text:
- The Prayer of the Remnants and the Answer of Jehovah Text: Isaiah 64 and 65
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- The Glory and Favour of Zion Text: Isaiah 60 - 61
- Falsehood, Hypocrisy and Sins. Text: Isaiah 57-59
- Restoration, Salvation and Rewards for Obedience to God Text: Isaiah 54-56
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Friday, October 19 2012
Introduction: Last week, we considered the two faces of Babylon; the Religious Babylon (Rev.17); guilty of religious abominations and Commercial Babylon (Rev.18), guilty of pride, greed and self-indulgence and the judgment that befell her. We concluded by saying that it was very easy, these last days to be lured into the entrapment of the system that rules the world we live in so we have to be careful to steer clear of "self" - a destroyer and a waster. Today, we will consider the aftermath of the judgment of Babylon and learn a few valuable lessons
1. Verses 9-10: The kings of the Earth Lament
"The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ?Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.'"
When you read this verse of scripture two things can be suggested about the kings of the earth standing at a distance
· The heat and smoke of her burning must be very intense that they had to stand at a distance.
· When God's judgment comes, no one can contend it. The best they can offer will be idle lamentations "Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! "
2. Verses 11-17a The Merchants reveal their greed and selfishness as they lament.
Verse 11
"And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more"
They were not concerned about the fact that Babylon was burning
It is plain that the mourning was rooted in self-interest: for no one buys their merchandise anymore
Verses 12-13
The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
They reveal their materialism and rebellion. Note the last bit of verse 13: "And slaves and souls of men" Their dealings were not only exploiting people and the city but they traded the souls of men; cruelly using others. They sold the bodies and souls of men, occultism, prostitution and pornography were the order of the day. We are already seeing these.
Verse 14
And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
The things craved for (the worldly pleasures) will bear up wings and fly away. These are same things that chased away the things that are dainty and goodly
Verses 15- 17a
The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought.
Notice as well that the merchants kept their distance and once again their emphasis on materialism. "For in one hour so great riches is come to nought."
3. Verses 17b - 19 The Sea-Captains lament.
"And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! For in one hour is she made desolate."
We see another group of fake lamenters; their source of business was gone. That was their concern "Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth"
4. Verse 20: Call to the heavens and the people of God: rejoice!
"Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!"
Proverbs 11:10?
Should God's people rejoice when judgment comes? Yes, but we don't rejoice in the destruction in judgment. Rather, we rejoice in the righteous resolution God's judgment brings.
5. Verse 21: An angel graphically shows Babylon's fall.
"And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all"
Jeremiah 51:61-64: "He said to Seraiah, "When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud. Then say, ?Lord, you have said you will destroy this place, so that neither people nor animals will live in it; it will be desolate forever.' When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates. Then say, ?So will Babylon sink to rise no more because of the disaster I will bring on her. And her people will fall.'".
Matthew 18:6: "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."
This applies to Babylon in Revelation 18, because she led others into sin. It is a terrible thing to sin; it is even more terrible to lead others into sin.
6. Verses 22-23a Babylon is left desolate and powerless.
"And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth;
Shall be heard no more at all in thee . . . shall be found any more in thee . . . shall be heard no more at all in thee. . . shall shine no more at all in thee: In graphic and poetic language, John describes how Babylon will become at the end. All the clamor and glamour gone; no music, no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, no light (not even that of a candle), no more marrying and giving in marriage - Nothing!
7. Verses 23b - 24: The reasons for the judgment of Babylon
"for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived." And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth."
"For by thy sorceries were all nations deceived": Sorcery is the ancient Greek word pharmakia, which means, "to prepare drugs." The lure of Babylon can be likened to drug addiction, fueled by deceptive advertising deceiving all the nations
The ultimate reason for Babylon's judgment was that she has killed the prophets and saints.
God takes the persecution of His people as a personal offense. Those who attack His people really attack Him.
The people that mostly drive us into participating in evil usually do so for their own benefits and not ours. And when the time for reaping the consequences of our actions come, the best they can offer will be half-hearted lament and it will not be because they are sorry for us but that they are concerned only for themselves.
Chasing after worldly pleasure will eventually chase away the things that are graceful and goodly and leave us empty, bare and at risk of eternal judgment.
Babylon, in judgment crashed and burned! We don't have to!
Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai
Posted by: Isekhua Evborokhai AT 06:17 am | Permalink | 0 Comments | Email
Friday, October 19 2012
The fall of Babylon was first mentioned in Chapter 14:8 but there were no details about its fall. And then again in Chapter 17 where Babylon was revealed and its alliances; there are many interpretations of what Babylon represents today; physically, spiritually, etc. Verses 4-5 of Chapter 17 describe Babylon as the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth and chapter 17:18 says "And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world." [NLT]
The combination of these scriptures (chapter 17 and our text for today) has led to the analogy that Babylon manifests in two faces:
Religious Babylon (Rev.17); guilty of religious abominations and Commercial Babylon (Rev.18); guilty of pride, greed and self-indulgence
Verses 1-3:
"After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."
The Angel
So after the happenings in Chapter 17, John saw another angel shinning with the "carryover" from the presence of God; he was literarily glowing to the extent that he lit up the earth! No wonder the Bible says that in heaven we will not need the Sun because God Himself will be our light!
His Message
Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!
The Angel was prophesying the fall of Babylon as though it had already happened. God had revealed to him the future of Babylon.
The Future of Babylon
The city has become a dwelling place of demons: This is a prophetic picture of absolute desolation where the proud achievements of man become the demonic haunts of unclean and horrible creatures.
The Reason
For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication: Babylon's sin is not only idolatry (referred to with the term fornication), but also becoming rich by devious means "and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury"
Verses 4-5:
"And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities."
The Call
Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins: Amazing! At this stage in the events of time, Jesus still calls out to His own "Come out of her, my people," It is inconceivable that a child of God could be a part of the fornication with Babylon but because of the commercial angle of Babylon, it is very likely that some may have been lured in as we are being lured in today. This materialistic lure is a constant threat to be guarded against.
Lest you receive of her plagues: Recall the story of Lot while he living in Sodom in Genesis 19. God sent his angels to warn him of the impending disaster. This is a similar warning especially for those who would have been lured in the name of business located at the wrong place at the wrong time. Similar warning in (Isaiah 52:11, Jeremiah 50:8, Jeremiah 51:45, 2 Corinthians 6:14, Ephesians 5:11)
d. Their sins have reached to heaven and God has remembered her iniquities: There is always a day of reckoning. No matter how long it takes, it will surely come. Just as God remembered Amalek (1 Sam.15:2-3) and sent King Saul to annihilate them.
Verses 6-8:
"Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ?I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.' Therefore her plagues will come in one day; death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her."
Render to her just as she rendered to you: The ancient Greek word for render (apodidomi) means literally "to pay a debt" or "to give back that which is due." God will give to Babylon exactly what she deserves. He is a just God.
Repay her double according to her works . . . mix for her double: Double restitution was required in the Old Testament in cases of theft (Exodus 22:4-9). This perhaps is a commentary on how Babylon has made her wealth - through dishonest dealings.
Her Works (sin):
Self-glorification (she glorified herself),
Self-indulgence (lived luxuriously),
Self-idolization (for she says in her heart, ?I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow)
Therefore her plagues will come in one day: The destruction of Babylon will come suddenly, and with completeness (utterly burned with fire).
God's judgment on Babylon was sudden and could not be averted because as in verse 8d says: "for strong is the Lord God who judges her." It is very easy these last days to be lured into the entrapment of the system that rules the world so we have to be careful to steer clear of "self" - a destroyer and a waster. Remember Lucifer? ""I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred" Isaiah 14:13[NIV]
Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai
Posted by: Isekhua Evborokhai AT 06:04 am | Permalink | 0 Comments | Email
Tuesday, October 09 2012
Preamble: The revelatory confirmation given to John plays a very pivotal role in our understanding of Daniel's interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream and also magnifies Daniel's direct vision of almost a direct replica of Daniel 7. At the very beginning of the study of the Book of Revelation; certain assertions were made and one of such assertions was the fact that the Book of Revelation is a hodgepodge of past, present and future representation of events. I believe this chapter as well as others clearly shows a build up from past revelatory experiences and not only that but also provides for us an opportunity to appraise past revelatory encounters and contrast them with present reality- thereby creating clear cut authentication of not only past and present prophecies but also the elicitation and veracity of future occurrences.
Revelations. 17: 10-18 put paid to any doubt or uncertainty about the terrestrial world being under the direct subjection of the celestial world. Physical happenings are manifesting only as the spiritual world determines. Ephesians. 6: 11-14, 2 Cor. 10: 3-6; Job. 1: 6-12.
I would like to draw our focus to the colour of the beast, the colour of the woman's dress and the golden cup in her hands. Rev. 17: 3. These are powerful symbolisms of Satan's deception they are his instruments of attraction to undiscerning travellers who are only after the dainties of the world without understanding that whatever the devil gives it is to lure men to their doom. Prov. 7: 15-20, Luke. 4: 5-8
Verse 10: unfolds a deep mystery Satan orchestrates control over the nations using the woman as an instrument of domination. It is amazing how the woman is used as a portrayal of God's instrument of victory in Revelation. 12: 15-17. Here also we see Satan using the woman as an agent of destruction upon the nations; that's not surprising Satan has no capacity for creativity but deception and lies. The highest of Satan's efforts are always entrenched in counterfeits.
Many scholars have varying interpretations of the 8 kings. some believe the kings represent the Caesars and emperors of Rome. Others posit that the kings are representations of kingdoms and empires that had ruled and were particularly hostile to Israel and those kingdoms are. Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the Roman Empire existing at the time of John's revelation. And then the seventh, the revived Rome which has not yet come, then the eighth and final will be the Antichrist. I would be more inclined to go with the latter argument because it has correlation with Daniel. as we earlier read. No matter what side of the divide one belongs the most important thing is the realisation of a spiritual determinism on physical reality. Kingdoms and dominions exhibit whatever spiritual machinations operating within their territory. Zech. 1: 21
The perversion of nations and the display of madness are as a result of spiritual harlotry being orchestrated by Satan in collusion with leaders that have drunken at the hand of the strange woman. Prayer. Lord deliver this nation from spiritual harlotry and help the leadership of our nations to escape from the grip of this Babylonian blasphemer.1 Tim. 2: 1-5.
Verse 11: we have seen five kings whose era had gone and as at the time of John's revelation the sixth king was already on the throne with two more kings yet to ascend the throne. The reign of the seventh king will be brief so as to make room for the scarlet coloured beast coming in the form of a king. This eighth king had ruled before but would come back again perhaps to finish what it started. 2 Thessalonians. 2: 3-12. This is the man of perdition, the man of sin waiting to be revealed before the final stage which perhaps would herald the coming of the Lord. Prayer. Lord keep us in the knowledge of the truth; that we be not taken by the deceit of Satan and the strong delusional spirit that shall come upon the earth.
Verse 12 and 13: (Daniel. 7: 7, 24-25). Some scholars believe that a time will come when leaders of nations will come together to form a coalition by joining forces together and appointing one to be their leader and there have been certain assertions that the EU might be the fulfilment of these revelation. Some bible scholars believe Rome will emerge once more as a powerful empire that would lead these other nations until the glorious appearing of the Great God. In reality we need not look far to understand the manifestation of these things. Look at the different philosophies, religions, movements, etc. springing up everywhere; "The truth is that the West has chosen to be secular, and secularity has taken the form of a religion; not necessarily like Atheism, Agnosticism, Hedonism etc, but as a force to pull down spirituality, and preach a new message, which elevates science to the pedestal of religion. Charles Krauthammer, while writing in TIME magazine of April 3, 2006, averred that the ?European man has convinced himself that in order to be modern and free, he must be radically secular'. Therefore, I dare propose that what is our modern day demon is no more than Radical Secularism" Odogwu, author of The Spiritual Evolution of Mankind. Recently some European countries came together and developed a machine called neutrino the idea behind this invention was to simulate how the world began. They created an atmosphere where particles collided and asserted that that was how the world came into existence.
Verse 14: (Dan. 7: 21-22, 13-14, 27). We are aware that the end game is near and the close of the age will come but it will not be without the battle for supremacy. Satan is poised for war, arming, preparing and equipping his end time army for the final showdown. Dan. 8: 23-25. The battle for the heart and mind of believers is real. We are killed all the daylong that the life of Jesus might be manifest in us. 2 Cor. 4: 10-11. These prophesies are happening right in our presence, we therefore cannot sit idly by and think that these things are for a time to come; unfortunately we are witnesses of these realities and are called to battle everyday as the soldiers of Christ. Rev. 12: 12-13. Zech. 14: 1-4, 9.
Verse 15: (Dan. 7: 2-3), the reality of this should make one shudder and tremble because this woman rules over multitudes of people. She sits upon the heads of destinies. Many lives are at her whims and caprices. Do we still wonder why the world is the way it is. Why we see the things we see in this generation and the barrage at which they come at us. Many people are remote controlled by a force stronger and more powerful than them. Many lives not under the Lordship of Jesus are susceptible to this worker of iniquity.
We are experiencing unprecedented scale of immorality and blasphemies like never before. Many lives are in jeopardy, tormented by a vicious fiend determined to enslave them forever. Christians are the only ones equipped to liberate lives from this hideous and atrocious beast; now is evangelism needed than in any other generation. Many lives are under the manipulation of a higher spiritual force. Luke. 18: 8, Matt. 24: 12. Prayer. the Lord should deliver us from the power of the stranger that manipulates destinies to self destruct.
Verse 16: Satan gives only to take back; once he is through with his victims he discards them without a second thought. Judas, the Pharisees and Sadducees were used by Satan to crucify the Lord and once Satan was through with them he threw them away. John. 8: 44. Whatever the devil gives he gets back. The devil uses and dumps. John. 10: 10. Demons connive to destroy others and then they help to destroy themselves. All those who do Satan's biddings are themselves lined up for slaughter.
Verse 17: God unfolds His greatness and majesty. We see God using all of creation to fulfil His purpose. Col. 1: 16-18. All of creation exists to bring God's will to pass. Every single thing under heaven functions to the commandment of God. God puts His will in the heart of these terrible creatures so that His purpose might be established. God can use anyone and anything to being your miracle to life.
God allows these kings to cede their kingdoms to the beast. These nations or kings are willingly giving up their kingdoms to the worship of devils. Politicians making laws that advance the cause of the devil; Policies promoting abortion, gay rights, worshipping of devils, Raelian Movement, (UFO religion), etc. 1 Tim. 4: 1-3, 2 Tim. 3: 1-3. Isaiah. 14: 26-27. This reality should give us hope that all things work together for good. God is still in charge and determining every move no matter how miniscule it may seem. Romans. 11: 33-35. Isaiah. 40: 21-22, 28. All things must work in tandem with His will and to His word. Psalm. 119: 89, Luke. 16: 17.
Verse 18: this I believe unfolds the nation whose culture, language, way of life and might controls the rest of the world. Many nations today talks about the greatness of America and how through her greatness and might controls the rest of the world. We see the extent at which other nations and leaders would go to cripple America. We see the passion and hatred with which Americanism is being lauded and at the same being derided. Citizens of different nations look to America for fashion, freedom, culture and might. This text is quite inductive in the sense that we can take a country as explained above and then use it as a model for whatever nation this might end up being.
Nations around the world are emerging with great powers and determination, not only to be acknowledged and recognised but to have the world at its feet. Nations like China, Russia and even Iran are not only demanding recognition but also challenging the status-quo. Two verses back talks about the connivance of other nations to bring this nation to her knees and make her of no relevance. God is strategising- to the end that His purpose only will stand. 2 Chronicles. 20: 22-23.
Our generation I believe is witnessing the fulfilment of prophesy in greater dimension than any other generation. Events of end time proportions are unfolding before us with amazing speed but that also leaves us with very grave responsibilities that require our total and unreserved commitment to be active participants in bringing to bear the kingdom of God on the earth. In no other generation is Matt. 28: 19-20 more relevant than in ours. We have seen the helplessness of humanity under the tyrannical rule of a monster bent on decimating humanity at will. We have also seen his tools of operation that they are clandestine and deceptive; we can therefore like Apostle Paul say we are not ignorant of the devices of Satan.
God beckons on us as His battle axes and weapons of war to sharpen our vigilance and commitment in rescuing humanity from the onslaught of a maniac, that old serpent called the devil. We must as a matter of urgency first work out our own salvation with fear and trembling before we step out as crusaders. May we not be found wanting. Shalom.
Contributor: Paul Thomas
Posted by: Isekhua Evborokhai AT 07:22 am | Permalink | 0 Comments | Email


