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Changing the Tiny Arduino clock between 1MHz and 8MHz
Simplest and Cheapest Arduino
- There are five IO, each IO can be Input or Output
- Among the five IO, two of the IO can perform as PWM
- Among the five IO, three of the IO can perform as Analog Input
- 五个IO,各个IO可以设成输入(Input)或者输出(Output)
- 其中三个IO可以设成Analog输入
8 Channel Relay Box
Wireless Router Home Automation
Connecting ULN2803 Line Driver to Arduino
If you are using Arduino (or any other TTL device) to control 4 channel relays or more, I would suggest to use ULN2803 Line Driver instead of Transistors or FETs. You can use ULN2003 which is much more cheaper if you plan to use not more than 7 channel relays.
The ULN2803 Integrated Circuit (IC) is a "Eight-way Line Driver". It allows you to interface TTL signals (5v) with higher voltage/current (50V/500ma) loads.
As shown in figure 1 and figure 2, an Arduino is control 8 relays, one using ULN2803 line driver and the other one using transistors, both circuit are equivalent.
16 Output Arduino Controller
ATTiny45/ATTiny85 Arduino based Camera Control
Control Arduino via PHP (EasyPHP)
The Arduino Duemilanove (not Arduino Uno) is control by a computer over the network or internet via PHP. This article assumed that you already install WAMP web server & Arduino driver in your computer.
My Arduino Duemilanove is connecting to the USB port of my computer, the USB serial com port is detected as COM4.
ATTiny45/ATTiny85 Infra-Red PS2 Keybard (ATIR)
Original project is on http://www.circuitcellar.com/avr2006/winners/AT3296.htm published in AVR contest 06 by Steven Savage. But the link is not available any more.
The interface plugs into a PS2 keyboard port on the PC and accepts commands from the infrared remote. I'm using an ordinary DVD remote (38KHz) to control my computer.
The original schematic is not correct, I had make the correction for PC Data & PC Clock of SV1.


text: We are proud to be associated with a success story from DRCA. The support we provide to our local talents is embodied by start of the moment, "Rag'n'Bone Man" the artist whose real name is Rory Graham had his first hit single in 2016 with 'Human', released on Columbia Record, in collaboration with record producer Mark Crew, who is based here at the DRCA. His debut album, also called Human, was released on February 10, selling 117,000 copies in the first week.

subset: commoncrawl


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Drawing silly things makes me really happy. My monsters get to go on exciting adventures and I can really zone in on all of the little folds in adorable pug faces. I also can't tell you how many times I've drawn myself with a hairstyle I'm thinking of trying before I actually go do it. I really can't, because it's embarrassing. I love drawing with pens, putting together stencils for screen prints, and sometimes I even give comics a shot.
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Only two weeks away from the end of 2016, and China's film market is still 2.6 billion yuan away from tying with 2015's total box office revenue.
With two distinctively different films hitting the cinemas last Friday, Zhang Yimou's "The Great Wall" and a movie version of the popular documentary "Masters in the Forbidden City", the battle for the box office is in full swing.
'Great Wall' vs 'Masters in the Forbidden City'
The Great Wall marks Zhang's first English-language debut and is a hugely ambitious China-U.S. co-production.
"Although this film is in the monster genre, it has my own trademark and very strong hints of Chinese culture, just like I did before in my previous films," he said.
Meanwhile, "Masters in the Forbidden City" is a more humble production, originally a three-episode TV documentary broadcast in 2015 on China Central Television.
The TV version became an instant internet hit, receiving 2 million views and being rated by internet users as one of the most influential documentaries.
And this new movie version aims to scan the old Imperial Palace and uncover more secrets with restoration technology.
"I feel very happy knowing the documentary has drawn the attention of quite a lot of young people. I believe all filmmakers would like their work to have some impact on young people, who are the future of the world. We need more diversity in the film market," said Xiao Han, director.
Although the market did see a growing amount of diversity, this year's stats show that it is not doing well.
During the spring quarter of 2016, China's movie market received a whopping 3 billion yuan at the box office. Experts even predicted the yearly box office take would reach 60 billion yuan.
But the momentum gradually declined since April and the market didn't perform well during the two golden periods: the summer vacation season and the national day holiday season.
Compared to the rapid growth of the past few years, it seems the market is cooling down.
"China's box office sales have increased from 1 billion yuan to 40 billion yuan in the past decade as the industry has adopted more market-oriented reform measures," said Zhang Hongsen, director of Film Bureau State Admin. of Radio, Film & Television.
"In fact, the film market has posted an average growth of 35 percent year on year since 2003. In 2015 alone, it grew a whopping 48.7 percent. The 2016 market is cooling down. The numbers have their meanings, but what's more important is the quality of the films. "
Quality before quantity... it seems that the combination of starry casts, and big budgets no longer guarantees high box office revenues.
During the next two weeks, another round of home productions are set to be released, including actor-turned-director Derek Yee's "Sword Master"; "The Ferryman" produced by Wong Karwai, and "Railroad Tigers" starring kung fu superstar Jackie Chan.
Maybe one of them will break the box office curse, but one thing is for sure: the whole industry is set to continue its uphill battle next year.


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1991 - Dredging Gledhow Lake
by Isobel Eyre
These photographs, taken by Isobel Eyre, show Gledhow Lake being dredged by Leeds City Council. Dredging is carried out to clear the lake of accumulated silt and debris and is done roughly every 15-20 years.
If you have any photos or stories about Gledhow Valley Woods which you would like to share, please contact us so we can add them to the site.


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Here's a snippet for you:
"I used a program to copy a few seconds from the DVD of the movie Rudy," he said. "It's the scene showing the final game of the Notre Dame season with Rudy's family in the stands cheering wildly when he got to play. I then spliced in some snippets of pro players doing a touchdown dance from NFL Films, and I overlaid it with audio from 'Who Let the Dogs Out?' […]
There was just one problem. "It turns out to do this, I violated the DMCA. I used the DeCSS program to circumvent the encryption and access the movie clips on the DVD that I own," Whiteside told the aides. "The end product is a DVD that I don't sell or distribute but is considered a derivative work under copyright law."[…]
"This is precisely the kind of exciting consumer creativity that should be enabled," he said. "I don't claim to have all the answers. Should I have to go clear rights to use ten seconds from Rudy in my son's video, or does it fall under fair use? Should I have to pay pennies for every second of a snippet? I don't know. But I do know that we have to figure out a way for consumers to do something creative without breaking the law.
And, he's got a point. At what point did we give up our right to create derivative works? As a consumer and a voter, I have to wonder what person in congress was representing me when the DMCA was passed, because I certainly know enough about video editing that I could have made the video mentioned in the article here. In fact, I've used popular music to make home movies that I've put on a DVD and given to my family. Am I going to sell these things? Or distribute them on the black market? Absolutely not.
Before the DMCA, my ability to create something like that was protected under copyright law. Now, it's illegal. Derivative works and parody have been protected for years. It's how movies "based on the novel by…" (no matter how loosely based, such as "The Lawnmower Man") and the Star Wars and Dragonlance series of novels are possible.
As time goes on, the more I feel that the entertainment industry is fighting to protect a dying business model. I do think that digital rights management is important. I don't think that I should be able to download footage from Rudy off the internet for free and use it in my derivative work (or in my case, Basement Jaxx's remix of "Do Your Thing"), but if I own a copy of the DVD or CD, or I have paid to download the content from a legitimate digital content dealer, fair use should come into play. Under the DMCA, fair use doesn't exist. So Ella Fitzgerald's estate could sue Basement Jaxx for their remixes of her music and win, and in turn they can sue me for using their remix as background music on a slideshow of my children that I sent to my 80 year old grandmother. I just don't understand what the point in suing me over that would be. It's not like I asked my grandmother to slip me some cash for the video of the kids. I gave it to her. Big difference here.
Online access to digital content is fast becoming the way people desire to get their music and movies. Wal-mart.com, iTunes and Netflix are pulling in more money right now than your average music store in your local shopping mall. The sad fact that the music and movie industries are ignoring, is that these business models work. They work for the consumer, they work for the artist and they work for everyone except for the man that physically presses a CD. If we elminate physical media, the RIAA is out of business and they know it. That's why they are fighting so hard. Which songs get the most airplay will no longer be determined by a record company exec sitting in a penthouse apartment in Beverly Hills. It'll be determined by Joe Schmoe with his ipod, or Jane Lane with her PSP.


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Work commences at £1.2m Newry Youth Resource Centre
Education Minister John O'Dowd has cut the first sod at the site of a new £1.2million Newry Youth Resource Centre.
Speaking today at the site, Minister O'Dowd said: "I welcome the opportunity to be here to officially launch the beginning of construction of a new youth resource centre for Newry. My Department invested £1.2million into this venture which will provide a shared space and neutral environment for the young people of this area.
"Children and young people are instrumental to building a peaceful, stable and prosperous future for us all. I want all young people to have access to a range of opportunities and the appropriate support to enable them to build their skills and confidence.
"This will allow them to play an active role in our diverse and rapidly changing society."
Continuing, the Minister paid tribute to those involved in youth work in the area. "I recognise the excellent work that has already been done locally and look forward to the continued expansion of youth work in the area.
"In line with my priorities for youth, the focus in the future will be on greater outreach work including programmes with young people who are excluded or at risk of exclusion.
"There will also be enhanced provision for the training of young people and youth workers, along with increased visibility for the Youth Service as we move forward with ESA."
In conclusion, the Minister congratulated everyone involved in bringing the project to fruition. "The new centre will be a modern building with state-of-the-art facilities, catering for the training and meeting needs of the Youth Service in the Newry & Mourne area for the foreseeable future.
He added, "I look forward to seeing the final result and I hope to meet young people and youth workers in the premises to see the real impact this provision will have."
Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=25873


