dark spots and other inconsistencies.
Wondering where you can get this amazing retinol skin care cream from? Head onto our store to check out the hottest retinol cream!
Are you ready for forever youthful skin? Let's talk below!
1. Why You Need a Retinol Moisturizer Now!
2. How to Use Retinol as Told By Professionals
3. Considering Botox? Read This Before You Do!
4. The Miracle of a Retinol Routine
About Author:
Christine Wright is a trusted beauty expert and an esthetician who is loved by editors and bloggers. She is a prolific writer on the topics of natural, chemical-free skin and body care. She also does reviews on store brand beauty products, with fairness and a real point-of-view. She is well-known of creating products for specific skin types, especially to those with ultra-sensitive faces.
Follow her on Twitter and Instagram


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Destroyer of Ice and Fire
Chapter 74: Fight to the limit, even if you have to die
Without the slightest fancy, the two fists collided against each other.
An air blast erupted. Two silhouettes, one big and one small, seemed to halt in this instant. Charlotte's body resembled a tiny wooden stake supporting a huge building.
The two figures separated the next second, both falling three steps backwards, stomping deep craters in the ground like pile drivers.
Many people in the stands found themselves suddenly unable to make any sound, as if something were struck in their throats. They looked on, stunned.
In this exchange, the two of them actually seemed to be tied?
Even when using the same amount of strength, the one with the lighter body should definitely have been struck flying out because of the recoil.
Could it be that Charlotte's body had now become as heavy as Moss? A deep shock ran through the vast majority of spectators in the stands.
"Ah! It hurts!" Moss shouted, shaking his hand for all he was worth, his stone-like face distorted once again.
"So this is Charlotte's Heavy Ions?" Ayrin shouted after a short, stunned moment, struck by a flash of understanding. "Oh right, even if they're the same weight, Charlotte's body is much smaller than Moss' body right now, so her fist is of course tougher. It's the same as Moss' fist hitting a needle!"
"This guy, he's not dumb at all about things he really cares about." Carter slightly turned his head around when he heard Ayrin's shout, such a thought popping inside his mind.
Ayrin yelled as if his life depended on it at this time.
That strange silver metallic doll suddenly accelerated the moment Ayrin shouted and smashed a punch toward Moss' chest.
"You fell for it!"
The miserably shouting Moss suddenly seemed to tumble down. He propped one hand on the ground and started rotating all of a sudden. Like a spinning wheel, his two feet swept the silver metal doll's legs, directly wrenching it into the air.
"Gale Spin!"
"This guy actually used my move!"
In the stands occupied by the Holy Dawn students, sweat pouring from his clenched hands, Kybaver was suddenly struck a little dumb.
"So insidious!"
"His treacherousness actually reached such a level. A giant like this is actually so wretched!"
On the contrary, a storm of protests came from the stands occupied by the Divine Shield students. Actually using such a nefarious counterattack while shouting his pain, this giant was simply insidious enough to make one's hair stand on end. Very soon, the stands occupied by the Divine Shield students erupted in curses, and many people even threw random junk in the field as if their lives depended on it.
While the strange metal doll formed from irregular metal chunks flipped and spun in the air on top of Moss, Charlotte's silhouette cut through the air and arrived in front of him.
Her punch landed on Moss' chest before the Holy Dawn students even had time to shout their happiness.
Moss screamed miserably. He just straightened up only a moment ago, and now this strike lifted his two feet off the ground already.
Charlotte didn't take her fist back yet; it still lay against his chest.
The moment both his feet left the ground, a frightening rumble came from the inside of Charlotte's body.
This rumble unexpectedly carried metal clangs, as if countless giant gears and rods clanged together one by one in this single instant, then finally gathered all the superimposed strength right into her fist.
Moss' enormous body snapped back and flew backwards as soon as it took off from the ground.
"This is..."
"Where does such a powerful impact comes from! She clearly poured all her strength in her punch already, why did power blast out of her body chunk by chunk like a machine just now!"