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We celebrated Isabella's 9th birthday this week. I looked at her Christmas wish list (for Santa) and saw that 4 of the 10 items on the list were Shopkins sets. So I decided to buy Shopkins for her birthday — it was an easy choice. Not only did she get the Chef Club set but her friends also gave her some fashion sets too.
[Tweet "Is she turning 9? Buy her Shopkins! #MooseHolidays16"]
Buy Shopkins Chef Club
Chef Club is the sixth season of Shopkins, and it lets you collect your Shopkins characters in a whole new way! The characters in this season are ingredients that can be combined with other characters to make all new recipes. Each character comes with a QR code on the bottom that can be scanned with the Shopkins Chef Club app, bringing your Shopkins characters to life. Chef Club categories include:
- Family Food
- Breakfast
- Sweets
- Bakery
The new season features play sets, like the Sparkle Clean Washer she got for her birthday. They all connect together to build a Chef Club world.
As a parent, I too love Shopkins. They're cute, creative names, and small. They don't take up her whole room and she really loves them. In fact, she even made her own video of this Shopkins Chef Club set for Instagram and YouTube. What is it with kids opening toys and filming for YouTube? She loves watching those videos and making her own.
Here's her Shopkins Chef Club YouTube video:
You can also see our shorter video on Instagram here. She had a lot of fun, came up with the script on her own, and filmed in about 20 minutes. I used my iPhone 6 and iMovie Maker on my iPhone to put it all together. Fun and easy!
"I love cooking, a real lot, and I love Shopkins so I am glad they made a season all about cooking."
What she doesn't know is Moose Toys sent me more Shopkins to gift to her. Shopkins Happy Places is actually the toys she really wanted most this year. And boy did Moose Toys send me a lot! My Princess is going to FLIP OUT. The Happy Places sets and toys are going to be from Santa Claus this year. She just got the Happy Places Happy Home from her grandmother for her birthday. Now she can fill it up on Christmas Day!
Buy Shopkins Happy Places
Happy Places Shopkins combines the joy of collecting with the fun of designing with cute miniature decorations to create a space that is all yours. Featuring tiny pieces to fill the Happy Home, Happy Places lets you create your space with a cute lil' face!
[Tweet "Happy Places lets you create your space with a cute lil' face! #MooseHolidays16"]
Shopkins-themed, Happy Places features mini-versions of your favorite Shoppies, called Lil' Shoppies, who live in the Happy Home where tiny Shopkins characters decorate the space and every single piece of furniture has a cute Petkins face. The Petkins work together too! For example, the toothbrush fits inside the toothbrush holder. So stinkin' cute! With the extra tiles that come with the collector packs, kids can extend the Happy Home to create add-on rooms for even more decorating fun.
What I really love about Happy Places is my Princess gets to design her Happy Home and use her own creativity. They are so cute and tiny with so much personality. I am having fun looking through them all too!
Moose Toys
Moose Toys is bringing the smiles this holiday season with their top toys that inspire imaginations and creative play! From collectibles to crafts, Moose Toys has your kids' holiday wish list covered!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