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Season of Wine
From the moment we sit down for a Thanksgiving gathering until we stand to toast the arrival of the New Year, wine is a part of the celebration. Everyone appreciates the beauty of sharing wine with family and friends, the fellowship of business colleagues as gifts received or given, as well as the cheer that brings in the New Year.
For entertaining, the Napa Valley Estate Virtú and Élu wines are clear choices. Vibrant and elegant, versatile with a variety of dishes, and welcoming as selections that would charm any host. Moscato or bubbles are terrific aperitifs that pair well with cheeses and charcuterie, a tradition in Europe, or it can be a fantastic finish to the feast.
Opening different wines for any gathering inevitably leads to impromptu wine tasting among the oenophiles and evokes stories of favorite varieties and pairings. St. Supéry Tasting kits are a fantastic option, bringing the tasting experience to your dining room.
Winemaker Selection and Cabernet Collector Tasting Kits provide you with some great materials and pairing recipes to make your tasting a big success.
The St. Supéry wine club team and your personalized cellar curator are available to assist with pairing recommendations or gift giving. Also, if you find yourself needing to round out your personal collection, we can help with that as well. Large format bottles are always a hit and discussion piece at gatherings. Library wines which have been properly cellared are a prized gift for wine collectors or those looking to commemorate a specific year. Subscriptions and memberships are a nice way to share the joy all year long.
This holiday season we hope that you venture outside of your comfort zone try some inspired ingredients and Share The Joy with your family and friends. #SeasonOfWine #StSupery
September 11, 2018


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Тут можно читать онлайн книгу Vega Ralph De La (EN) - Obstacles Welcome - бесплатно полную версию (целиком). Жанр книги: Иностранная литература. Вы можете прочесть полную версию (весь текст) онлайн без регистрации и смс на сайте Lib-King.Ru (Либ-Кинг) или прочитать краткое содержание, аннотацию (предисловие), описание и ознакомиться с отзывами (комментариями) о произведении.
Obstacles Welcome - описание и краткое содержание, автор Vega Ralph De La (EN), читать бесплатно онлайн на сайте электронной библиотеки Lib-King.Ru.
Ralph de la Vega, President and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, shares the lessons learned in business and in life along the journey from Cuba to Corporate America. Ralph de la Vega arrived in the United States from Cuba in 1962. He was alone. He was scared. He was 10. Separated from his parents by Cuban authorities just moments before they were to board a plane to Miami, de la Vega was baptized early-and abruptly-in the waters of adversity. It would be four long years before his mother, father, and sister gained legal passage to America. But while the boy would never have chosen such circumstance, it's the man who can look back and say he would not have changed it. In Obstacles Welcome, de la Vega recounts his journey as a young Cuban immigrant to president and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, a subsidiary of AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T). A frontliner in the converging worlds of technology and communications, de la Vega takes readers behind the scenes of the Internet revolution, shares insights from the nation's top technology companies, and chronicles the incredible obstacles intrinsic to successfully merging the largest wireless operations in U.S. history-those of Cingular Wireless and AT&T Wireless. Obstacles Welcome is an innovation manifesto for those committed to bigger thinking and greater results both professionally and personally. He clearly defines how to: * Create a detailed action plan to boost success * Identify and take calculated risks without fear * Create a values-centric, decisive leadership style * Transform vision into measurable results * Recognize opportunities and overcome obstacles * Communicate well and build alignment * Unlearn thinking that hinders innovation * Dream big and throw off mental limits once and for all Opening a powerful cache of business strategy and in-the-trenches wisdom, de la Vega illustrates that within each obstacle we encounter, there's an opportunity that carries the potential to transform our thinking, our organizations, our communities, and our world. PRAISE FOR OBSTACLES WELCOME ". . . [T]hrough his compelling story, Ralph shows how to turn almost any challenge into the opportunity of a lifetime. This is great insight for any professional or any young person aspiring to learn how to overcome obstacles and accept new challenges." - Randall Stephenson, Chairman & CEO, AT&T, Inc. "I recommend this book to those looking to improve their opportunities, as well as those providing leadership in this diverse society." - Ambassador Andrew Young, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, former Mayor of Atlanta, former president of the National Council of Churches "His journey is an inspirational story of leadership vision and the ability to achieve success in the face of enormous challenges and obstacles." - Gerry Czarnecki, President, CEO & Managing Partner, O2Media "This book is a must-read for anyone not afraid to make your dreams come true, regardless of where you are in your professional or personal life." - Ernest Bromley, Chairman and CEO, Bromley Communications, LLC "Without a doubt, this is one of the most inspiring books and one of the best business publications that I've read in my 40-plus years in the communications business." - John Graham, Chairman, Fleishman-Hillard Inc. "Ralph de la Vega tells an All-American story for our times." - Henry Cisneros, Executive Chairman, CityView; former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; former Mayor of San Antonio
Obstacles Welcome - читать книгу онлайн бесплатно, автор Vega Ralph De La (EN)


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Unexpected blasts of sun glare have been a common occurrence as the dank winter has turned to a promising spring that may just turn into a decent summer, fingers crossed. These unexpected bursts can be troublesome and many helmet manufacturers have addressed this problem with retractable sun visors. This has never sat well with Arai, their concern primarily on the recess that is necessary to house the drop down visor being a safety issue. The Arai answer is this: the Pro Shade system (PSS), a clear visor that fits all of their current full face models with a hinged smoked peak that drops down over the visor and acts as shade against the sun when you need it.
It's a simple but effective concept that gives Arai headers the choice to add a temporary sun visor system without having to lash out cash on a new helmet. The PSS fits the RX-7 GP, Rebel, Chaser-V, Axces II and Quantum-ST. The Max Vision visor comes complete with Pinlock that covers the majority of the internal view and prevents the inevitable fogging that conditions, where the PSS would be most useful, will cause. As with all Arai visors twin vents sit at the top that either the Pinlock or sunshade impede.
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At either end of the visor is the Arai developed bracket that attaches the shade to the visor. Not only does it attach, but also locks the visor in place when up and releases it via a tug forward to put it in the down position which sits just above the Visor so the two never meet, thus preventing scratching. Without question the Pro Shade build has Arai quality written all over it and is a brave change in direction from the alternative that is now becoming common place.
Having worn Shoei's GT-Air recently for local journeys, complete with internally based visor, I can see the benefit of the emergency sun shade. The two tone effect of dark to light takes some getting used, but there are real benefits while riding in unpredictable weather conditions. Pro Shade gives you this two tone view, though the coverage is less than the GT's system which has a natural curvature to the face blocking more light from below. This is particularly handy when direct sunlight glares up off of a wet road. Obviously this is dependent on your riding position and Arai have identified that this system is better suited to the upright rider, more fitting to the naked riding position than tucked into your out and out sportsbike.
When not in use Arai's shade lifts easily enough and locks into place to act as a peak, at first like most things that are unfamiliar this is a bit of a faff, lifting and pushing to make sure each end locks into place so it doesn't fall forward. When in position though it locks fast and creates an aerodynamic peak that does not create any particular drag at speed. In fact the peak is an effective quick-shade, nod your head down through the odd shaft of sunlight and it saves having to drop the full visor. When locked in the raised position it does look a little odd, and will get some getting used to as it will turn your RX-7 GP sports lid into a tour based peaked helmet that would be more befitting your GS than your Blade. However, if you are a multi discipline rider where's the problem, its one helmet that suits both – a very definite saving there.
It's the safety angle that intrigues me. The fact that Arai have stood by their guns, providing an effective solution rather than reverse their initial statements as demand grew for drop down visors is to be applauded. The fact that eight of the forty-eight 5 Star rated helmets on the Sharp test, if that was to be considered a benchmark, have the internal visor system has not swayed their thinking. Indeed the Shoei GT-Air complete with Visor and the Quantum ST I have fitted the Proshade to are both 3-Star. However I do admire them choosing to go their own way and introduce what could be the next evolution in visor design.
In conclusion it's functional and it works, at £79.99 it's not as cheap as a tinted visor but it's a lot less than a new helmet. You won't be seeing it on racers or trackdays because that is not what it is for, it's a quick change environmental system to use when you just cannot read the weather. It may take some getting used to as its different, but where would we be if nobody did anything different – still wearing leather flying helmets and averaging at 60mph around at IOM TT I expect.
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Stephon Marbury was the fourth overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft.
He played 846 games in the Association, averaging 19.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Jersey Nets, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics.
Now 42 years old, Marbury is arguably the biggest American sporting name in China, a true superstar name in the country, carving out an impressive career in the Chinese Basketball Association, where he won three Championships.
In February 2018, Marbury played his final game in the CBA, scoring 20 points for the Beijing Fly Dragons.
Just over a year later, he was announced as head coach of the Beijing Royal Fighters.
Close up 360 caught up with Marbury to check in on the two-time NBA All-Stars transition from player to coach in China - Watch the full video here.
For more in-depth player profiles, follow CloseUp360 on Twitter.


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The word 'Photography' comes from the combination of two Greek words 'phos ' meaning light and 'graphe ' meaning drawing or writing. So basically the word photography means writing with light. To put it simply, Lighting is everything in photography. Photographers need to learn how to read, understand and manipulate light to get desired results.
Light has four attributes – Intensity, Direction, colour and movement. Learning to read these attributes correctly will allow you to set the mood and tone for your shot. So how do you actually read light?The most basic categorization of light for photographers is 'natural' vs 'artificial'. Natural Light is what you get naturally. Sunlight, moonlight or a forest fire. As you will probably realize, the light from different sources will not only have varying intensities but also differ according to the time of the day. Morning sunlight, for example, gives a soft and diffused light while the afternoon sun gives a strong light producing darker shadows. You may have noticed photographers scrambling to take photographs during the 'Golden Hours'.
Artificial light, is any light that has been produced from artificial sources. The fluorescent lights, incandescent lights, strobes are all artificial lights.
Colour temperature: Without getting technical, colour temperature in photography is the colour cast that a particular light source gives. Each light source has its own colour which varies from red to blue. For example, sunsets and candles give out colours closer to red while clear noon skies will give out a blue colour. Colour temperatures are recorded in Kelvin. You can choose from a number of pre-set colour options like daylight or tungsten or set your own when you shoot in manual mode.
- Direction: Light travels in a direction. The direction from which it falls on a subject is what creates the mood of an image. That is why photographers are always trying to manipulate light by either blocking it or using reflectors and bouncers to enhance it. A subject can be lit from the back, front or sides and the look or the feel of the image will come from how the photographer has placed and used his lights.
- Highlights and Shadows: Highlights are the brightest parts of an image while shadows are the darker parts. The contrast is the difference between the two and is usually categorized as 'high' or 'low' depending on the difference. Images shot at midday will have a high contrast as compared to images shot at sunset.
Light forms an integral aspect of composition. When you go for a shoot, learn to 'see' the light first. What is your main source of light? How does it fall on your subject? How is the contrast? Look at it from different angles and choose your best position. See if you can include the lights and shadows in your composition. After you have read the light you might want to alter it. Consider using reflectors and diffusers to add or intensify the light falling on your subject. After all, the success of a photographer depends on how well he can read light.