"You idiots! Did you see that, this is Charlotte's strength, Heavy Ions' impact!"
"Charlotte, goddess!"
Seeing the impact sending even such a huge and heavy body like Moss' flying out, cries of surprise and tremendous cheers and acclaims very soon erupted like earthquakes and landslides.
"Why are her arcane skills so strange, that metal doll has such a powerful strength, and it can even move by itself, isn't that the same as one person fighting against two. Even if he could withstand one of them, there's no way he can handle both of them at the same time!"
Many Holy Dawn students subconsciously cried foul, but they were clearly aware in their minds that that this was merely the opponent's arcane skill, and that there was simply nothing unfair about it.
Moss was still sailing through the air at this moment, but the strange metallic doll already landed back on the ground.
This metallic doll seemingly assembled from irregular lumps of metal, looking as if it could easily fall apart at any moment, immediately bounced up like a spring. It jumped in front of Moss as soon as the latter landed on the ground.
Moss kicked with great difficulty and struck this metallic doll's chest.
This metallic doll snapped backward and flew back several meters, but it bounced back the moment it landed on the ground and jumped back in front of Moss.
"Pa Pa Pa Pa..."
Moss and the metallic doll attacked in a flurry of punches and kicks, like raging squalls and sudden rain.
"With Fury added to Multi-Sizing, even his body's resistance is indeed at least one time stronger compared to simple Multi-Sizing. Otherwise he'd already have lost all his fighting strength after taking Charlotte's heavy strike just now." Still doing warm-up exercises, Chris talked to herself at the same time. "No wonder Charlotte immediately used her strongest moves... Giants and barbarians were once irreconcilable enemies during the era of the dragons. The barbarians and giants from back then probably never imagined the emergence of a descendant with both their bloodlines."
"I'm screwed!"
Such a thought suddenly popped inside Moss' brain while he frantically resisted the metallic doll's attacks.
Because he already had trouble regaining his breath, and couldn't follow the metallic doll's attacking tempo.
A metallic punch enlarged bigger and bigger in his vision the moment this thought popped into his head, then ferociously smashed on his forehead.
"Pa Pa Pa ¨Pa..."
Everyone saw him lose all strength to retaliate when this punch landed. His body crashed on the ground under this blow, then bounced up nonstop, while the metallic doll used every kind of move, punches, foot stomps, body charges, knee strikes, raining all kinds of attacks on him like a storm.
"How did it turn out like this?" Ayrin anxiously shouted at Carter beside him, "Teacher Carter, why does this metallic doll never stop moving?"
"Because this metallic doll is formed by the combination of arcane particles and arcane power, so of course it won't feel any pain. Before the power of the arcane particles disappears, it will naturally move without ever pausing, while maintaining an alarming momentum." Carter glanced at Ayrin. "That's why you absolutely can't handle it like you would an arcane master. I think you should get ready to go out and fight."
"He's already at his limits?" Ayrin nodded, his vision once again falling on Moss.
"I can't do it anymore, I'm simply not her match."
"Charlotte is really too strong. Her physical strength is so powerful already, but she still has a strange metal doll like this, there's no way I can win."
"She's so strong though. Will Ayrin and the others be able to withstand her?"
"Even if I die... I still have to do my utmost!"
Moss thought about directly throwing in the towel for a short instant, but soon he remembered he wasn't fighting against Ayrin, but fighting against Divine Shield Academy as the vanguard. Boiling blood once again surged inside his body.
He screamed miserably under the metallic doll's crazed beating, and lifted a hand up.
"It's the end!"
The one-eyed Payton let out a sigh.
"He's finally admitting defeat. Charlotte is really strong, no one can resist attacks like these." Almost every spectator in the stands thought this way.
The referee inside the field also lifted his hand, ready to declare the end of this fight, believing that Moss was admitting defeat.
Charlotte naturally thought the same. Her faintly knitted brows loosened. The metal doll's movements also stopped.
"I admit...I admit I'm going to throw you!"