subset: commoncrawl


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Using your loft Conversion as a Bathroom
Converting your loft is the first step to adding value and space to your home, but what you do with that space is equally important. Simply reinstating it as a storage space is a waste when you could add a much needed second bathroom to your house.
Not to mention the fact it's at the top of your house secludes it from the hustle and bustle of the lower floors, adding a feeling of luxury. But when using your conversion as a bathroom there are many issues to consider.
Shower or Bath?
A typical feature of any loft conversion, unless you have also extended your conversion to include a dormer, is its sloping roof. This sloping roof can pose difficult questions when it comes to deciding what to do with your space because of the lack of head room.
In terms of a bathroom, it can mean the difference between enough head height to accommodate a shower, or the installation of a bath as an alternative. There are many attractive solutions to this though.
If you can afford to go the extra mile, having a bespoke bathroom fitted will make the most of the head height. From a curved shower unit attached with a wall to floor glass screen, or a roll top stand-alone bath, there are lots of options available to you.
You could even explore having your bath set into the floor to give it the feel of a Jacuzzi; the only limitation is your own imagination as any bathroom designer will try to meet your requirements with realistic solutions.
For those who would like to go down a more traditional route, installing a bath underneath your window is a popular option. It makes use of the otherwise unused eve space and frees up precious floor space.
Not to mention the fact that if you're clever with the bath you choose, you could also have a few built-in cupboards where the bath panel might normally be.
Fitted storage is a great way to make the most of your space. It is unlikely that you will have a luxurious amount of floor space, and stand-alone units might not fit well into a sloped roof space as they cannot be flush against the wall.
In this case, we recommend fitted cupboards. Finding a good carpenter is key, and whilst it might cost a little bit more than a normal bathroom unit, it will last for as long as you live in your house. And because it's completely unique to your property, you will have the pleasure of choosing handles, varnishes, and paints that meet your artistic vision perfectly.
If you are an excellent DIY carpenter, or simply would like to have a go, you can purchase raw materials from any local hardware store such as B&Q. The important thing is to utilise any space you wouldn't normally use, such as the lower eves of the sloping roof, as a low-level storage unit.
Suspended wall units give the illusion of space, and if their locations are chosen well, they could really make the most of the space. For example, a mirrored unit on a flat wall above your sink is a natural choice to keep toothbrushes, medicines and cosmetics away from other surfaces.
These need not be bespoke pieces either; shops such as IKEA have a great range of bathroom furniture with all of the fixtures and fittings included… as long as you can figure out their pictorial instructions!
During the conversion process, you will need to make sure it is suitably waterproof for the inevitable condensation and splashes produced in the day to day use of a bathroom.
It was once considered luxurious to have a carpeted bathroom, but in the modern day it is simply not practical, and when there are water-resistant stylish flooring options out there such as tiling and linoleum, you need not turn to carpeting.
Tiling your floor is ideal if you have installed an under-floor heating system or would like to utilise any local produce, such as slate. This helps support local businesses and also minimises your carbon footprint as the materials won't have to be shipped from afar.
Slate and other natural tiling materials bring a sense of the organic into the man-made home environment, so if you're looking for a more relaxing bathroom experience where you can take a break from the stresses and strains of life, natural tiling will meet your needs.
When it comes to the type of paint you use, most paint companies do the work for you with a dedicated bathroom range. The paint for a bathroom differs from that used in the rest of the home in that it is steam resistant due to the fact it is not water-based.
This means in its make-up it has a higher content of acrylic, although this can vary from brand to brand, making it easier to clean and won't wash off. Although like most surfaces in the home, it may need to be retouched from time to time.
This is the fun part! When it comes to furnishing your conversion you can pick a theme and run with it. A common bathroom theme includes the seaside; the white and blue of the sea brings in a breath of fresh air.
Then there's a splash of the organic using colours such as sand and green to blend with a natural wall or floor tile. Generally bold colours are best left to larger spaces as they can tend to make a small room feel too busy.
Instead, add a splash of colour with towels and removable objects such as soap dispensers and refillable shower gel bottles.
Just a handful of options have been mentioned here, but the main points to keep in mind are practicality, which includes storage and waterproofing, and designing a bathroom that meets your needs. Utilising your loft conversion as a second bathroom is a great investment, so make sure you get it right to make the most of it!


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The Avengers Trailer Will Be Shown After Captain America Credits
After a special screening of Captain America: The First Avenger for men and women serving in our military this weekend, it's been confirmed that a trailer for next year's big Marvel release The Avengers will roll following the former movie's credits. There is a chance you might have read about it on Twitter after servicemembers started spreading the news, however no "shaky-phone-cam" versions of the trailer have been reported yet. So, if you don't know one of the servicemembers who attended the screening and want to know what's in the trailer for The Avengers, click through for the spoilery details!
Nerdbastards has the synopsis of the trailer, which — one more time — contains spoilers. It begins — sort of like Thor's post-credits tease — with the character you just finished watching, Captain America, being confronted by Nick Fury. And then, it turns into a trailer for a whole new movie:
As the music kicked in, scenes of SHEILD, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), & Loki were shown!! It showed a hell of a lot of action! Thor had a brief costume change, just no chainmail under armor and his hair was a bit longer. Iron Man was shown in what looked like the Mark VI or maybe a new Mark VII armor!! I don't recall who was fighting who or what, but it was a lot of kick-assery!! And at the end of it all, Thor threw Minjor and then it flashed … The Avengers!
Shots of some action-packed scenes followed then ended with "The Avengers — Coming May 2012."
So, there's another groovy trailer to look forward to. In the meantime, we're still waiting for The Dark Knight Rises … come on WB guys, seriously …
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]