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Tiger Balm Plaster Cool Plasters 9 pcs 10cm x 14cm
One of the best stiff neck remedies, the pain relief patch is comfortable to wear, provides long lasting relief and developed with Tiger Balm's distinctive formulation. Tiger Balm Plaster is a unique preparation that provides long lasting, soothing relief for stiff necks and muscular aches and pains. It is comfortable and an effective remedy for stiff neck and shoulders, back pains and muscular fatigue. Made from hydrogel technology and non-woven ventilated material, Tiger Balm Plaster is comfortable to use with easy application that leaves no residue on skin, making it ideal for everyday use.


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'Democracy is screwed': Trump, Merkel & far-right leaders mocked at annual carnival in Germany
The annual Rosenmontag carnival in Germany has dished out its fair share of mockery and satire to almost every significant event over past year, including Donald Trump's presidency, the rise of populist sentiments and the perceived decline of democracy.
Rosenmontag, or Shrove Monday, which is a part of the annual six-day carnival festivities playing out across Germany, has passed peacefully amid enhanced safety measures, according to local media.
Carnival organizers traditionally do not hold back when it comes to criticizing world leaders. Donald Trump has undoubtedly turned into this year's man of the hour judging by the number of carnival floats depicting him in different situations.
Dusseldorf has seen a most astonishing paper-mache figure depicting the US president grabbing from behind, apparently engaged in a sexual act with the Statue of Liberty on all fours.
The creator of this construction must have been inspired by widespread accusations against Trump's first steps in office, including the notorious travel ban on seven Muslim countries, that are believed to be violating the US constitution and democratic principles.
Wiesbaden also presented its own version of the relations between Trump and the Statue of Liberty.
In Mainz, Trump was paraded as an elephant with a huge trunk who's stomping on a china dinnerware set.
Dusseldorf showcased Trump in the company of French National Front leader and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, Holland's far-right Geert Wilders, leader of the Party of Freedom, and no less than Adolf Hilter. All four are boasting beautiful blonde hair with a caption saying "Blonde is the new brown," in reference to the Nazis' symbolic color.
Another float showed democracy as a green leaf eaten by pink maggots represented by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Erdogan, Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, leader of Polish right-wing Law and Justice party Jaroslaw Kaczynski, and again Donald Trump.
There also was an exhibit that showed a member of the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party with a swelled stomach and oversized bottom with an inscription, saying "When you have too much anger in your belly, democracy is shoved up your ass."
An AfD member was also seen as a clockwork figure spreading "hatred for Muslims" controlled by an Islamic State militant saying: "Our helpful idiots."
Artists also paid some 'respect' to Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel portraying her as sad mammoth attacked with a spear by her rival Martin Schulz from the Social Democratic Party in reference to the upcoming elections.
In Cologne Merkel turned into enormous lady-bug laying on her back, apparently unable to get back on her legs.
Turkish President Erdogan appeared in Dusseldorf as well, dressed in a traditional costume he pointed his finger at a clown, calling him a terrorist. The installation reminds of the diplomatic row that erupted after comedian Jan Boehmermann read an insulting poem about the Turkish leader on his late night TV show. The comedian was prosecuted with Angela Merkel's approval and sparked public criticism. Eventually, Boehmermann was banned from reciting several lines found most offensive by the court.
Rosenmontag is celebrated in all German-speaking countries, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium. The holiday is especially popular in the cities of Cologne, Bonn, Dusseldorf, Aachen and Mainz. People tend to dress up in fancy costumes, handing out sweets to children, dancing and participating in parades.


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Citrus Avocado Salad Foods That Lower Cholesterol
Why I Love This Recipe
After I wrote the post on lycopene earlier this week, I was in the mood for some pink grapefruit. I found a huge organic pink grapefruit at my favorite health food store, Westerly's Natural Market, and decided to make a quick fruit salad for breakfast on Wednesday. We have fresh spearmint growing in our indoor herbal planter, so I took the chance to use some up. The smell of fresh mint is heavenly, especially in the morning.
Ingredients You'll Need
1 pink grapefruit
2 oranges
1 avocado
1 handful fresh mint leaves
Chop up the grapefruit, oranges, and avocado into bite-sized pieces. Toss together and garnish with fresh mint leaves. Serve chilled. Tip: If you can't eat grapefruit because of medications (or personal preference), you could substitute extra oranges, tangerines, or mango.
Questions, Comments & Reviews
Disney's Tinker Bell Secret of the Wings CookbookBy BakeSpace Fairies
6 Recipes489 Downloads


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Mel Gibson ARRESTED In New Mexico ... For A Movie -- Fake Jail Booking
Mel Gibson Arrested In New Mexico ... For a Movie!
Mel Gibson walked into an Albuquerque jail this morning for a booking ... which turned out to be fake, because he's doing it for a flick.
Mel is in New Mexico, shooting "Blood Father." Mel, who plays an ex-con, went to the courthouse in a suit and tie after shooting the jail scene ... presumably for a hearing in his fake criminal case.
We're guessing Mel didn't have to method act this scene.
We do not know if the jailer's character had a nickname ... are you listening Sugar T*ts?


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With a guest list that has included everyone from Olivia de Havilland and Billy Graham to George Clooney and ZZ Top, the St. Anthony Hotel is nearly ready for its closeup after an almost 30-month renovation.
"We're 98 percent there," said Clyde Johnson IV, CIO of BC Lynd Hospitality, the locally based investment and management company that purchased the St. Anthony in 2012 with an eye to restoring "the Queen of San Antonio" to its original 1909 elegance.
"This is our hometown," Johnson added. "It's taken a lot of blood, sweat and tears — and a lot of … More–>


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Bitcoin is plunging right now. The price of the digital currency went under $7,500 today, according to major exchanges like Coinbase. Bitcoin was hitting $20,000 in December, 2017. Many are wondering what is going on and for how long. Does the price volatility and plunge of Bitcoin mean the end for the cryptocurrency? With all of that, some experts and enthusiasts believe that Bitcoin can actually hit the $50,000 price point in the near future.
While that may not be true, experts have found the single most shocking truth about one of the plunges that Bitcoin experienced.
Back in 2013, when Bitcoin was not at all that popular, the digital currency went up from $150 to $1,000 within just sixty days. That jump is one of the first glorious moments for Bitcoin. However, while the normal way this price jump should happen is because there is a lot of demand for the coin from investors, experts conducted a study on the price movement of Bitcoin and found something rather shocking.
Their paper, 'Price Manipulation in the Bitcoin Ecosystem', explains the real person behind the Bitcoin's price movements during that time. The researchers that performed the study and designed the paper were researchers Neil Gandal, JT Hamrick, Tyler Moore, and Tali Oberman, scientists from Tandy School of Computer Science at The University of Tulsa and the Berglas School of Economics at Tel Aviv University
Quoting from Express, the researchers wrote in their paper the following:
"This paper identifies and analyses the impact of suspicious trading activity on the Mt. Gox Bitcoin currency exchange, in which approximately 600,000 bitcoins (BTC) valued at $188 million were fraudulently acquired.
"During both periods, the USD-BTC exchange rate rose by an average of four percent on days when suspicious trades took place, compared to a slight decline on days without suspicious activity.
"Based on rigorous analysis with extensive robustness checks, the paper demonstrates that the suspicious trading activity likely caused the unprecedented spike in the USD-BTC exchange rate in late 2013, when the rate jumped from around $150 to more than $1,000 in two months."
What they found was that the price movements of Bitcoin were caused by two bots, Markus and Willy. Both bots seemed to be performing legitimate Bitcoin trades, but it turned out they did not actually own the Bitcoin they were using, which is essential to boosting the price of the currency in a natural way, leaving the fact that the two were actually bots.
Such price manipulation has been "governed" by bots for millions of trades during the Mt. Gox hack.
The paper also says:
"The publicly reported trading volume at Mt. Gox included the fraudulent transactions, thereby signalling to the market that heavy trading activity was taking place. Indeed, the paper later shows that even if the fraudulent activity is set aside, average trading volume on all major exchanges trading bitcoins and USD was much higher on days the bots were active. The associated increase in "non-bot" trading was, of course, profitable for Mt. Gox, since it collected transaction fees."
The even more disturbing fact about the two bots is that one of them, the Willy Bot was also used for stealing roughly 650,000 of Bitcoins from Mt. Gox in June 2011 and that the exchange owner Mark Karpales took huge effort to cover up the loss for several years, Express reported today.
With speculations around Bitcoin's viability and endurance in times of price manipulations, questions about the origin of the currency, the actual reasons behind price jumps and downs and the motive behind the initial creation of the digital asset may turn out to be of vital importance for investors.