What exceeded anyone's expectation was, a wild, violent roar erupted explosively from Moss at this time, and his other hand abruptly grabbed onto one of the metallic doll's feet stepping on his chest.
With an explosive "Huh!", he unexpectedly swung and flung this metallic doll in Charlotte's direction.
At the same time, his consciousness a little hazy, he jumped up with a crazed roar and leaped in Charlotte's direction!
"This guy... he was faking it?" After staring blankly for a moment, the Divine Shield students one and all shouted loud curses at the top of their lungs.
"That's pretty useless. Time to end it."
Charlotte shook her head. Facing the the metallic doll thrown her way, she merely lowered her body a little and allowed it to sail past above her head before crashing heavily on the ground.
She leaped up the moment her body straightened back up, and landed a punch on Moss with alarming speed.
Within an instant, every sound disappeared from the venue.
Moss' body halted in the air.
Sounds resembling metallic clangs once again spread from inside her body.
However, what made her breathing slightly pause at this moment was, Moss suddenly laughed like a madman and vaguely said, "Fight even if you have to die! Brave warrior!"
At the same time, all the strength inside him seemed to gather on his foot; he kicked at Charlotte.
Charlotte also swept her leg, blocking his kick.
Strength continued to charge out from inside her body, erupting out of her fist, producing a series of vibrating, transparent ripples spreading from Moss' chest.
All the strength and tension went out of Moss. He fell down, unconscious. His body started to shrink.
In a silent arena, Charlotte landed back on the ground, a fine layer of cold sweat emerging on her back.
Some of the muscles in the right leg she used just now to block Moss' attack were clearly strained. The tearing was very painful, and she couldn't put any strength in that leg.
When using "Heavy Ions," there wasn't much of a difference between her body and steel refined by metal-casting arcane masters, but now she actually still became injured. Moss' final desperate attack, how much strength was in it?
She breathed in deeply, her eyes falling of their own accord on the passed-out Moss' leg.
What made her heart shake fiercely was, she saw Moss' leg already swelling, and perhaps even his bones sustained a heavy injury.
"This guy..."
Charlotte took in a deep breath, sensing a bitter atmosphere diffuse inside the field. It seemed like the field of a tournament, but rather a genuine battlefield.
Previous Chapter Next Chapter


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Easy Virtue
Easy Virtue is a pretty bauble, I'll give it that. It's shiny and it has lovely people saying lovely things, and yet it is merely an average movie. Based on a play by Noel Coward, Easy Virtue was directed by Australian filmmaker Stephen Elliott, the man who brought us Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. You'd have thought the lesson he sewed into that movie would have stuck with him: just because you make everything look good up front, it doesn't mean that it's all okay in the back.
The story is set on a fading country estate in rural England sometime between the two world wars. The young son of the Whittaker family, John (Ben Barnes, Prince Caspian), has been on a wanton holiday in Europe, where he has picked himself up a wife. This wife, the lovely named Larita (Jessica Biel, The Illusionist), is not exactly what the family expects, however, and her numerous faults count among them race car driving, blonde hair, and being American. Far better for John to have married Sara (Charlotte Riley), the nice girl who lives on the adjoining farm and whom he has known since childhood. That would at least go a long way to saving the family fortunes, which won't happen when Larita takes her new husband off to London for a bit of the fast life.
At the head of the anti-Larita campaign is John's judgmental and prim mother, Veronica (Kristin Scott Thomas, The English Patient), and his two sisters, the morbid gossip monger Hilda (Kimberley Nixon from TV's "Cranford") and the dowdy Marian (Katherine Parkinson, "The IT Crowd"). Marian pines for a lost love that was never a love at all and whom no one will ever tell her is not coming back. She's not the only one pining for something long gone, either. Chief among the household regrets is whatever lust for life dear old dad (Colin Firth) lost in the war. Mr. Whittaker is also the only one who accepts Larita for who she is, realizing that his son has brought his lovely bride back to a suffocating trap.