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By Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber, The Moscow Times, May 20, 2015
Even as Russia moves to reinforce its Soviet legacy, the efforts of other former Soviet republics to rid themselves of their Communist past — including Ukraine's new de-communization legislation that comes into force Thursday — attest to natural state-building processes that have been exacerbated by the current political crisis, political analysts told The Moscow Times.
Soviet-era statues of Bolshevik revolutionary Vladimir Lenin have been toppled or vandalized throughout Ukraine in recent months in an apparent effort to negate that country's historical ties to Russia, which it has accused of fueling strife and supporting warfare in the east of the country. Since the start of the crisis in early 2014, more than 300 monuments to Lenin and 70 statues of other Soviet figures have been demolished throughout the country, according to a report by Russia's Izvestia newspaper Wednesday.
Russian political analysts view former Soviet republics' efforts to distance themselves from their Communist history — and the accompanying political repression — as a necessary process to construct or retrieve a national identity that was stifled by overarching Soviet ideology. But the form, pace and intensity with which a former Soviet state parts — or reconnects — with the dark episodes of its past is intrinsically tied to its current political circumstances, they said. A New Ukraine
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed four laws last week that criminalize the public denial of the atrocities committed by the Soviet and Nazi regimes, and outlaw Soviet-era symbols, except for certain educational and scientific purposes. The new legislation also prohibits Nazi symbolism, opens up the secret service archives from the Soviet era and forbids the denial of Ukrainian nationalists' fight for independence during World War II. These nationalists, some of whom collaborated with the Nazis, were stigmatized during the Soviet era.
Soviet emblems will be removed from buildings, and streets and even cities bearing the names of Soviet-era figures will be changed, a process that will cost some 5 billion hryvnas ($240 million) during the next six months, according to Oleksandr Klymenko, Ukraine's former minister of revenue and duties, who criticized the move.
Individuals found guilty of violating the ban on Communist and Nazi symbols will face up to five years behind bars. Organizations, including media outlets, can be shut down or face criminal charges that carry up to 10 years in prison.
The law has attracted wide-ranging criticism. The OSCE representative for media freedom, Dunja Mijatovic, warned in a statement Monday that the new legislation, which she said was formulated in "broadly and vaguely defined language," could "easily lead to suppression of political, provocative and critical speech, especially in the media." Russian analysts have speculated the move could further alienate the factions of an already divided Ukrainian population. Political Catalyst
The issue of de-communization had not been high on the Ukrainian political agenda before the outbreak of the current political and international crisis in 2014.
Ukraine's conflict with Russia over the latter's annexation of Crimea last March and its alleged support for pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine has precipitated a process that took place much earlier in other former Soviet republics, according to Alexei Makarkin, deputy director at the Moscow-based Center for Political Technologies think thank.
"In recent decades, Ukrainian authorities, for the most part, had been on board with Russia and its shared history with Ukraine," he said. "But now that Ukraine has essentially lost Crimea and a chunk of the east, it is easier to begin. [De-communization] unites those who blame Russia for the crisis. It would have been more difficult to support prior to these major changes in the country's political landscape." Bucking the Trend
While statues of Lenin were toppled or quietly dismantled throughout most of the former Soviet Union, Russia has strongly advocated for the preservation of its Communist heritage. In Russia, as in other Soviet republics, the names of some metro stations, streets and cities were changed after the collapse of the Soviet Union. But as its ideological grip over the former republics seems to dwindle in the fallout over the Ukraine crisis, efforts to preserve and even glorify its controversial history seemed to have redoubled.
Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky wrote a letter to Gennady Zyuganov, the longtime head of the country's Communist Party, in which he pledged to protect Communist-era monuments. Zyuganov had appealed to the minister in an open letter over the destruction of Lenin monuments in Ukraine, which he said demonstrated confusion between anti-Soviet sentiment and Russophobia.
"Our position is that evidence of the Soviet era should be preserved to remind us of the power of the human spirit, the military heroism and labor of our predecessors," Medinsky's letter read, Izvestia reported Wednesday.
"This is the only way we can achieve the historical and cultural continuity necessary for the future of Russia. Lenin statues are certainly a part of our historical identity and the Culture Ministry will do everything in its power to preserve them."
There are still some 6,000 statues of Lenin throughout Russia, according to Izvestia. Avoiding the Present
Efforts to eradicate or glorify historical periods for political purposes are merely an attempt to compensate for leaders' inabilities to address pressing social and economic issues, said Viktor Mironenko, head of the Ukrainian Studies Center at the Russian Academy of Sciences' European Institute.
"The Ukraine crisis has led both Russian and Ukrainian authorities to foster a simplified form of nationalism in which there is very little room for nuance," he said.
The de-communization of other post-Soviet states, including the Baltic states — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — has been more abrupt than that of Ukraine. All three states have banned the public demonstration of Soviet symbols, though they continue to be proudly displayed on public holidays and at memorial events. The Baltic countries also rid their governments and security services of former members of the Communist hierarchy.
Alexander Bruter, a scholar at the Institute for Humanities and Political Studies in Moscow, claims that the Baltic states' decisive rejection of their Soviet past helped the countries be recognized in the West and eventually facilitated their accession to the European Union in 2004.
Latvian lawmakers submitted to parliament last week a bill that would outlaw the public demonstration of the St. George ribbon, a military decoration that has become a ubiquitous token of brash Russian patriotism after it was usurped by supporters of the country's annexation of Crimea last March. Since the St. George ribbon has begun to be associated with the pro-Russian rebels of eastern Ukraine, other former Soviet republics have unofficially banned the symbol, which has become synonymous with Russian territorial expansion.
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How is your lifestyle impacting your insurance?
Over the past two weeks we've brought you a couple different blog posts on the importance of reading over your insurance policies and understanding their limits. This week we want to go ahead and address your lifestyle as it pertains to your insurance needs.
Let's start with your biggest asset: your home.
Is your home protected?
Aside from knowing your policy limits, it is important to stay up to date on any exclusions that may be built into your Home Insurance policy. For example, did you know that leaving your home unoccupied may actually be a violation of the policy, and if a claim were to arise from an incident occurring while the home was vacant it might not be covered? Or, did you know that your personal Home Insurance will not cover your renters or any damages they may cause should you choose to use the home as an income property?
Let's take it a step further and discuss potential disasters that are not protected by a standard Homeowners policy: earthquake, flood and sewer backup. Each of these events can result in tens of thousands of dollars in damages.
New car, new insurance.
Chances are, when you buy a new car you are making an upgrade. If you have bought the vehicle outright, then how you insure is up to you; but if you finance, it is important (even required) that your vehicle have full coverage until the loan is paid off. Once that loan is paid off however, you are free to go ahead and downgrade your car insurance as you see fit.
Your broker can help you decide on these new terms, and whether or not it would be beneficial to include any other optional provisions.
Making a change? Contact your broker.
The moral here is that you need to be sure that your insurance policies fit your needs, and that your broker is aware of any changes in your life that might affect your policies.
Source – How well do you know your insurance policy?
Photo – © matsu05 – Fotolia.com
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Walk-In Shower Enclosures
Tailored to your bathroom
Walk-in shower enclosures are the only ones that truly adapt to your needs. With us, you can have your shower area custom built. It consists of several possible combinations of safety glass panels and is stabilized with elegant metal bars and fixing profiles which do not disturb the aesthetic purity of the design.
A solution for every inch of the bathroom
Choose from our model solutions or have the dimensions built to the last inch for your specific bathroom space. Flexible, including the slants, apertures and other non-standard requirements. All models of Walk-In shower enclosures are also available in black design - side profiles and W SET black (struts and supports).
No need for the shower tray
The enclosure will look its best directly on the floor with a built in draining groove or floor drain. It highlights the beauty of the ceramic floor tiling and will not limit your creativity when planning the size of your shower enclosure like the standardized tray sizes would.
The more, the merrier
Walk-in shower enclosures are ideal for showering in two. They allow a comfortably large space and invite the incorporation of other relaxation tools such as a hydromassage panel,, folding seats or rain shower heads.


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Gundam MG 1/100 - ZZ Gundam (Ver.Ka)
Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.
Anime janai! The next mobile suit to make its way to the Master Grade line-up is the ZZ Gundam Ver. Ka, as part of the 30th anniversary of "ZZ Gundam!" ! This newly designed version, overseen by renown mecha designer Hajime Katoki, is based around the elongated proportions in the Enhanced ZZ and Full Armor ZZ Gundam variants that appeared in the latter half of the anime series "ZZ Gundam". The ZZ Gundam Ver. Ka. is fully transformable! Combine the Core Base, Core top, and Core Fighter to create the G-Fortress! Mechanical detailing in the shoulders, knees, and waist utilize improved joints and sliding mechanisms for even more dynamic posing capabilities. Certain parts feature a special finish to further hi-light certain aspects of the kit. Set includes 2 core fighters, multi-tube missile launchers, Double beam rifle, Hyper beam saber x2, and interchangeable hand parts. Runner x17. Water slide decal x1. Foil sheet x1. Instruction manual x1.


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Help keep One Green Planet free and independent! Together we can ensure our platform remains a hub for empowering ideas committed to fighting for a sustainable, healthy, and compassionate world. Please support us in keeping our mission strong.
Following last year's decision to ban dolphin performances, Mexico City has just announced a ban on dolphinariums. Within six months, all captive facilities, including Dolphin Discovery Six Flags Mexico, have to relocate their captive dolphins.
Dolphins, just like whales, do not belong in aquariums or captivity at all. These extraordinarily intelligent and emotional animals often experience extreme frustration and psychological distress after being separated from their families and forced into tanks that are a mere fraction of their natural home.
Captive dolphins also suffer from illnesses that are truly unusual for their species in the wild. Since they have nowhere to escape, they often have injuries caused by tank mates – something that happens very rarely in their natural environment. Shut off in small pools, they start showing abnormal repetitive behaviors – signs of zoochosis. Bored and stressed every single day of their lives, they listlessly swim in circles or lie motionless. Dolphins have been observed self-harming, by slamming themselves against the sides of their tanks' walls, and even attempting suicide by intentionally flinging themselves out of their tanks or swallowing inedible stones. To calm the animals down, many captive facilities use psychoactive drugs – instead of acknowledging that it is the captivity itself that causes so many alarming problems.
Fortunately, more and more countries are now recognizing the problem that is marine mammal captivity and working towards freeing those beautiful animals. Chile, Costa Rica, and Croatia have already banned keeping cetaceans in captivity. In 2016, the National Aquarium in Baltimore started its plan to send its eight bottlenose dolphins to a sanctuary. This year, the Vancouver Aquarium shared that it will no longer keep whales and dolphins in captivity.
Once again, Mexico City is taking incredible steps to end the senseless captivity and exploitation of dolphins. The new ban is another win in the fight against marine mammal captivity and we hope it will inspire other governments to follow the lead and commit to emptying the tanks!
Image source: Guillaume Meurice/Pexels