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Guest post by Joe Hoft
Alexandra Chalupa (on right side) joined Michael Avenatti at a DNC lunch in Chicago.
Alexandra Chalupa was a key player in the Democrat's waste management business (i.e. organizing street resistance against President Trump, keeping the collusion fake news narrative alive, and spreading the evolving anti-Trump rumors).
Chalupa also is very well connected (and paid) and regularly hobnobs with Democrat elites.
She also is aligned with the early stages of fake Trump-Russia dossier and she hired creepy porn lawyer Michael Avenatti to represent her in court.
Avenatti is now indicted for numerous scams and Chalupa is likely right behind him.
Three months ago creepy porn lawyer Michael Avenatti announced he was representing an individual accused of being involved in the creation of the fake Russia-Trump dossier against President Trump. His client, Alexandra Chalupa, also attended and no doubt put together a rally for Avenatti outside the White House.
Now, the creepy porn lawyer is facing jail time and Chalupa is likely next!
As we reported in December 2018, Andrii Telizhenko was approached by DNC operative Alexandra Chalupa in early 2016. Chalupa wanted dirt on candidate Trump and his campaign manager Paul Manafort. The Ukrainian embassy in Washington DC worked CLOSELY with the DNC operative Chalupa.
Chalupa told Andrii she wanted Russian "dirt" on the Trump campaign.
The Gateway Pundit spoke with Telizhenko on the DNC Russia-gate Scandal –
Alexandra Chalupa was apparently hired by the DNC going as far back as 2013. According to Politico:
A daughter of Ukrainian immigrants who maintains strong ties to the Ukrainian-American diaspora and the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, Chalupa, a lawyer by training, in 2014 was doing pro bono work for another client interested in the Ukrainian crisis and began researching Manafort's role in Yanukovych's rise, as well as his ties to the pro-Russian oligarchs who funded Yanukovych's political party."
Politico also noted that Chalupa claimed that in October of 2015 she began investigating Trump's ties to Russia. Why she began this investigation is completely unknown. Trump NEVER had any ties with Russians. The only thing of significance that had happened at this point was that Trump announced he was running for office. There was no apparent triggering event. Candidate Trump had very limited contact with Russia or Russia businessmen.
Also, according to Politico, in January of 2016, Chalupa suddenly and out of the blue warned the DNC about Paul Manafort. Manafort's name hadn't even been mentioned at this point in time. Chalupa made a prediction that if Team Trump hired Paul Manafort that it would be clear and convincing evidence that Trump had ties to Russia.
Manafort worked with Hillary's Campaign Manager John Podesta and his brother Tony in the Ukraine. They worked to bring in US politicians to meet with Ukranian politicians.
Hillary was one guest:
Even former FBI Head Robert Mueller got in on the act:
It's unknown how much money these individuals received for their visit to the Ukraine or if Chalupa was involved.
Politico continued stating that the DNC had performed Trump – Russia research long before Chalupa came along (i.e. January 2016) –
A DNC official stressed that Chalupa was a consultant paid to do outreach for the party's political department, not a researcher. She undertook her investigations into Trump, Manafort and Russia on her own, and the party did not incorporate her findings in its dossiers on the subjects, the official said, stressing that the DNC had been building robust research books on Trump and his ties to Russia long before Chalupa began sounding alarms."
Chalupa is also connected to Ukrainian by the name of Vasili Filipchuk, who ran the organization labeled ICPS. Filipchuk too is expected of helping to write the phony Trump-Russia dossier. The entity he works for (ICPS) stands for the International Center for Policy Studies and it was founded by Open Society.
Open Society is a well known George Soros funded organization that fronts as an entity that works "to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable and open to the participation of all people." In reality it is a far-left organization that works against freedoms embedded in the US Constitution and across Europe.
Along with being connected to the fake Trump – Russia dossier and suspicious individuals in the Ukraine, Chalupa also is involved in the creation of astro-turfed (i.e. created by Democrat leadership) anti – Trump events in Washington D.C.
Chalupa also assisted in a fund raiser for fired and corrupt FBI leader Andrew McCabe –
Chalupa is another typical example of the corrupt leadership in the Democrat Party.
She made up fake stories against President Trump and then pushed them at Democrat funded rallies while hiring a creepy porn lawyer to cover her misdeeds. What a nasty piece of work!
Alexandra Chalupa is as slimy as the day is long.
Let's hope the hammer is about to drop on this Soros-linked operative.


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Queen Quet of the #GullahGeechee presents at the University of Florida
Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation (www.QueenQuet.com) journeys to Florida for the "Gullah/Geechee Save the Sea Islands Tour" and will present at the University of Florida's Chemistry Lab C103 in Gainsville on September 25th at 7:30 pm. The event is FREE and open to the public.
- Posted in: Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation ♦ Environmental Justice ♦ Gullah/Geechee Events ♦ Gullah/Geechee Land Ownership & Rights ♦ Gullah/Geechee Riddim Radio Education Links ♦ Gullah/Geechee TV Educational Links ♦ Human Rights ♦ Queen Quet ♦ Uncategorized
- Tagged: FL, Florida, Gainsville, Geechee, Gullah, gullah geechee nation, Queen Quet, Save the Sea Islands, University of Florida


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Other spring headlines (and Lynch Practices!)
Rest easy, Irish fans. Aaron Lynch practiced with the Irish today. If everything we could possibly talk about wasn't discussed here or here, well -- feel free to fill the comments here or take to the message-boards with your thoughts.
We're moving on to other interesting topics.
George Atkinson spent Easter weekend in Palo Alto, close to his Northern California home and also competing in the Stanford Invitational track meet. Atkinson won his heat in the 100m dash, qualifying for the finals with a 10.61 sprint. He finished sixth in the final heat, clocking a 10.69. Atkinson also participated in the 200m dash, clocking a 21.53 run, eight in a field of almost 50 sprinters.
Of course, none of the other sprinters in Palo Alto are 6-1, 210 pound running backs in the middle of spring football practice. Atkinson's elite speed, not to mention his impressive size and ability to play in space, will be a very intriguing piece of the Irish offense next fall, especially with the depth at the tailback position allowing him to play from the slot and move around the field.
Head coach Brian Kelly has made it known that he sees Atkinson as a running back first, and while he doesn't have an elite set of hands, there will be plenty of opportunities to get the ball out in space and make plays, not to mention create some favorable match-ups when the Irish can potentially put Cierre Wood, Theo Riddick, Amir Carlisle and Atkinson on the field at once.
Sure, it'd be great if there weren't a ton of unanswered questions at the outside receiving positions. But Atkinson -- who has the size to line up outside -- might be too good of an athlete to keep off the field, playing out of position or not.
Just when John Goodman was working his way back into the good graces of ND Nation, he spoke with Blue & Gold's Wes Morgan about the quarterbacking battle. Even though no Irish fan wants to hear it, Goodman said Tommy Rees was leading the way in a four-man race.
"Coach is still working really hard with each one of them," Goodman told Morgan. "One day one guy will start and another day another guy will start... Each one of them are doing really well. I think that Tommy is doing the best out of all of them, but that's just my opinion. In the end it's going to be the guy that runs the offense the best and also has the best timing with receivers and running backs."
Any analytical approach to defending Rees falls on deaf ears. But while it pains a ton of Irish fans to hear it, it's no surprise that a quarterback that's started 16 games over the past two seasons would be having the best spring camp among a redshirt freshman, an early enrollee, and a guy that got his first sniff of playing in the offensive system in the regular season finale. Dialing things back to the basics with new offensive coordinator Chuck Martin will only accentuate the advantage Rees has, as his core competency was never the issue. (Rees did walk in as a freshman in garbage time against Navy and march the Irish down the field after Dayne Crist struggled to do anything against the Midshipmen.)
Two years ago, when Rees was a rising sophomore battling incumbent (but injured) starter, the battle went well into the summer and fall camp before Kelly named Crist the starter. If any of the other quarterbacks are going to make a move, it'll likely be during summer work, when there isn't a clock governing study hours, and the team does its voluntary work together.
Much has been made about a reported fight between Aaron Lynch and right tackle Tate Nichols that occurred during practice before Easter break. Nichols and Lynch have seen a lot of each other this spring, going one-on-one countless times in drills and positional work, not to mention during scrimmages and team time. At 6-foot-8, 320 pounds, Nichols is a massive guy, a road-grader type that's impressed coaches with his power and feet. Working under Harry Hiestand, who has lit a collective fire under his offensive line, it's no surprise that Lynch, who practices like he plays, would mix like oil and water with the guy assigned to blocking him, who is also battling for a starting job.
While nobody wants it to happen, fights occur during practice. They're also forgotten, as players and coaches move on. It's certainly news-worthy information that an incident occurred. But it's a pretty big stretch to think an in-practice fight would be enough to get someone to walk away from the football program. Again, nobody wants to see things come to blows, but when a near decade-long search for "nasty" football players has been at the top of Irish fans wish-lists, these kind of things happen.
A minor knee injury to linebacker Dan Fox will give linebackers Kendall Moore and Jarrett Grace a chance to see more of the field, as they'll likely work in with Carlo Calabrese at the position opposite Manti Te'o. Grace was the first player to be dubbed a "werewolf" by defensive coordinator Bob Diaco (so that has to be a good thing), and has been really impressive this spring after almost working his way onto the field last season through a packed depth chart.
While Moore might have been the biggest loser when it came to Te'o returning for his senior season, he's too good of an athlete and playmaker to keep off the field, and Fox's injury should give Moore a chance to end spring with some momentum. The Irish will focus on recruiting insider linebackers, but there's some intriguing depth that will give the Irish a chance to find a Corey Mays type player, someone who spent most of his career on special teams before earning his shot to start, before heading to the NFL.