Which doesn't sound like the fixings for a clever comedy, but Noel Coward's writing works with the dirty stuff of life to make for a final dish that's much finer than the ingredients would suggest. There is low comedy in his play, including a dead dog and missing underpants, and there is also high wit, with many a verbal jab traded amongst the family. Likewise, there are dramatic moments both big and small, from the lighter ruminations on the meaning of love and the more grave perils of a family whose days are in decline. I don't know the play well enough to know how much is from the original text and how much is moviemaking invention, but screenwriters Elliott and Sheridan Jobbins at least have not added anything that would not go well when served with a dry martini. Too bad things get so wet....
It's hard to go wrong with Noel Coward as your source material, but that doesn't mean it's not possible. As if he were afraid that he might not get noticed standing next to the script, Stephen Elliott tries to force whimsy into every frame, creating a style that is so insistent in its obnoxious artificiality that it's impossible to forget it's there. For instance, Easy Virtue has built-in themes of the tug-of-war between tradition and modernity, but Elliot wants to make sure we know how much more modern his version is, and so he butts classic tunes by Porter and Coward against jazz-inflected remakes of "Car Wash," "Sex Bomb," and dear me, even a song by Billy Ocean (sung by the actors, no less!). Honey, Baz Luhrmann you are not. And would it have been too much to ask for you to use a simple cut or dissolve now and again, rather than these elaborate image to image match-ups that carry the film from one scene to another? Let a woman lighting a cigarette be a woman lighting a cigarette and a fire in the fireplace be just a fire--they don't have to be linked.
It's completely unnecessary. What with Noel Coward having done the first half of the job, once Elliott had assembled so fine a cast, all he really had to do was hand them the script, set up the cameras, and let them go. It's been a long time since I've liked Colin Firth as much as I did in this film. He plays the weary rogue well. And as the heroine, Jessica Biel may not be entirely up to the job, but she's sprightly enough to make a go of it and she looks tremendous in the period clothing. Like I said, Easy Virtue is a pretty movie, and so at least when it starts to lose your interest, you can sit and stare.
Jamie S. Rich is a novelist and comic book writer. He is best known for his collaborations with Joelle Jones, including the hardboiled crime comic book You Have Killed Me, the challenging romance 12 Reasons Why I Love Her, and the 2007 prose novel Have You Seen the Horizon Lately?, for which Jones did the cover. All three were published by Oni Press. His most recent projects include the futuristic romance A Boy and a Girl with Natalie Nourigat; Archer Coe and the Thousand Natural Shocks, a loopy crime tale drawn by Dan Christensen; and the horror miniseries Madame Frankenstein, a collaboration with Megan Levens. Follow Rich's blog at Confessions123.com.
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Pakistan bus blast kills 19, women and children among dead
A bomb on a bus carrying government workers in northwestern Pakistan has killed 19 people and wounded 25, police say. Four women and two children are among the dead.
The vehicle was passing the outskirts of the city of Peshawar carrying around 40 people, when the incident happened.The bus was traveling to the nearby town of Charsadda.The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, of which Peshawar is the capital, borders little-controlled tribal areas along the Afghan border. The city has seen a number of bomb attacks from Taliban militants.
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Today is Global Bond Day, marking the 50th anniversary of the release of Dr. No. And what better way for the franchise to shake and stir you than with the release of the latest Bond theme, which jetpacks the pop powerhouse behind the albums 19 and 21 into the world of 007?
I heard a snippet of Adele's "Skyfall" on the Wall Street Journal website earlier this week. Following a tip from the BBC site I reported for duty at Adele's place last night, at the appointed hour ("0.07" London time), and…nothing. But after a quick fix from Q the world, Adele's oyster, was falling for "Skyfall." (And it found its way onto my iTunes Bond playlist immediately thereafter.)