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This seafood crepes recipe is a good make ahead dinner that may can help you get pleasure from your friends, quite than be fussing in the kitchen. We provide healthy meals and wholesome treats. Our chicken jerky is made from human grade, USDA Licensed chicken breast and beef jerky is produced from human grade, USDA Certified prime sirloin beef. Each 2oz bag is only $9.ninety nine and may be added to any food order.
Tried after another MoM posted this in our meal planning group and it is really good! Thanks for the recipe. 🙂 Subsequent time, I'll double the garlic and ginger, however that's only a desire. I've observed that almost all food bloggers' recipes name for much less seasonings than I desire, identical once I bought the supply boxes from 'those guys'.
Put the tofu and the marinade into the pot. Prepare dinner them for about 2 minutes more. Stir and serve. – Sauerkraut – Finely sliced cabbage, fermented in an hermetic container. It can be eaten as a relish, dressed with oil and onions as a salad, heated and served sizzling, or used as ingredient in different dishes.
Mashed potatoes are advantageous and delicious, but mashed sweet potatoes are even better. Add orange juice and maple syrup for taste, and add butter for a contact of creaminess. I would typically visit the Asian grocery store within the United States, buy the elements I wanted to check out Thai recipes, and then devour every thing I might prepare.
To keep issues easy, recipes on this website are grouped in accordance with age – so you can ensure that the elements are secure and applicable for YOUR child. Before roasting, Ina stuffs the cavity of chicken with aromatics like thyme and lemons to infuse flavor whereas it cooks. Pro tip: roasting radishes mellows out their usually peppery chunk.


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Tuition Tutors
Joyce Morrison (proprietor) is a qualified teacher, holding a first class honours teaching degree. Because of the demands from parents of children in her children's primary school, she opened an educational resource centre in Wallington.
The bookshop was intended to help parents support their children in school by offering current books and classroom resources, eleven plus papers and teacher assistance. However, teachers as well as those who home school are finding the shop invaluable. In addition, the tuition centre's excellent grammar pass rate is drawing parents from miles around for tuition.
The company is based on the belief that customers' needs are of the utmost importance. The entire team of first class private tutors and management staff is committed to meeting those needs. As a result, a high percentage of the business is from referrals. They would welcome the opportunity to earn your trust and deliver you the best service in the industry.
Educational Resources is located in Wallington, Surrey. Over the past ten years they have seen children deemed as under achieving match (some surpass) their peers educationally to the point of achieving admission to grammar school that others believed were out of their grasp. To them, "Every child has potential"
If we can tap into children, using the learning styles best suited to them, then we can help unleash the genius within. We teach then test rather than test then correct papers.
We are committed to helping you achieve that which you set out to do - get your child to PASS the 10+, 11+ or 13+ exams high enough to be offered a place in one of the schools of his/her choice.
Many of our current tutors hold a first class honours degree in their field. Consequently, our expectations are high and believe that given enough time, we can steer your child in the direction to gaining a place at:
Wilson's Boys
Wallington County Grammar
Sutton Grammar School
Wallington High School for Girls
St Olaves
Whitfgift (scholarship places)
Trinity (scholarship places)
11+ Options Mock Tests:
We currently run the only eleven plus English mock test (in the Sutton ares) that includes a written paper. In addition, our 11+ mock tests try to mimic real exams so parents have the option to allow their child to sit papers suited to the school of their choice rather than have their child sit unnecessary papers. We also offer the option to have a more detailed feedback for an additional fee.


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Grapevine World has been praised to the highest standards in the crypto world since its ICO pre-round in early February this year. But understandably, some might still be debating whether it's the kind of ICO they really need?
Grapevine is focusing on creating a world where healthcare quality is heightened, health data sharing is carried out with ease, and the health of populations worldwide is improved. Not a small task by any means, but they seem to have a lot of potential to succeed, and here are the 7 reasons why:
Grapevine Solves a Real-World Problem
One of the major problems in the healthcare industry today is a lack of interoperability. In other words, lack of ability of different technology systems and software applications to communicate and exchange health data. Why is this important? Because lack of interoperability means that if you move to another country, or even to another healthcare provider in the same city, you or the healthcare providers treating you, may not have access to your medical history and data, and this could potentially delay treatment, result in misdiagnosis, or even cause death.
On a larger scale, lack of interoperability also poses a major inconvenience for industry research giants, as lack of data means halted progress in research and innovation. This is where Grapevine World comes in. Grapevine proposes a decentralized borderless ecosystem for the seamless and standardized exchange of healthcare data.
Participants Are Paid for Using Grapevine
Individuals sharing their anonymized medical data with research institutions and universities will be rewarded crypto-tokens (GVINE tokens), that can further be used in exchange for products, apps, gadgets and medical advice within the Grapevine ecosystem.
There Is a Working Prototype and Live Pilots
Grapevine World already has a working (MVP) app, piloted by world leading healthcare & tech giants.. The aim of the pilot is to demonstrate the value of combining market-proven interoperability standards in health data exchange (IHE) and blockchain technology (Hyperledger Fabric) for tracking and assessing health data provenance.
You can try out the app for yourself by downloading it from Google Play, and later this summer from the App Store, to see how you can access, control and use your data to share with doctors or specialists for ongoing treatment.
A Strong Team with 120+ Years of Cumulative Experience
Grapevine has an all-star team with more than 120 years of cumulative experience in the healthcare IT and blockchain sectors. Martin Tiani as a Founder and Project Sponsor, Sasha Borovik as the Blockchain and Crypto-economic Advisor, and Yagub Rahimov on the ICO advisory, the team has got a strong potential to deliver a solid solution, combining health data standards (IHE) and blockchain in a single platform.
Backed by Big Organizations
Grapevine is backed by globally acclaimed organizations, such as Telekom Deutschland and Tiani Spirit. For those of you who might not be aware, Tiani Spirit is an organization which has over 350 years of experience in healthcare and is an established provider of an information exchange and interoperability software that is currently used worldwide.
Approved by the EU
From an investor's point of view, it's very comforting to note that the Grapevine technology has been officially recommended by the European Union and the ICO has been approved by the Austrian Financial Market Authority. Having the approval from these two entities is promising, to say the least.
Confirmed Exchange Listings
Lastly, Grapevine has multiple confirmed exchange listings including COBINHOOD, right after the ICO ends, making GVINE tokens available for trade against their cryptos. They will be announcing other exchange listings later this summer.
There you have it, 7 reasons why the Grapevine ICO would be a solid investment. Unlike most ICOs today, Grapevine is trying to make a difference in healthcare across the globe and that stands above all other benefits.
To learn more about the project head over to their official website and support the movement. The ICO runs from the 6th of July, 2018 until 15th of August, 2018.
Images courtesy of Grapevine, AdobeStock


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On Wisconsin: A Seminar Discussion on Rewind, WisconsinEye's Weekly News Roundup
What issues have dominated political news in Wisconsin this week?
Each week WisconsinEye produces a news roundup called "Rewind: Your Week in Review". Using primary source footage from the capital, senior journalists discuss the biggest political news of the week and comment on the larger implications of these events. This thirty-minute show exposes students to a broad range of issues that are important, timely and relevant to state politics and policy making. They will identify the people and groups who have influence in the state, and work to understand varying viewpoints on complex issues making history in Wisconsin today.
Download the Rewind: Your Week in Review lesson plan