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2022 Burton Multipath Grid Pullover
The men's Burton Multipath Grid Fleece is a faithful traveling partner. It's your hangout at camp, brave the commute, and chill on the deck layer. It has the familiar comfort of a hoodie and the technical versatility of quick-drying, breathable fleece. A small zip pocket secures a key, card or cash for whatever comes next.
- Slim fit sits close to the body, with room for the garment to move with you
- Polyester and spandex blended anti-pilling, grid-backed fleece mapped with stretch-woven fabric on the chest pocket and elbow patches
- bluesign® approved materials use only safe chemicals and reduce impact on both humans and the planet during manufacturing
- Attached hood with front adjustment
- Locker loop
- Raglan sleeves
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- Kangaroo hand-warmer pocket and zippered chest pocket
- Imported
- Lifetime Warranty
Need Expert Advice?
We know there are a lot of choices out there. If you need some guidance, let us know! Our experts have decades of experience and can help you narrow it down.Contact Us


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This 3 AA Dual-Light™ Flashlight is cETLus, ATEX, IECEx, INMETRO and MSHA listed Intrinsically Safe Permissible. It uses an LED rated at 120 lumens that works in conjunction with a high-efficiency deep parabolic reflector to create a usable flashlight beam rated at 170 meters. A 120 lumens unfocused floodlight is integrated into the housing which is perfect for close-up illumination. Additionally, both the flashlight and the floodlight can be turned on at the same time for maximum versatility. The dual body switches provide momentary or constant-on functionality for the flashlight and on/off functionality for the floodlight. Power comes from 3 AA (not included).
BHP Safety Products processes and ships orders Monday thru Friday 7:00AM – 4:00PM EST with the exception of National Holidays. Most orders ship within 24 hours from time of purchase (excluding weekends). Only exceptions are on bulk purchases. Additional lead times may be required on larger purchases. Customers will be contacted directly with an estimated shipping time-frame on any order that meets this exception. A free shipping option is made available to the customer when the order total amount meets or exceeds $30.00.
Questions about our Shipping Policy should be sent to us:
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We love hearing your feedback, and what you have used your basket for, or where you have taken your beach bag!
Let us know what you think, how and where you have used it, and send us a pic if you can!
Email us at: firstname.lastname@example.com
Here are a selection of recent customer reviews:


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Note: Kim sent me the link to this article which was in the Sioux City Journal about the upcoming IRRMA induction:
"ARNOLDS PARK, Iowa | A Sioux City band, music venue and three residents will be among the inductees at the 2014 Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Music Association's Hall of Fame ceremonies in September.
"Sioux City's Instant Blues Machine will be performing, along with Tom Gilman and Ronnie Meek. Other performing inductees include Northeast Iowa's Crystal Axe; Spectrum 70, of Spencer, Iowa; Oink Henderson and the Squealers, from Southwest Iowa; Silver Laughter, of Davenport; and Captain Beefhart and the Shipwrecks of Des Moines…"
Read the entire article here.
Mick Orton
Categories: Articles & Reviews, Hall of Fame


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Today is Day 4 and the final day of the Craftin Desert Divas August release sneak peeks on facebook. Today we are featuring the Monster Mania stamps and Party Dies. You can join us and see all the fabulous projects HERE.
Here is what I created...
I made this door shaped card in Design Space using the Frightful Affair Cricut cartridge. I decorated it with the new stitched banner dies from the new Party Dies set.
I used sequins from the Corn Maze mix and Emerald Isle sequins.
I colored up my favorite monster from this set and added glossy accents to his eye. I gave him a stitched balloon to hold from the Party Dies set.
For the inside I colored up another monster and added this awesome sentiment! I hope you like my card!
Thanks so much hoppin by! I hope you will come back tomorrow for the blog hop!!


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Calabrio's unique offering addresses the greatest source of agent stress in the modern, omnichannel contact centre.
Today, Calabrio, the customer experience intelligence company, announced the extension of its self-scheduling features available in Calabrio Workforce Management (WFM). Addressing the increased demand for greater flex time and more employee autonomy, new Calabrio Self-Scheduling expands the schedule areas an agent can have influence over such as adding days of work, moving work hours and partial-day shift trading. Calabrio intelligent automation allows agents more freedom to create their ideal work-life balance, while contact centres can keep control of overall staffing levels.
The comprehensive offering launches as employers are still feeling the effects of the 2021 Great Resignation– where millions of employees left their jobs seeking new work. In the contact centre industry, 1 in 3 agents reported that they were planning to leave their job within one year. Departing agents cited higher-than-ever levels of stress as a primary industry challenge that was driving agent retention issues. According to a recent Calabrio report, Health of the Contact Centre 2021: Agent Wellbeing and the Great Resignation, the top source of agent stress in the modern, digital contact centre is managing work-life balance. The report also found that other than "higher pay," "more flexibility" was the top demand that agents want in their job.
The new Calabrio Self-Scheduling package will allow agents the ability to:
- Add work hours on either unscheduled or scheduled days
- Make partial-day shift trades with other agents
- Move scheduled working hours more easily
This is in addition to existing Calabrio capabilities where agents can:
- Move their lunch and break times for that day, or in any of the following 7 days
- Access voluntary time-off or overtime opportunities thanks to Grant, the virtual assistant
- Trade entire shifts – this can be configured to be approved with or without team leader intervention
- See the probability of their absence or overtime request being approved without having to contact a supervisor
"The evolved world of work needs technology to simultaneously humanise experiences and automate and optimise business processes. While sometimes considered mutually exclusive actions, expanding the realm of agent autonomy through intelligent automation is the way to achieve this and why Calabrio continuously develops features like these," said Matt Matsui, Chief Product Officer at Calabrio. "Our dual approach to software is also a key factor in why over 80% of surveyed customers said that Calabrio WFM increases their ability to balance both business and agent needs".
Natalia Brown, Chief Client Operation Officer at National Debt Relief, an early adopter of Calabrio's Self-Scheduling functionality, said, "What's great about Calabrio's self-scheduling capability is that it lets agents manage and change their own schedules as unexpected things happen throughout each day, without negatively impacting the contact centre's service level."
Calabrio Self-Scheduling offers businesses the ability to better tackle agent stress while also giving agents the work-time flexibility they need to focus on customer service excellence. The first phase of the new Self-Scheduling feature set will see agents' ability to add work hours on an unscheduled or scheduled day.
About Calabrio
Calabrio is the customer experience intelligence company that empowers organisations to enrich human interactions. The scalability of our cloud platform allows for quick deployment of remote work models—and it gives our customers precise control over both operating costs and customer satisfaction levels. Our AI-driven analytics tools make it easy for contact centres to uncover customer sentiment and share compelling insights with other parts of the organisation. Customers choose Calabrio because we understand their needs and provide a best-in-class experience, from implementation to ongoing support.
Find more at calabrio.com and follow @Calabrio on Twitter.


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Um....the piece isn't wonky, it's just the photographer taking the photo at a wonky angle! :/
Until next time...
Ricki Jill
How gorgeous it that!! I have never seen one so unique. Now that takes skill.ReplyDelete
Wow that is quite something!ReplyDelete
It is gorgeous! It's so unique! I'm amazed that someone had the vision to make this- a work of art!ReplyDelete
Very intricate workmanship.ReplyDelete
What a great find! It is so unique! That takes a skilled craftsman to create.ReplyDelete
Doesn't it just make your day to find a treasure?!ReplyDelete
Gorgeous..I totally love everything..and wow..those chairs..fabulous! What an enchanting post and charming photos! and yummy..those treats look spectacular!
Wonderful to visit your realm again...beautiful!
gorgeous i love itReplyDelete
Oh Wow! It's a gorgeous cake stand. What a super find.
Very pretty mosiacs, great for the kitchen or patio or coffee table tops. Aloha Raliegh
Gorgeous cake stand...lots of pretties Ricki. I think you need a larger header image to balance your navigation.ReplyDelete
Awesome find RJ!!! Looks gorgeous!!
How exciting to find such a unique piece at a thrifty price! Good for you!ReplyDelete
You are introducing me to all kinds of neat things. Very pretty!ReplyDelete
I have never heard of them. Very interesting piece!ReplyDelete
How pretty, Ricki Jill. I love it and I have never seen one before. Must research them :)ReplyDelete
Awesome score. It's so sweet, I love it.
Hugs and Kisses,
How gorgeous!! Mosaic work is so beautiful. You will have to watch for an upcoming artist feature!
Art by Karena
What a pretty piece. I agree the blue rose is lovely. It looks like it is floating in some of the photos because of the glass table - I had to do a double-take.ReplyDelete
What a beautiful purchase...so interesting!ReplyDelete
Oh wow! I have to seek some things o Neva to get my balance back up so I can shop with funny money!ReplyDelete
Um...that was sell some things on eBay, but the autocorrect cracked me up, oh and I missed it and hit the publish button one second too soon!ReplyDelete
Don't you just love a bargain! Good job girl. :o)ReplyDelete
Hi Dear little RJ! Oh, this is a pretty mosaic piece and I love it! Now I would like just one of those snacks! :)
Thanks for being such a sweet friend today.
You are a sweetie,
Shelia :)
That is quite a find. I have a friend who would love that, too.ReplyDelete
How exquisite! I love mosaics, too and you found a real treasure! Hugs!ReplyDelete
Hi Ricki! It's my first time to see a mosaicware. I love your great find on eBay. It was a sure win. Perfectly matches your home and your creativity too.ReplyDelete