First impressions? If a planet starved for new Adele content doesn't send "Skyfall" into orbit I'll eat Oddjob's hat. (It would be the second Bond theme to hit No. 1, after Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill" in 1985. Since we're going there Paul McCartney's "Live and Let Die," in 1973, and Carly Simon's "Nobody Does It Better," from 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me, peaked at No. 2, Sheena Easton's "For Your Eyes Only" hit No. 4 in 1981, Shirley Bassey's "Goldfinger" and Madonna's "Die Another Day" reached No. 8 in 1964 and 2002 respectively, and the other six to crack the Top 100 skyfell.) As a promotional tool for the movie, which opens here in the U.S. on Nov. 9, it's unbeatable, with the lyrics defaulting to a languorous "Skyfall" at every opportunity. (Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, Daniel Craig's first two Bonds, were more than a little challenged that way in the title department, though Chris Cornell's laser-sharp theme for the former, "You Know My Name," has grown on me enormously.)
As a Bond theme? I like it. I'd like it more if it were crisper; as I thought our first listen had reached its end I turned to my wife and said "it's good," unaware that it was 40 seconds or so from wrapping up. (It's the third-longest Bond theme, after Gladys Knight's boring "Licence to Kill," a snooze for the ears after more than five minutes of repeated "got a licence to kills!," and Sheryl Crow's noir-inflected "Tomorrow Never Dies.") I'm cool with it blending Monty Norman's classic theme, though if the songstress and co-writer Paul Epworth care Oscar voters frown upon such mix-ins, and, these days, theme songs in general (in simpler times "Live and Let Die," "Nobody Does It Better," and "For Your Eyes Only" all received nominations). It signals a return to tradition, after the tomfoolery of Jack White's Quantum theme "Another Way to Die," and should fit in fine with the terrific Thomas Newman's first Bond score, which I'm intrigued to hear. (If cousin Randy had written and performed "Skyfall" you know it would win every movie song award in the book.) Let's put it this way–if it sets the tone for the movie we're in good hands.
What to do this Global Bond Day after you've downloaded "Skyfall" and watched the video? You can preorder Jon Burlingame's book The Music of James Bond. You can reach into your new "Bond 50" set of Blu-rays and pull out the great, and perennially underrated, On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), composer John Barry's finest two hours and twenty minutes on the job. Or you can get up early (8:20am EST) and hear me "Bond" with Twin Cities host Dave Lee on "The WCCO Morning News." I'm not Adele, but like her I get the job done.[youtube id="vgr2syY_OU4″ width="600″ height="350″]


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Country roads take me home to the place I belong...
Last night I said to Arvid, "I'm ready to go home now." He said,
but you are home." I said, "no I'm not I want to go back home."
Then he said, "you know it's strange because you're right it does not
feel like home right now." So true. Right now for some strange reason
this does not feel like home. And I want to go home. Arvid wants
this does not feel like home. And I want to go home. Arvid wants
to stay in the warmth, even though he says it does not feel like home
Today's forecast is rain and dark clouds. Forecast and home in Branson
is COLD and sunny skies. Yes, I want to go home. In the year that we have
been gone, I LOVE the cold weather and am missing it right now.
On a happier note, my nephew Gabriel has started selling his
Tie Dye creations online on Eysy . Please take a moment to like
his page and to check out his online shop. Tie Dye Manatee
Here it is! My son's Tie Dye FB page and ETSY shop!
Would you please take a second to "like" his page?
Each hand made tie dye shirt is created with love and dedication
from a young but true hippie soul. Earth grounding is part of the ceremonial
act of creation. Shirts are 100% cotton, pre-shrunk and of excellent quality.
Photos taken before first wash - shirts are washed once before
shipping to ensure colors are true and well blended.
Orders are made to order and shipped out within 3 days
of order via USPS. All orders final.
And that is from the very proud mom
of Gabby, Rima my sister.
Happy Tuesday to all. Gabb we believe in you. Always have always will.
Imagine with all your mind. Believe with all your heart.
Achieve with all your might. Don't stress do your best, forget the rest...


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I am now sending my 5-year-old daughter to karate in her older brother's shirts because they are long enough to cover the gigantic smiley face he drew on the butt of her karate pants in permanent orange marker.