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8 years ago by
You should see me during my photo shoots these days. Such a pro. No, I haven't transformed into Karlie Kloss, but it's true that, with the launch of my book (wooooohoooo!!!), I'm spending a lot of my time talking about my life and posing for photos.
The thing is, with
all these years of experience, I've made a crazy science out of posing. I know my best profile, I know which poses make me look like I've gained ten pounds and which ones erase five, and I definitely know how to laugh on command, like I have that authentic burst of laughter down. I can go on jumping to "add movement to the photo" as long as a Duracell bunny (that reference came out of nowhere) and, recently, I've even learned to work on my "angles". Yes, yes, ladies and gentlemen. Apparently, I have angles.
I don't get mad at all when people talk about me like an inanimate object: "The hair is a bit crooked there. The leg looks gloomy, we need to try another pose. This coat makes her look like Hillary Clinton" (hey, I take that as a compliment) – it makes me laugh, I see exactly what they're talking about, I change my pose, and make the coat work.
I haven't learned to cry on command yet, but only because no one's ever asked me to.
The crazy thing is, with all of that, plus my overflowing enthusiasm (I'm the least blasée girl in the world and, if I could, I'd come to photo shoots with a homemade apple pie every time), plus the photographers, makeup artists, stylists, and talented hairstylists, you'd think 99% of my photos would be at top Giselitude.
But, alas…no.
As we all know, when you do a photo shoot, whether it's with GeeDeeOré or Jennifer Lawrence (might as well put our names together in the same sentence, right?) only 1% of the thousands of photos taken are actually good.
So imagine when you're dealing with photos taken randomly during fashion week, or selfies at the end of the night when you're looking glassy-eyed at Raspoutine (I'm name dropping to sound like I'm in the know, but I haven't actually been yet) or in the yellowish light of the metro when you're hungover in the morning. Ouch.
Or, worse, on a beautiful day when you're feeling great, fresh-faced, good outfit, good attitude, and suddenly a stranger
offers you flowers wants to take your photo, and you look at the photo and immediately want to break up with yourself by text and post the message on Texts from your Ex.
Yep. Photos have a crazy power over us. Especially in this infernal world of Instagram and Snapchat that we live in, where image is everything. And I'm warning you – it's not about to stop. As time goes on, the more photos are going to take over reality. That's how we'll meet each other, how we'll communicate with each other, and how we'll live.
Taken with a philosophical attitude, you could say our photo image is a friend. Besides the idea that images capture the memory of a moment, they're also a tool that allows us to see ourselves from another perspective (I learned a lot about my style from seeing myself in photos, because they give a real perspective that you can't get in the mirror) and images really help us communicate in the digital world. I love Skype and FaceTime. I communicate with the people I'm close to (my sister, Laetitia, for example) through millions of selfies. As time goes on, the more our photo image will become an ally to us in our interpersonal communication.
But the thing is, images lie just as much as they tell the truth. Instagram is overwhelming proof of that with its unending chain of perfect photos that are all totally curated and super filtered.
And we love it!
Even though sometimes we see people we know from Instagram in real life and… we don't really recognize them.
Those little rearrangements of reality never really bothered me. For example, people often tell me I only take pictures of beautiful people – but the thing is, beauty is subjective, and, on the other hand, it's true that I always take photos of people from the best possible angle and in the best possible light.
But that's because it's the way I see life: very soft, luminous, and kind. I wouldn't change that just to represent a so-called reality that I don't personally see, myself.
Plus, I do love super beautiful Instagram accounts. They make me dream. They inspire me. OK, sure, sometimes it can be annoying. I am human, after all.
What's a little crazier is when the Internet creates a completely deformed version of reality. And people end up believing in their virtual personality more than their real personality. I've heard of people getting their nose redone "just to look better in photos."
The problem isn't so much these isolated cases. The problem isn't even really which reality we live in, whether it's real or virtual. Everyone has to decide for themselves, and one day we might not even really be able to tell the difference.
The problem is, the standards of the virtual world are becoming stricter, and it's more relentless than the real world. And we have a tendency these days to go for total domination over our image – I'm not even talking about the whole system of having followers, because I think that's going to fall apart one day. I'm talking about the pressure to only show the best version of ourselves.
Before, we could be more relaxed. The people around us knew us personally, and could form an opinion based on multiple aspects of our character. Our image didn't carry so much weight — it could fluctuate. But I feel like that is starting to disappear these days.
Maybe that's why we like TV shows so much. The story can go on and on and we have an opportunity to really get into a character's psyche instead of staying on the surface.
The funny thing is to watch teenagers these days. You should always watch teenagers. They're so much smarter than us – they're perfectly aware that all of these idealized images belong to virtual reality. When they see each other in person, they don't expect everyone to have Facetuned skin. OK, at the same time, they're pretty much only getting together to check their phones. But anyway. We do the same thing.
What I wanted to say is, it's time to learn how to laugh on command, to jump gracefully for no reason, and to familiarize yourself with your angles. Yes, you do have angles.
The future's just taken an incredibly photogenic turn…
What about you? What relationship do you have with your photo image?
Translated by Andrea Perdue


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Reuben Harry Lowery
(Obituary ~ 01/18/14)
Reuben Harry Lowery, age 84, resident of Fort Scott, Kan., died Thursday morning, Jan. 16, at his home. He was born Sept. 23, 1929, the son of Albert Dewey and Odessa Bryner Lowery. He married Ruth Caroline Dennison on May 23, 1959, in Overland Park, Kan. ...
Delbert J. Hart
(Obituary ~ 01/18/14)
Delbert J. Hart, 66, Topeka, passed away Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014. He was born Oct. 8, 1947, in Dallas, Texas, the son of Jack Hart and Myrtle Martha Morgan. He was a U.S. Army veteran serving during Vietnam War. He is survived by his children, Ethan D. Hart, Fort Scott, Kan., and Jennifer R. Hart, Texas and four siblings. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Bobby Hart and step-father, Edward Joe Morgan...
Dr. David Arthur Otto
(Obituary ~ 01/18/14)
Dr. David Arthur Otto, formerly of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away Jan. 15, 2014, in Charlotte, N.C. He was born in Fort Scott, Kan., Feb. 19, 1934 to Clifton Crain Otto and Marie Armentia (Dellinger) Otto. He graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1952. ...
Schedule for MLK Day events at FSCC
(Local News ~ 01/18/14)
Fort Scott Community College will be observing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with the showing of films and an evening program called "Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Words and Music." All events will take place on Monday, Jan. 20, at the college. The films, which are open to anyone, will be shown in the Gordon Parks Museum in the Ellis Family Fine Arts Center and are as follows:...
Time for lunch, conversation with friends
(Local News ~ 01/18/14)
Friends (from left) Howard Kivett, Audrey and James "Tex" Crutcher and Glenn Newcomer enjoy conversation following a warm meal during the Friendship Soup Lunch on Friday afternoon at the First United Methodist Church. The meals take place on the third Friday of each month through March...
Resolved: Tournament is a boon for local economy
(Local News ~ 01/18/14)
The Class 1-3A and 4A Kansas State Debate Tournaments, currently taking place this weekend at Fort Scott High School and Fort Scott Middle School, should undoubtedly be a boon to the local economy. USD 234 is hosting about 200 debate teams from across Kansas and nearly all of the classrooms at both schools have been occupied for the event, which began Friday...
State debate tournaments underway
(Local News ~ 01/18/14)
An estimated 1,200 high school students, coaches and parents from around the state, flocked to Fort Scott for this weekend's Debate State Championship for classes 4A and 3-2-1A. During the debate tournament kickoff assembly in the FSHS auditorium Friday morning, Amber Toth, FSHS debate and forensics team coach, implored participants of the state debate tournament to thank their respective debate team coaches for the effort they have made to get them to this point, and most of all, for believing in them.. ...
Tiger freshmen girls win four of first five
(High School Sports ~ 01/18/14)
Fort Scott High School's freshman girls' basketball team has started the season off well, winning four of its first five games. The Tigers defeated Labtte County at home on December 13 by a score of 46-38. Karlee Stanley led Fort Scott with 14 points that night followed by Emily Hale with 11 and Kelsey Carpenter with 10...
Eagle teams seeded 3rd in modified tourney
(High School Sports ~ 01/18/14)
The Pleasanton Mid-Season Tournament has only seven teams this season and has undergone a format change to accommodate that fact. In essence, there will be two tournaments played during the week. The field has been split into two pools on both the boys' and girls' sides. There will be a "championship" pool of four teams for the top four seeds and a "consolation" pool of three teams for the bottom three seeds...
Tiger girls sixth seed in Frontenac tourney
(High School Sports ~ 01/18/14)
Fort Scott boys draw top-seeded Riverton Thursday
Post play leads 'Hounds in win
(Local News ~ 01/18/14)
gins Wednesday night, Fort Scott Community College's women had a combined 42 points and 20 rebounds from its post players in a 72-54 victory over the Missouri Valley College junior varsity at Arnold Arena Friday night. Jessica McAdams a 6-foot-1 freshman from Miller, Mo., finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds. ...
Stories from Saturday, January 18, 2014
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Dutch retailer Royal Ahold NV, which operates U.S. supermarket chains Stop & Shop and Giant, has agreed to merge with its Belgian counterpart Delhaize Group, in a deal that creates a $29 billion company that will serve over 50 million customers a week across the Atlantic.
The all-shares merger, which will lead to the formation of a single company called Ahold Delhaize with more than 6,500 stores, is expected to be completed in mid-2016, subject to regulators' and shareholder approval, the companies said Wednesday in a joint press release.
Based on the companies' market values on Wednesday, the new company would be worth about 26 billion euros ($29 billion).
Delhaize, which owns supermarkets throughout Belgium, also operates the Hannaford and Food Lion stores in the eastern United States. As well as its U.S. stores, Ahold owns the Albert Heijn chain of supermarkets, which has more than 850 stores in the Netherlands and 25 in Belgium.
"This is a true merger of equals, combining two highly complementary businesses to create a world-leading food retailer," Jan Hommen and Mats Jansson, the chairmen of Ahold and Delhaize said.
Delhaize shareholders will receive 4.75 Ahold shares for each Delhaize share. Ahold shareholders will own around 61 percent of the new company and Delhaize shareholders the rest.
The two retailers had combined sales last year of 54.1 billion euros ($60.6 billion). They said that the deal will involve one-off costs of 350 million euros that will create annual savings of 500 million euros year from the third year after the deal's completion.
Ahold chief executive officer Dick Boer will become CEO of the merged company, while Delhaize CEO Frans Muller will be his deputy.
Stop & Shop and Hannaford are the is New England's largest grocery store and third largest grocery stores in New England, respectively, according to The Boston Globe.