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Day 84. Pentecost is coming.
Are you on tiptoes? Anticipating?
I am expectant. And I'm extending an invitation. To you.
Will you join me in expectancy?
Perhaps your church has already opened for worship. For prayer. Maybe your church plans to re- gather refreshed on May 31st. Pentecost Sunday. Possibly your church will not open for weeks, months or has no plan to reopen.
Regardless, will you watch and wait with me for a great celebration of God's goodness poured out on His people as we praise His holy name? This anticipation requires only a personal choice. Do you hear the Bridegroom's whisper?
"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
"Pay attention!"
I first heard His call to ponder these words in February 2019. His repeated whisper to {pay attention} caused me to go to His scriptures and search. The Shepherd's gentle instruction caused me to ask some good questions. And the more I've pondered these simple words the more expectant my heart has grown.
"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' " 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.' "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
Matthew 25:1-10 NIV
This season of {pay attention} has increasingly reminded me of my excitement as an engaged bride counting down the days eagerly anticipating the arrival of my groom just days before our wedding. As May 21st drew closer, my heart longed for and my eyes watched for the sight of my love walking through the door. I could hardly contain myself. I was focused.
Pay attention.
Watch. Wait. It's a purposeful turning of eyes away from the distractions of earth. I have had to intentionally tune my ears to His voice, the song of my Beloved.
Something good; He, Himself, is right around the corner. We who are betrothed to this Bridegroom, we need to have our hearts refreshed with fire. The yearning for His voice and His return for us must become a hunger that prompts us to be on alert. On tiptoes. Waiting at the door. Listening for the sound of His approach.
He whispers to me again and again… {Pay attention} Lisa. I know you've waited long for My answers to your many questions. Watch, for I AM near.
It might sound to you that I'm predicting the return of Jesus on Pentecost. Truly, since His call to my heart to {pay attention}, I have been looking up and calling for Him with increasing joy and fervor than any other time in my life. I don't know the day or the hour of my Bridegroom's coming to sweep me up and across the threshold of our new home.
However, I do sense a coming fire of His presence, which will rekindle love in the hearts of His people. The bride will be turning, once again, toward her first love. And as we receive the nearness of His presence through the outpouring of His Holy Spirit, we will gain a new vigor, a boldness with joy to participate with Him to bring in a great harvest. We're going to enjoy Him more and share Him more as we delight in Him more.
Pentecost is coming. Watch. Wait. Anticipate. Worship. Praise. Repent. Fast. Pray.
Pay attention.
Jesus wants us to see Him, hear Him, experience Him and follow Him. He is jealous for our affection. He's whispering your name. He is getting our attention.
If you're asking, "what now?" because your world has been turned upside down. Maybe now is a good time to ask Jesus what He wants you to know. It's a good time to look up. Turn away from the cares of the world. Tune your ears to His voice. Turn off the world's constant chatter.
Pay attention.
Watch for Holy Spirit to come with a fresh wind and restore souls. A fresh fire is coming. Lord, Your people are looking up. We're ready to go to work with You. Ready to bring in the great harvest.
Thank You Father, Son and Holy Spirit for letting me live at this time in history! Thank You for the privilege as Your betrothed to join You in the fields ripe for harvest. I'm watching for You. I know You are near.
Help those who read these words to have their eyes opened, ears tuned and hearts awakened. Encourage each one to receive Your invitation to come close to Your all consuming fire and be rekindled. For those who need life, may they receive Your breath in this Pentecost season.
Thank You, lover of my soul, for coming for me, dying for me and making my life abundant by Your sacrificial Love. I'm watching. Anticipating. Standing on tiptoes…
Eyes on Jesus and Shine,


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What are the attributes that differentiate exceptional from mediocre organizations? Most business books focus on the behavioral aspects of successful organizations (great customer service, innovation, engaged employees, etc.) Michael Raynor amd Mumtz Ahmed have found, however, that it is often what organizations think rather than what they do that makes the difference between success and failure. In their book The Three Rules: How Exceptional Companies Think they identify three decision rules that seem to drive organizational effectiveness. They include:
1. Better Before Cheaper - Rather than focus on being low cost providers, the most successful organizations focus on the quality of their product or service. They compete on quality rather than price.
2. Revenue Before Cost - The best organizations focus their attention on generating revenue rather than cutting costs. Even if it costs more, these companies continually look to increased revenue for growth and sustainability.
3. There are No Other Rules - Regardless of what's happening internally or in the competitive environment they operate in, the best companies don't stray from the first two core beliefs.
As camps where do we find ourselves on the Better-Cheaper and Revenue-Cost continuum's? Would we be better off if we focused on quality and revenue and ignored the other options?
Welcome to the Summer Camp Leadership blog. For those of us who lead summer camps, making a positive difference in the lives of young people is our passion. Turning that passion into a reality, however, takes more than the ability to lead songs, teach archery or plan craft projects. Creating camp experiences that truly transform lives takes leadership. Leadership that creates a vision for the future, leadership that inspires and engages others, leadership that remains focused and stays the course. My hope is through this blog you'll find ideas, inspiration and tools to help you be a great summer camp leader.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
The Three Rules
Posted by John Erdman at 6:00 AM


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Wind Mobile, Mobilicity, Public Mobile Quit Lobby Group Over 'Big 3' Carrier Bias
Looks like our newer wireless entrants aren't happy with the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA), as Wind Mobile, Mobilicity and Public Mobile have withdrawn from the wireless lobby group, over claims the latter has become the "voice of Big Three telcos at expense of consumers and new entrant mobile service providers."
In a joint statement released today, all three carriers vented their frustration with the CWTA, citing ongoing frustration with the latter's consistent bias towards Rogers, TELUS and Bell on a wide range of issues. Essentially, Wind Mobile, Mobilicity and Public Mobile feel the CWTA cannot and does not speak on behalf of the entire mobile wireless sector:
"When we were first approached by the CWTA, we were promised clear and fair representation on issues of true industry alignment," said Simon Lockie, Chief Regulatory Officer for WIND Mobile. "But despite making our objections and concerns abundantly clear on numerous occasions, the CWTA has repeatedly failed to honour this promise, leaving us no alternative but to withdraw."
"It has been evident for quite some time that, rather than being a true industry association which represents the views of all players regardless of size, the CWTA has instead largely been an advocate for Rogers, TELUS and Bell, and often directly contrary to the interests of new entrant wireless carriers," said Bob Boron, General Counsel and Senior Vice-President, Legal & Regulatory Affairs for Public Mobile.
"We have spent the better part of three years repeatedly voicing our opposition to the CWTA on a wide range of matters to the point of issuing a press release in January 2011 that publically expressed our dissent on the CWTA's position on wireless consumer protection," said Gary Wong, Director of Legal Affairs for Mobilicity. "There seems to be a blatant disregard of the new entrants in favour of acting in the best interests of the Big Three carriers and it is unacceptable."
In response, Marc Choma, spokesman for the CWTA said "CWTA has always and will continue to work on behalf of all of its members," rejecting the allegations it favoured the incumbents:
"While any industry association that represents a large and diverse membership in an intensely competitive sector will have some disagreements amongst it members on certain issues, CWTA is a catalyst for numerous initiatives that bring many benefits to Canadians."
The CWTA said last month the Canadian wireless industry is more competitive than we believe it to be, in response to claims by critics it is "woefully uncompetitive".
Do you think the CWTA has fairly represented all carriers in Canada, or is there a bias towards the 'Big 3'?


text:
2.5x10 Chobi Ivory/Green Ghazni Wool
Chobi designs are the most versatile in in our collection
They are meant to decorate and fill the space of your house in a very subtle way.
They make up our Transitional collection for their muted colour tones. Texture wise they're rougher and sturdy side (due to high-mountain land Ghazni wool).
In terms of care, a simple vacuum once a week horizontally (the way it was woven) keeps the rug in good condition. Stains are removed with ease as with a good quality wool area rug. Hand washing (every 3-5 years) is recommended.
Decor Tip :
These muted, classic designs are understated. The light colour tones contrast well with dark wood floors.
Material: Hand-spun Ghazni Wool
Dimensions: 2.5 x 10.0 ft.
Colour: Ivory and Green
Construction: Hand Knotted, single knotted. Made in Afghanistan.
Indo's premium hand-knottted rugs are incredibly resilient to stains, due to high-quality natural materials.
Please take advantage of our 48 hour test-drive service to see items in your home in Calgary. Call us at 403.229.0156 to book an appointment.