A friend asked me, "Why are permanent markers accessible?" Um, because I'm a bad mother? I do try. I once locked all the Sharpie markers in a safe in my bedroom closet that only I could open with a complex combination under a full moon. They still managed to find them. No matter how diligent I am, my kids also still manage to take a header off the upstairs landing. It turns out I can't protect them from everything.
So at some point I decided to take the Sharpies out of the safe in my bedroom, to use them even when the moon wasn't quite full. I moved them into my desk drawer, which is where little fingers found them this time.
In a single 24-hour period, this is what little fingers learned. There are different types of markers. Some markers belong to Mommy, and there is a reason for that. They don't come out of your clothes or the front room couch, your doll's face or the quilt on Mom's bed. They bleed through paper onto your Hello Kitty coloring book, they mark up the counters of your play kitchen, and the dog will eat them and turn his mouth a weird shade of blue. All of this is why grown-ups use them to write your name on soccer balls and on your brown-bag lunch when you go on field trips. Some markers are for grown-ups, and there are reasons for that, so stay away from Mommy's markers. Lesson learned.
In the process of teaching my children about markers and making good marker decisions, I learned something too.
"Did you draw a smiley face on your sister's butt?"
"No. Yes."
"Why would you do that?"
"I don't know. 'Cause it's funny?"
And at this my son went into peals of giggles until he realized I was mad. I was not laughing and I was barking something about how he owed me 20 bucks to pay for his sister's karate pants.
He started crying and told me he didn't have 20 dollars. Then he went upstairs, cleaned out his piggy bank and gave me the six dollars he did have. I felt terrible. I wanted to give it back, but I couldn't because I was teaching him a lesson.
But like so much of parenting my children, my son taught me something. I realized that although sometimes my kids take a header off the upstairs landing, and it's really scary, most of the time it doesn't matter if the permanent markers are accessible. It doesn't really matter if the dog's mouth is a weird shade of blue and my daughter has a gigantic smiley face on her butt. And my son is right, the smiley face is funny.
What I can't figure out now is if I should give him his six dollars back.
Maraya Steadman, who lives in a Chicago suburb, is a stay-at-home mother of three children. Her website is marayasteadman.com/. Email her at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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As you may have guessed, Rich and I are not timid travelers. But entering Bulgaria for the first time last fall, I admit I felt a little trepidation. Cheap action movies had imprinted vivid, if largely inaccurate, images on my brain, and I half expected everyone I met there – male or female – to turn out to be a ruthless assassin, the bodyguard of a criminal mastermind, or a shifty-eyed, tattooed informant with a life expectancy of under twenty minutes. Stepping off a train in Ruse, our first Bulgarian city, I walked warily into the station, eyeing everyone with suspicion, until a voice at my elbow shrieked, "Take my taxi."
I jumped and turned to see a grizzled little man wearing an expression that attempted, without conspicuous success, to look engaging and trustworthy. Nearly everywhere in the world, legitimate taxi drivers are obliged to wait outside of train stations and airports, and guidebooks urge you to avoid scam artists who accost foreign tourists inside transportation hubs. Even without such warnings, we had only to look at this fellow to know we wanted no part of whatever he was offering. He definitely fit the shifty-eyed, tattooed profile, and I certainly wasn't going to spend twenty minutes with him to see if he exceeded the average life expectancy of his kind.
We tried to shake him off, but he followed us outside to the cab stand, yelling, "My taxi! You go my taxi! Not that taxi! He is no even Bulgarian! That man is Romanian! You no want him!" That was a good enough recommendation for us. Rich and I jumped into the Romanian's taxi, told him the name of our hotel, and sped away.
It was the only time in the entire trip that we skipped the ritual coffee that we have upon arrival in any new town, and halfway to the hotel, we suddenly realized what we'd done. Our ritual coffee is, of course, less about coffee than about catching our breath, making sure we know where we're going and how to get there, and – let me underscore this point – figuring out where there's a cash machine so we can get enough local currency for our immediate needs. We had not obtained any Bulgarian lev and were now in the awkward position of hurtling toward our destination without the ability to pay our fare.