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Summer is a great time to be a dog owner – walks in the morning light and warm evenings socialising with fellow pet owners makes spending time with your pet even more special.
However, there are also extra considerations that pet owners need to take into account when out and about with their pet. Issues such as how to deal with scorching weather or grass seed infections are things that every pet owner should know.
So, with you and your pet able to enjoy the summer months safely, there is no reason not to get out and enjoy this brilliant time of year – and where better to do so than at the beach?
Here are five of Petplan's favourite dog-friendly beaches from all across the UK…
Before you take your dog out to a new place – especially somewhere with plenty of potential hazards such as a beach – there are some things that need to be considered…
Make sure you keep your dog on a leash. As all pet owners know, dogs can run off if excited or anxious. Make sure you keep your dog on a leash (especially when walking along cliffs) and only let them off when you are in a safe environment where they can't come to any harm.
Check the tide times. This is something all people, whether they have a pet or not, should check out before going to the beach. Tides can come in very quickly and trap people and animals on exposed areas. Ensure you know when the tides come in and go out so you can plan your trip safely.
Give your pet a thorough clean after your visit. Everyone knows how dirty they can feel after a day at the beach – so imagine what it's like for your dog. Give them a thorough clean when you get home and pay special attention to their paws, where any remaining salt and sand can cause damage.
Now here are the beaches...
Penhale Sands Beach, north Cornwall
Located on the north coast of Cornwall, Penhale Sands is the perfect place to take your dog on a warm summer day.
The sandy beach is more than four miles square and can be accessed by car or by talking a stroll along the South West Coast Path that runs through the sand dunes.
As it is one of the few beaches in the area that allow dogs all-year-round, it is always teeming with fellow dog owners and their pets so you and your dog will not be short of company on this beautiful beach.
Rhossili Bay Beach, Gower
Regularly voted amongst the most beautiful beaches in Europe, Rhossili Bay at the far tip of the Gower Peninsular, also has the added benefit of allowing dogs on it throughout the summer.
There is a fairly strenuous set of steps to negotiate to get down to the beach itself, but the expansive beach is well worth the effort, as its isolated location means it's never crowed despite its reputation.
For those dog walkers who are keen to avoid the steps, a walk along the top of the cliffs along to Worm's Head provides a gentle stroll that still produces stunning views and a revitalizing hit of fresh sea air.
Kingsgate Bay, Broadstairs
Located between the far more famous and, as a result, far more busy, Margate and Ramsgate, Kingsgate Bay is a beautiful little beach at the very far end of Kent.
Dogs are allowed during the summer months, and the white chalk cliffs with some fine sea caves mean there is plenty to keep you and your pet entertained.
Lunan Bay, Arbroath
Located on the east coast of Scotland, Lunan Bay is amongst the most beautiful beaches in Scotland and the perfect place to take your dog for a day out – regardless of the weather.
The beach is located in beautiful countryside, and provides the perfect focal point for a weekend getaway, thanks to an abundancy of cottages and homes to rent in the Arbroath region.
Flanked by sand dunes and small cliffs, Lunan Bay allows you and your pet to completely get away from the stresses of daily life and spend some quality time enjoying the summer weather.
Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear
The North East has plenty of great beaches and Whitley Bay is amongst the best.
Harking back to the glory days of the British seaside resort, the beach allows dogs all-year-round and provides plenty of activities for families – including an aquarium, lots of places to sit and relax with an ice cream and a lovely promenade to stroll down with your dog.
It's a Blue Flag award-winning beach and has ample parking, making it a perfect destination for a day trip.
Where are your favourite beaches to take your dog? Let us know your tips and stories below…


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UNITED Amara Bank (UAB), one of the largest financial institutions in Myanmar, will issue more than 15,000 Visa credit cards by the end of this year, says Christopher Loh, the bank's chief executive officer and special adviser to the chairman.
Loh announced on Tuesday the launch of UAB's first suite of credit cards with Visa in the country. He said three types of Visa cards would be offered; Classic, Gold and Platinum, depending on an applicant's monthly income.
Those aged 21 and older can register for the Classic card if they earn at least 300,000 kyats (Bt7,360) a month. Income of at least 1 million kyats is required for the Gold card, while Platinum card holders should have a monthly income of at least 2 million kyats, Loh said.
"We are aiming to issue more cards, depending on the market demand," Loh said. "The market is still very young, and a number of exciting things have been planned. Hopefully you will see more and more products in the coming months."
"With the launch of the cards, our customers can now shop and travel with UAB, giving them the convenience of cashless payments and many discounts and benefits with participating merchants both locally and overseas." He said the cards could be used for payment at more than 44 million international Visa merchants in 200 countries, including 7,000 in Myanmar. The users can also enjoy interest-free usage of up to 45 days.
Additionally, the cards will have benefits such as contactless payments with Visa payWave; cash advances at ATMs with Visa logos in Myanmar and globally; access for Platinum cardholders at over 800 lounges in 400 international airports up to six times; and travel, hotel, hospital and dining discounts with participating merchants.
More benefits for cardholders "These cards are designed to help the customer get more benefits not available when using cash for payments. The cards also have special features for fraud prevention and features to avoid the card getting worn out with regular use," Loh said.
"We are delighted to be able to work with Visa, the global leader in payments, to provide our customers with easy access to both local and international payments. This new milestone will deepen our retail banking presence.
Together with other new initiatives, we are planning to bring new value to the market."
Established in 2010, the bank has more than 2,500 employees in 76 branches across the nation, serving more than half a million customers. UAB plans to expand its branch network and to launch its own mobile banking service in the coming months, Loh said.
Visa Country manager Arturo Planell said greater access to financial products such as Visa credit cards would enable UAB customers to pay with greater confidence at home and abroad. "Humans are always on the go. So we want to make sure that they have multiple payment options," he said.
Planell said the cooperation played a crucial role in Visa's efforts to change the culture by providing people with opportunities to try electronic payments for the first time.
Source: Myanmar Eleven


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Online stores can provide convenience and savings not found in traditional brick and mortar stores. They also require you to exercise additional caution as you shop. If you don't know an online retailer by its brand or reputation, these tips can help you determine whether they're operating a secure and trustworthy Web site before you enter your credit card number or personal information.
Before you choose an online store . . .
- Do a thorough background check. Look for a physical address (not a Post Office box), request a catalog by mail, or call and speak with a company representative by telephone.
- Explore their Web site and watch for trusted third-party seals of approval such as:
|Better Business Bureau Online
Companies can put these seals on their sites only if they abide by a set of rigorous standards—such as how complaints and disputes will be resolved and how personal information can be used. If you don't find any of these or similar seals on the site, look in the privacy policy or "Terms & Conditions" which should always be clearly posted on the site, generally right on the home page.
Tip: If you do see the seals above, click on them to make sure they link to the organization that created them. Some unscrupulous merchants will put these logos on their sites without permission, and they're less likely to get caught if they don't link back to the site.
• Find out what other shoppers have to say about an online store on comparison sites such as epinions or Bizrate. These sites have customer evaluations built into their design with a number of smiley faces or stars.
• Review their shipping methods and policies to determine what carriers they use, their shipping rates, and if they provide tracking and insurance. Also find out where they ship from—goods are sometimes sent from international locations, which require customs clearance and extra time.
Before you submit your credit card number . . .
So, you've done your homework. You have found the perfect item at the perfect price and you're ready to make the purchase. Before you enter your credit card number, make sure that the store you've chosen abides by the following rules:
The company should request only personal information that's absolutely necessary to complete the transaction. You will probably enter your credit card number, shipping address, and telephone number. Be wary if they ask for other information such as your Social Security number, Bank Account number, or your mother's maiden name (something that is often used by banks as a password for telephone access to personal banking information.)
Note: Reputable companies may ask for your interests by having you check certain boxes. This information should not be required to complete the purchase.
The Web site must use secure network technology to ensure the privacy of your information. When you get to the screen where you enter your credit card number or any other personal information, make sure the Web address begins with https: (for example, https://www.4sale.com/). When you are on a secure https page, a tiny locked padlock appears near the bottom right of the screen, as illustrated below.
Example of Website using https in address and a secure site "lock icon"
Use Online Payment Brokers like PayPal
PayPal for Buyers
PayPal for Sellers
What are the Benefits of Using PayPal?
| It's Fast – Payments are made immediately, quicker than sending checks or money orders.
It's Private – PayPal does not reveal your financial information to sellers.
It's Global – PayPal is accepted worldwide, and can be used to make payments locally or internationally.
| It's Easy – Send money to anyone in just a few clicks.
Iaast's Trusted – Industry-leading fraud prevention keeps you safe and secure.
It's Cost-Effective – It's free to send money, and PayPal is affordable for businesses of all sizes.
PayPal Helps to Protect Your Account — and Your Purchases
PayPal's industry-leading fraud prevention measures and our one-of-a-kind method of keeping your financial information private from sellers make us a safe way to pay online. Plus, we offer the following to protect your purchases:
- 100% protection against unauthorized payments sent from your account
- Dispute resolution on PayPal purchases
- Purchase protection on eBay — PayPal Buyer Protection
Trust your instincts
If a site matches all the criteria presented above, then there's a good chance that the site is both legitimate and reliable. But as with most things online or off, if you get a bad feeling about a store, online or local, then skip it and find somewhere else to shop.
Protect yourself
Are you auction savvy?
Keep your PC Clean and Secure!
It is also important to keep your computer system free from Viruses, Spyware, and Security Vulnerabilities in order to keep your personal information safe and prevent credit card fraud and identity theft. No matter how cautious you are in making your on-line purchases, your personal information can be compromised in an instant if your computer is infected with dangerous and malicious software. More information on keeping your PC Secure.
More information available at Microsoft At-Home Security.