text:
Top Items:
Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:
Sue Decker's Email To Yahoo Employees On Weiner's Departure — The news is now official - Yahoo's EVP Jeff Weiner has officially bailed. President Sue Decker addresses the troops in an all hands email, below. These types of emails leak regularly, of course (I actually think companies …
Discussion: Search Engine Journal and ReadWriteWeb
Arnold Zafra / Search Engine Journal: Sue Decker Under Scores Yahoo's Strategy as She Explains EVP Weiner's Departure
Richard MacManus / ReadWriteWeb: Yahoo Clings to Its Leading Web "Starting Points"
Ethan / OnoTech:
Jeff Weiner, CEO of Facebook? — It's pretty common for accomplished executive talent to join VCs in EIR positions — with the 'E' being either 'Entrepreneur' or 'Executive' In Residence. But this may be the first time that I've seen someone join *two* VC firms in such a role simultaneously.
Discussion: HipMojo.com
Ashkan Karbasfrooshan / HipMojo.com: VCs Honeymoon with Mark Zuckerberg Over About... Now
Accel and Greylock Appoint Jeff Weiner as Executive in Residence — Accel Partners and Greylock Partners, leading venture capital firms, today jointly announced the appointment of Jeff Weiner as an Executive in Residence with both firms. His new role becomes effective in early September 2008.
Discussion: BoomTown, Startup Meme, CNET News.com, TechCrunch, Tech Beat and paidContent.org
Kara Swisher / BoomTown: Sue Decker Says Buh-Bye to Jeff Weiner
Stephen Shankland / CNET News.com: Yahoo exec joins two venture firms
Erick Schonfeld / TechCrunch: Confirmed: Yahoo's Jeff Weiner To Split Time at Accel And Greylock
Rob Hof / Tech Beat: Yahoo Loses Another Exec
Kara Swisher / BoomTown: As BoomTown Already Said, Weiner Moves to Accel and Greylock
Patrick Nielsen Hayden / Making Light:
The Associated Press wants to charge you $12.50 to quote five words from them — The Associated Press, having already announced its intention to harass bloggers who publish snippets as short as 39 words from AP stories, has now published a web form through which intimidated parties can give …
Discussion: Search Engine Watch Blog, Performancing.com, TeleRead and GMSV
Jeff Chandler / Performancing.com: When Is Fair Use Not Fair?
David Rothman / TeleRead: AP's new fair use guidelines for the grassroots …
John Murrell / GMSV: AP: Give us a minute to scrape this off our shoe
Mathew / mathewingram.com/work:
Why Saul Hansell is wrong on AP — In most cases, I'm all for a dose of rationality and common sense amid the short-attention-span Drama 2.0 that makes up much of the blogosphere. That's exactly what New York Times blogger Saul Hansell is selling in his latest post at the Bits blog …
Discussion: The Inquisitr and SEOmoz Daily SEO Blog
Mark Glaser / MediaShift:
AP Badly Mistaken on Drudge Retort
AP Badly Mistaken on Drudge Retort
Discussion: Scott Rosenberg's Wordyard, MediaShift Idea Lab, CenterNetworks, Gawker and Lockergnome
Scott Rosenberg / Scott Rosenberg's Wordyard: AP takedown fallout
Ryan Tate / Gawker: Who Put These Bloggers In Charge?
Saul Hansell / Bits:
The A.P., Hot News and Hotheaded Blogs
The A.P., Hot News and Hotheaded Blogs
Discussion: n.sputnik, L.A. Times Tech Blog, Marksonland, Venture Chronicles, David Risley, Valleywag, MediaFlect, Coop's Corner and Bloggers Blog
Nick Dynice / n.sputnik: AP proves: Lawyers suck at long-term business strategy
Chris Gaither / L.A. Times Tech Blog: AP picks a fight with bloggers
Dorian Benkoil / MediaFlect: The Real Danger for AP
Charles Cooper / Coop's Corner: What's fair when it comes to fair use?
Sony Ericsson:
Sony Ericsson brings out the photographer in us all unveiling its first ever 8.1megapixel camera phone and a stylish snapshot phone — 17 June 2008 The new C905 Cyber-shot™ and S302 Snapshot camera phones from Sony Ericsson allow consumers around the world to capture and share vivid photos whatever …
Discussion: Unwired View, Engadget and I4U News
David Gonzales / Unwired View: Sony Ericsson C905 Cyber-shot and S302 Snap-shot get official
Thomas Ricker / Engadget: Sony Ericsson's 8.1 megapixel C905 breaks free
Luigi Lugmayr / I4U News: Sony Ericsson C905 Cyber-shot 8.1MP Camera Phone
Sony Ericsson:
Sony Ericsson makes its move with a brand new way to experience games on your mobile
Sony Ericsson makes its move with a brand new way to experience games on your mobile
Discussion: Engadget, Unwired View, GoNintendo, mocoNews.net and Tech Blog
David Gonzales / Unwired View: Sony Ericsson F305 motion-gaming phone gets official
RawmeatCowboy / GoNintendo: Sony Ericsson takes Nintendo approach to advertising motion-sensitive phones
Dianne See Morrison / mocoNews.net: Sony Ericsson Rolls Out Five New Handsets
The Boy Genius / Boy Genius Report:
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 hands on
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 hands on
Discussion: Mobility Site, Tech Blog, Engadget, IntoMobile, CrunchGear and Unofficial Sony Ericsson Blog
Joshua Topolsky / Engadget: Sony Ericsson's Xperia X1 gets handled, photographed
Will Park / IntoMobile: Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 hands-on
Doug Aamoth / CrunchGear: Say It Ain't So: XPERIA X1 keyboard is a 'major flaw'
Bernard Lunn / ReadWriteWeb:
11 Search Trends That May Disrupt Google — My first post for ReadWriteWeb (nearly a year ago) started with the premise that search was "game over", that Google had won and the only opportunity left was (re)search - i.e. what one does after the basic search.
Discussion: Sean Percival's Blog, Beyond Search and HipMojo.com
Sean Percival / Sean Percival's Blog: Disrupting Google — This above image is search.
Stephen E. Arnold / Beyond Search: Google: From the Disruptor to the Disrupted
Ashkan Karbasfrooshan / HipMojo.com: How MSFT Can Still Take Down Google
Jason Chen / Gizmodo:
Ineligible AT&T Customers Need to Pay Full Price For iPhone 3G — AT&T just gave us new details on how their upgrading plans will work for the iPhone 3G. The company is treating the iPhone 3G pretty much just like any other phone in that people who are ineligible for upgrades have to pay the full, unsubsidized price for the phone.
Discussion: Infinite Loop, AppleInsider, MacRumors iPhone Blog and iPhone Savior
David Chartier / Infinite Loop: iPhone 3G: What's in a two-year price?
Jacqui Cheng / Ars Technica:
Google easily extending dominance to mobile search market — Google managed to spank the rest of the mobile search world during the first quarter of 2008, according to data from Nielsen Mobile. The search giant managed to capture 61 percent of the mobile search market in the first four months of the year …
Alexander van Elsas / Alexander van Elsas's Weblog …: The incredible power of being able to think and act big
Rene LeMerle / WebProNews: 9 Million Mobile Users Shop Via Cell Phone
Stephen E. Arnold / Beyond Search: Google and Mobile Search
Mike Blumenthal / Understanding Google Maps …: Does IYP market share matter?
Greg Sterling / localmobilesearch.net: Nielsen: Mobile Search Market Share Q1
Betsy Schiffman / Epicenter:
How Long Will Google Dominate Search?
How Long Will Google Dominate Search?
Discussion: Alt Search Engines, Google Operating System, Quintura blog and WebProNews
Charles Knight / Alt Search Engines: The 10 Commandments of Google
Ionut Alex Chitu / Google Operating System: One Google Help Center to Rule Them All
Doug Caverly / WebProNews: Nielsen: Google Leads In Mobile Search
Michael Arrington / TechCrunch:
Technorati Launches Blog Ad Network, Technorati Media — Blog-focused advertising networks are all the rage right now, with both Federated Media and Glam pulling down big valuation financing rounds in the last few months based very early growth metrics. Other startups, like Six Apart …
Discussion: Maple Leaf 2.0 and The Blog Herald
Thord Daniel Hedengren / The Blog Herald: Technorati Secures Money, Info Coming Soon
Paul Krill / InfoWorld:
Adobe updates LiveCycle process automation — San Francisco - Adobe Systems on Tuesday plans to announce an upgrade to its process automation software, Adobe LiveCycle Enterprise Suite (ES) Update 1, featuring an open-source content repository and capabilities to convert data to Adobe's PDF format.
Discussion: The Open Road, Reuters and Associated Press
Jim Finkle / Reuters: Adobe outlook disappoints, shares fall
Amanda Fehd / Associated Press: Adobe second-quarter earnings jump 41 percent
Mike Ricciuti / CNET News.com:
Adobe updates LiveCycle business software
Adobe updates LiveCycle business software
Discussion: Computerworld
Heather Havenstein / Computerworld: Adobe adds open source tool, AIR integration to LiveCycle Enterprise
Steve Lohr / New York Times:
Demand for Data Puts Engineers in Spotlight — In Silicon Valley, the stars have long been charismatic marketing visionaries and cool-nerd software wizards. By contrast, mechanical engineers who design and run computer data centers were traditionally regarded as little more than blue-collar workers in the high-tech world.
Discussion: Parallax View
Eric Chabrow / Parallax View: Hottest IT Job: Data Center Expert
John P. Falcone / CNET News.com:
HP MediaSmart Connect due in July for $349 — HP's line of MediaSmart TVs include the built-in ability to stream digital media from your home network and the Internet straight to their screens. But for the vast majority of us who don't own an HP TV, the company will soon have a second option: the MediaSmart Connect.
Discussion: Engadget, NewTeeVee and Electronista
Darren Murph / Engadget: HP MediaSmart Connect brings digital media to your HDTV
Chris Albrecht / NewTeeVee: Will MediaSmart "Connect" With Consumers?
Lloyd Emelle / 2pointhome.com:
How 2.0: Twittering Teddy Bear — DIY — STEPS — TIME: 2 Weeks. — Share it: - Del.icio.us - Digg - Stumble — "Lloyd, is the text-to-speech implant ready?" — Guru Alison and I performed some, uh, innovative 2.0 surgery on an old childhood friend.
Discussion: MAKE Magazine, Sean Percival's Blog, Hack a Day, OhGizmo! and Ubergizmo
Becky Stern / MAKE Magazine: Twittering teddy bear
Sean Percival / Sean Percival's Blog: Brand Building with Twittering Teddy Bear
Juan Aguilar / Hack a Day: twittering teddy bear
Evan Ackerman / OhGizmo!: DIY Twittering Animatronic Teddy Bear
Feedly Brings New Social Experience to Start Page, Leveraging RSS — In the last two years, there have been a number of attempts at taking what's been a solitary experience of reading one's RSS feeds in isolation, and adding new social elements, sharing feeds with friends, discovering new feeds, or adding comments and notes.
Discussion: The Inquisitr, The Last Podcast, Mashable! and Edwin Khodabakchian
Frederic / The Last Podcast: Feedly: Bring Your Feeds Home
Alana Taylor / Mashable!: Move Over iGoogle, Feedly Launches Public Beta
Mark Hendrickson / TechCrunch:
Brightcove Gutted and Rebuilt — Not a week after we derided Brightcove for its difficult user interface in a story about newly emerged competitor Delve Networks, the Cambridge-based video hosting company is releasing a completely rebuilt version of its service into private beta.
Liz Gannes / NewTeeVee: Brightcove Wants a Piece of Move's Long-Form Market
Mark 'Rizzn' Hopkins / Mashable!: Brightcove 3: Guilding the Lilly