Later, after we'd overpaid and heavily tipped our cab driver in Romanian currency, which he was kind enough to accept, I thought about the small rituals that Rich and I have developed in our travels, and how they help us stay on an even keel in tumultuous circumstances. For instance, we always carry with us a small cloth frame containing the silliest photos taken of each of us at our wedding. Over the years, it has become festooned with various talismans, such as a string given us by a Buddhist monk in Bhutan and various crosses and medals from sacred shrines. We don't really believe it brings us luck – but we don't leave home without it.
We took another ritual from Silver Streak, an old train film with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. At the start, the conductor leans out, waves, and says, "Goodbye, LA." Two hours later, after murder, romance, crackling one-liners, and (spoiler alert!) the train crashing into the wall of the station, the conductor leans out of the train again, saying calmly, "Hello, Chicago." We loved his insouciance and now salute each city upon arrival and departure. Just saying "Goodbye, Bucharest!" and "Hello, Sofia!" puts our travel issues – crying babies, appalling bathrooms, glowering customs officials – into context. Hey, at least no one was murdered and/or thrown off the train.
These small rituals have become very comforting to us on the road. By the time we've greeted a new place, sipped our coffee at the station, and set our silly photos in a place of honor in our new digs, we know that wherever we are is home.
6/11/2014 08:49:19 am
We ordered your book and it arrived yesterday. I had read the first six pages and put it down and realized that Joel has already snapped it up and is reading it. We've got some adventures in store this summer and your book is serving as reference material. . .how's that for a teaser?
Karen McCann
6/13/2014 02:30:54 am
Could those adventures be ... in Seville? Wherever you and Joel are going, Jackie, I hope you have grand adventures. And if it is Seville, be prepared for some seriously hot weather! Be sure to check my website's page How to Enjoy Seville under Travel Tips. I list favorite bars, tips for a successful tapeo, and other essentials of Sevillano life. Enjoy your journeys!
6/12/2014 11:24:41 am
Guess the only ritual we have is that we always hold hands as the plane is taking off. I think it comes from back when Veronica was let's say, a less than happy flier. Started out as a way to calm her down, but now it's more like if we go down, we're going down together.
Karen McCann
6/13/2014 02:36:42 am
Sounds like a great ritual, GypsyNesters! Flying is always a little scary for me – just one more reason I prefer train travel! – so I often grab Rich's hand on take-off as we bid a verbal farewell to the city we're leaving. It helps!
6/12/2014 03:10:33 pm
One ought to always carry a talisman in order to navigate through this world. While I am not a world traveler I do have to navigate through the work world and there are times when I have felt anxiety, perhaps about a decision I made or some decision my superiors might have made. I am often left worrying "will have a job", and so I turn to my little shrine of Mary, next to it is my grandmother's glow in dark rosary and a statue of buddha. It helps me through the dark. My brother, who lives and works in the Rome brought me a bottle opener with the image of Pope John Paul one year when he was in the states, he claims it can bring about a conversion :) Recently he brought me a rosary that Pope Francis blessed and so now I carry that with me. A good cup a coffee, a bottle opener and rosaries can really get you through. I only bring the Pope Francis rosary on trips though as someone might confiscate that bottle opener.
Karen McCann
6/13/2014 02:41:55 am
Rich just reminded me that you're the one who got us started with the talismans, Noreen. Years ago you gave us the first of the many religious medals we've attached to the photos, and that's when they went from being a couple of snapshots to an instant shrine. So thanks for that! And also thanks for the reminder that we need talismans to navigate through this world wherever we are, perhaps even more so at home and work than when we are away.
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I'm an American travel writer living in Seville, Spain. I travel the world seeking eccentric people, quirky places, and outrageously delicious food so I can have the fun of writing about them here.
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November 2023