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Stay informed with the
NEW Casino City Times newsletter!
Gaming News
Australian Gaming Monitor Criticized22 October 2002
AUSTRALIA – As reported by the Australian Age.com: "Victoria's Office of Gaming Regulation has come under fresh criticism for failing to act against the founder of a children's charity charged with rigging car raffles worth up to $8 million.
"An investigation by state ombudsman Barry Perry has criticised the failure of the OGR's former director of gaming and betting, Bill Lahey, to inform the Victorian Casino and Gaming Authority about police concerns over the conduct of Kids At Sea and founder Lawrence Shannon.
"…Police told Mr Lahey that the Office of Gaming Regulation could be embarrassed if it were made public that the charity conducted raffles during the police investigation.
"…Mr Shannon was subsequently arrested in January and charged with conspiracy to cheat and defraud; obtaining property by deception; obtaining financial advantage by deception; theft; and false accounting.
"…The chairman of the authority's board, Brian Forrest, told Dr Perry he first became aware of problems with the charity and Mr Shannon's arrest after reading an Age article in January.
"Mr Forrest said the board subsequently wrote to Mr Shannon requesting he surrender the raffle permit. Mr Forrest said the board took the action because it was advised that the charity had a history of not paying prizes…"


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"i know i'll never be lonely. i've got songs in my blood." so say noah and the whale on their album the first days of spring. i like this lyric because most of the time there is a song playing in my head, at least, if i'm not whistling, humming or singing it aloud.
but what draws us to music? what factors determine the music we kinda sorta like (we might say 'it's okay …' gosh, how i hate when that happens in conversation), the music we dismiss as so last year, the music that gets our gag reflex going, or the music we come back to again and again, no matter how unpopular (or popular) it's gotten?
music is a consuming passion for so many people these days. so how do we decide what to listen to?
for me, when it comes to new music, i just sort of stumble onto artists or albums. i like to browse amazon's indie music section to see what's up. i do not read paste (usually), scour music blogs or go to concerts, so mostly any music trend i become a part of is purely by accident.
and, since i've never heard of most of the groups listed, i check out albums based on cover art or cleverness of band/album name. if the artwork or the names creep me out, i will not listen to the music. period. (i know, that's weird.) sometimes the cool people i know who actually read paste, scour music blogs and go to concerts give me music suggestions, which i may or may not follow up on, based on whether or not i remember. i also browse through the cds at my library, which can turn up some fun, odd entries (ben folds songs a cappella, anyone?). and then i sometimes listen to the radio … 96.5 0r 93.3 in kansas city for indie/pop music, or 91.5 (the lawrence npr station) for jazz, weird retro tunes and bluegrass/folk/whatever else they throw on the spinner.
i was trained in classical piano for 14 years, so i also love select composers/works i'm familiar with from endless recitals, music education and kansas city friends of chamber music concerts. admittedly there's a lot still in this category to explore, but i've expanded in the last few years to include opera and ancient music. new can be good, but old's often better, i've found.
which category can include old pop music. my parents are baby boomers and grew up in the great musical decades of the '50s, '60s and '70s, so some of those have been ingrained in my musical psyche (where have all the flowers gone?). we also love classic movies from the '30s and '40s, and i enjoy swing dancing, so i also have soft spots for ella fitzgerald, billie holiday, louie armstrong and frank sinatra, just to name a few.
then there are those songs/albums/artists i never get tired of. sean watkins and nickel creek are the best examples. anything by nickel creek is shockingly well done, fun to listen to, and pretty much clean. they're all broken up and have separate/intersecting projects now, but sean watkins is my favorite by far of the three. i think i'd acquire just about anything he was a part of musically (unless i really, really disliked it for some reason). nickel creek were recommended to me by several friends when i was 15-16. i finally checked them out and was glad i did (ben folds and bjork, into which i also made forays at the time, did not fare so well). a lot of memories are now associated with these songs.
Christian/'church' music is an entirely different category that requires its own discussion (and it's a topic i have thoughts on and would like feedback on, too, so i'll get to it eventually), so i won't tackle it here. but in the future.
so that's a little on how i decide what music to listen to. it's garbled and random, i know. how do you decide what to listen to? how do you decide what music you like, and what music you love?


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US destroyer 'appears' to have fallen under new attack off Yemen – Pentagon
Just two days after the US launched retaliatory strikes in Yemen and vowed to continue with the "self-defense" measures it deems necessary, the USS Mason has allegedly fallen under attack for the third time in a week, according to the Pentagon.
"The Mason once again appears to have come under attack in the Red Sea, again from coastal defense cruise missiles fired from the coast of Yemen," Navy Admiral John Richardson, chief of naval operations, told reporters at an event in Baltimore on Saturday.
UPDATED: @USNavy Assessing Alledged Attack on USS Mason near Yemen. https://t.co/A7wAI99IcR— U.S. Naval Institute (@NavalInstitute) October 16, 2016
The US warship had to deploy countermeasures to avert being hit by an undisclosed number of missiles that were said to have come from Yemen's Houthi-controlled territory.
"Earlier today, a US Strike Group transiting international waters in the Red Sea detected possible inbound missile threats and deployed appropriate defensive countermeasures," Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Gary Ross said in a statement to Navy's USNI News.
The US intelligence is still assessing the situation. No American personnel suffered any injuries.
Saturday's strike against USS Mason is the third that the ship suffered in a week. According to the Pentagon the ship was previously targeted last Sunday and again on Wednesday.
In response to the second reported attack, President Obama authorized retaliatory strikes against the radar installations that the US believes were used by the Houthi rebels to attack its ship in the international waters of the Red Sea.
"They have everything that they need to defend themselves from these attacks and respond when needed and so we're proud of the crews – they've done terrific," Richardson told reporters.
Obama's response escalated the US' involvement in the 19-month-long civil war, tainted by the indiscriminate bombing of civilians by the Saudi-led coalition which has been documented using American and British munitions.
The US President also threatened to take active countermeasures if strikes against US vessels in the region continue.
Targeted 'radar sites' involved in recent missile launches towards #USSMason & other vessels https://t.co/UC6Vdh4z4y— RT America (@RT_America) October 13, 2016
The Houthis previously denied launching any attacks against the US vessel, and expressed readiness to cooperate with any international investigations into the matter.
Earlier this week, the Pentagon admitted that the US was unaware of who actually "pulled the trigger," only asserting that missiles came from the rebel-controlled area. The US side also implicated Iran, pointing towards its support of the rebels.
The Islamic Republic, for its part, sent a small armada to the Gulf of Aden as a show of force in the wake of US accusations.
READ MORE: Iranian warships deployed off Yemen coast after US bombs Houthi targets
Saudi Arabia, along with eight Arab state allies, began a military operation in Yemen in March 2015 at the request of Yemeni President Hadi, a Sunni, who fled the country after Shiite Houthi rebels seized the capital of Sana'a. The rebels recognize Abdullah Saleh as their leader, who was, the country's previous president forced to step down back in 2012.
READ MORE: Coalition strike on Yemen funeral based on bad info – Saudi-led investigators' statement
A UN-backed peace process to end the civil war has yielded few results. The war has so far killed an estimated 10,000 people, nearly half of them civilians, according to the United Nations.


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17 comments:
STOP IT! Amelia with the lipstick. I'm DYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ReplyDeleteReplies
She loves lipstick... and blush, and perfume and basically anything totally girly!Delete
Took a look around and oh my goodness - those two Valentine's day crafts are adorable!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks for stopping by. We are definitely a little craft obsessed in this house.Delete
the valentine art looks great!ReplyDelete
Kudos to you for learning how to shoot in manual mode! It's on my bucket list this year. Oh, and cleaning in tutus...adorable! I wonder if I can get away with that. XoReplyDelete
Here's my Friday recap: http://www.thenewlywedpilgrimage.com/memoir/coffee-date-friday-1Replies
Manual mode is a scary thing at first, but once you start practicing it becomes a lot easier quickly. I can definitely see a difference in my photos. What type of camera do you have?Delete
I don't think I'd want to wear my tutu while cleaning - that thing is huge! But a tiara is always an option!ReplyDelete
One of my friends on Facebook posted a pic of his young daughter in her hockey goalie uniform - cutest thing ever!!Replies
Haha, my tutu would be huge too! A tiara sounds good to me :)Delete
Very cool that your photography got featured! I am most looking forward to getting this house cleaned back up after a very hectic week. A clean house equals a calm heart for me. I have to start the new week with our shiz together.ReplyDeleteReplies
My house is a total disaster. I had to create a daily cleaning schedule for the week because we are having my daughter's birthday party here this weekend. AhhhhhDelete
I love the Valentine's Day craft! So fun!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you so much! We LOVE doing crafts. Always a fun time.Delete
LOVE the pair of lipstick shots. TOO cool. AND that Valentine's art is awesome!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks a ton! and thanks for stopping by!Delete
I am so in love with the lipstick pics! Just precious!!!ReplyDelete