text:
By Chris Williams, CycloneFanatic.com PublisherFollow Chris on Twitter @ChrisMWilliams
Who doesn't love the middle of May?
You know, back in the day (I'm starting to sound like an old man) literally nothing used to happen from a college athletics standpoint during this time of the year. But for the third year in a row, it appears that realignment is going to be a story over the next couple of months. That's not a bad thing either – at least it isn't from an Iowa State perspective. For the first time in three years, the Cyclones are safe. No more sleepless nights. No more biting off your fingernails. Just grab some popcorn and a cold beverage. Sit back and enjoy the drama.
Before we dig into the latest in realignment, here are today's Cyclone headlines.
FOOTBALL OFFER: According to the Twitter feed of JCGridiron.com Publisher Brad Hoiseth, Iowa State has offered Blinn (JUCO) defensive tackle Stuart Mouchantaf not only a scholarship, but a chance to come to Ames "right away."
According to his Rivals.com profile, Mouchantaf claims offers Iowa State, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech and Texas Tech. Mouchantaf's profiles has him listed at 6-foot-4, 295 pounds.
OSEMELE IMPRESSES: Smart money says that former Cyclone offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele will start as a rookie for the Baltimore Ravens. According to this blog, Osemele "stood out" in Baltimore's rookie camp last weekend.
HOOPS RECRUITING NOTES: One of Iowa State's top targets in the class of 2013, Matt Thomas, unofficially visited Virginia yesterday. I've yet to see a link as to how it went.
In other news, according to RecruitLists.com, 2013 point guard Monte Morris will visit Iowa State on June 8. Morris currently claims offers from Iowa State, Arizona State, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Providence, Virginia, Southern California, Western Michigan and Princeton.
REALIGNMENT: I spent the bulk of my Monday afternoon in Des Moines visiting with our advertisers, other media members and Iowa State fans alike. Big 12 expansion is on the mind! It's literally all the people seem to be talking about. That whole May 15 thing has a lot to do with it too. But even so, Florida State to the Big 12 has legs. How do I know this?
If it didn't, why would Florida State's president feel the need to write this letter to fans leading the push to the Big 12?
Here are a few more must-reads regarding this situation…
— This is a strong column written by Warchant.com's Gene Williams & D.C. Reeves that debates Florida State's presidents points against going to the Big 12.
NOTE: Florida State's "fan site" publishers seem to be going against the president on this one. Again – Columns like these are the reasons why the president probably felt the need to send out that email. Crazy times!
— Does Florida State fit in the Big 12? John Crist of NoleDigest.com investigates. He appears to be a little less thrilled about the Big 12 move than the Warchant.com guys.
— Some perspective from Big 12 country, as the Oklahoman's Berry Tramel looks into how FSU would "fit" in the league.
— It wouldn't be realignment season without thoughts from Chip Brown.
— It's funny how so many realignment stories come out of Austin, Texas. Weird right? Texas' AD chimes in.
— The Iowa State athletic department kicked off its 2012 "Tailgate Tour" on Monday in Dubuque. — Cyclones.com
— Leave the BCS? That would be a very, very bad thing to for any conference to do. — Forbes.com
— A feature on future Iowa State kicker Cole Netten, who is ready to become a Cyclones. — The Des Moines Register
— How many wins should a school have to have to play in a bowl games? The Des Moines Register wants your opinion.


text: "It was great to have Whitney there because, I can honestly say, if she hadn't been a part of it, and hadn't written it with us, it probably wouldn't have made the album. She brought her emotions, her spirit, she never gave up on it. ... Her performance was far greater than the song was."


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« March 2008 | Main | May 2008 »
Posted by Alice Gunther on April 30, 2008 in Home Education | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBack (0)
I could not let this day pass without acknowledging the feast of St. Louis de Montfort and St. Gianna Molla, always a beautiful harbinger of Our Lady's month of May.
St. Louis de Montfort, apostle of Mary, pray for us!
St. Gianna Molla, wife and mother, pray for us!
Here is what our family was celebrating this time last year.
Posted by Alice Gunther on April 28, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
With Our Lady's month of May just around the corner, this seemed a perfect time to revisit a project that has been a hit with our local group for almost ten years: holy water fonts. We have made them many different ways, but this method was the first and favorite. Plain wooden plaques from the craft store in a variety of appealing shapes, sturdy plastic shot glasses from the party store, beads, snow white crucifixes, and holy cards make up these simple crafts, perfect for a crowd of all ages. Paints would add a great deal to the look of the project, but I decided to spare the children's clothes in an effort to maintain my friendship with the local moms.
When preparing a craft for a large group of children, it helps to do a bit of prep work. I hot-glued the shot glasses to the plaques in advance:
Patrick wants you to know that this is the one he glued on for Mommy. (Thank you, Pat!)
Thanks to this beautiful group of crafters (not to mention another table full) . . .
. . . those plain plaques were transformed into something glorious and well worth cherishing:
The best projects for a crowd are the ones that all look unique in the end!
Another way to use these would be by putting fresh flowers in the cups with a bit of water.
"Queen of Cute" Kelli B. shows her creation:
An afternoon of crafting works up a thirst, as you can see. Maureen's "crocs" come in handy as she goes full toe to reach the water fountain.
And a good time was had by all!
Holy water fonts, cost per project: under $2 (99 cents for plaques, plus decorations and cups; shot glasses come in packages of 50 for about $3.50, but consider improvising with film canisters, deep bottle caps, or plastic Easter egg halves)
Posted by Alice Gunther on April 25, 2008 in Crafting for a crowd, Crafts, Crafts, Crownings, and Celebrations, Faith, Home Education, Living the Liturgical Year, Marian Activities | Permalink | Comments (24) | TrackBack (0)
Posted by Alice Gunther on April 21, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
What a joy it was to watch our Holy Father on television today, particularly (for me) the Yankee Stadium coverage. The day began threateningly cloudy and some were afraid it might rain, but, once again, the sun came out for the pope! Just as it did twenty-nine years ago.
I watched the coverage from a particularly memorable venue--the local emergency room. Eileen had a gash to the forehead from a run in with a coffee table, and the two of us spent almost three hours waiting for her stitches. The time flew quickly with our pope's smiling face on the screen and the strains of Ode to Joy ringing in our ears. The anchor people on local news 9 spent a long time marveling at the unexpected sunshine, and I felt like an eleven year old girl again.
God is good!
[Update: My friend Heather at Doodle Acres has some incredible photos of the event, not to be missed!]
Posted by Alice Gunther on April 20, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)
Habemus Papam! We have a pope on our shore! What a joyous time for celebration!
Last week, we met a large group of friends to get ready. The children loved listening to the story of Pope Benedict's life as told by his cat, Chico: Joseph and Chico by Jeanne Perego (Ignatius). The nice thing about this biography for children is that it was approved by the Vatican and beautifully illustrated. After storytime, we made birthday cards for the Holy Father and discussed plans to celebrate his 81st together tomorrow. I shared a few memories of Pope John Paul II's visit in 1979 and told the story of the impromptu celebration we had the day Cardinal Ratzinger was elected pope.
Here are ideas for making this Papal visit a memorable one, whether or not you managed to get tickets to any of the planned events:
* Visit Pflaum's website for reproducible activities called "Celebrate the Visit."
* Host a birthday party for Pope Benedict XVI on April 16th. Hang welcome signs, bake a Black Forest cake, make cards--anything to bring joy to the children on that special day. If you do not have eighty-one candles, use sixteen!
* Treat the children to dinner at local German restaurant or prepare an authentic German meal to mark the visit.
* Pray for the pope's safety and success at bedtime every night. Pray for the repose of the soul of Pope John Paul II.
* Yellow ribbon hung outside the home is a symbol of waiting and welcome--adapt this tradition for our Holy Father with yellow and white ribbon, the colors of the Papal flag.
* Create "Papal Visit" notebooks adapted from the Pope John Paul II Memorial notebooks we made three years ago when our beloved JPII passed away. A scrapbook of newspaper clippings would make a meaningful keepsake for the children to show their own little ones some day.
* Talk to the children about vocations, reminding them to ask the Holy Spirit to inspire their choices, remembering to listen for God's call.
* Invite the children's friends over to watch our pope on television.
* Did you know that our pope collects figurines of cats? Have the children make sculptures of cats from Sculpey or Model Magic. Even felt might be used for this simple project.
* Make "Ratzinger Salad."
The day Cardinal Ratzinger was elected pope, we were on our way to a friend's house for a playdate and did not hear the news right away. My friend Elizabeth greeted us in the driveway looking elated, "We have a Pope! It's Ratzinger!!!" Still in mourning for Pope John Paul II, it was such a joyful moment to learn that his dear friend would be our new "Papa." Three or four other families were with us and the playdate turned into a party and celebration of a new beginning. My children still love the dish we christened "Ratzinger Salad" on that day, simply because Elizabeth happened to serve it. Here is the recipe:
Mix cold cooked shells or rotelli pasta, tuna, mayonnaise, chopped red and yellow bell pepper, and chopped tomato in a large serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
This salad is delicious and easily multiplied for a crowd.
May you and your children have a memorable visit with the Holy Father! His faithful presence is exactly what our country needs right now.
Posted by Alice Gunther on April 15, 2008 in Faith, Home Education, Living the Liturgical Year | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)
Do you remember back when she was the baby?
My goodness, Maureen, you are growing up!
Posted by Alice Gunther on April 10, 2008 in Photos | Permalink | Comments (25) | TrackBack (0)
A week or so ago, our family discovered the most wonderful website ever: Storynory.
We are all enjoying listening to classic stories beautifully narrated and unmodernized, and there are dozens of them, so it will be a great while before we have heard them all.
When Spring returns, I am always particularly eager for the children to be "unplugged," avoiding computer activities in favor of time spent outdoors. This is one site I will always encourage, particularly if I can sit right by their side and hear the tales myself!
[Please note: We have not come close to listening to all the stories. Based on what we have heard so far, I am assuming there are not problematic elements in any of them.]
Posted by Alice Gunther on April 04, 2008 in Home Education, Literature | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBack (0)
If you have a moment, please take a look at my most recent column for The Long Island Catholic. It is a remembrance of Pope John Paul II's visit to New York when I was an eleven year old girl and all he meant to people our age--the "John Paul II generation."
On this third anniversary of his death, we pray for the repose of the soul of our beloved "Papa" and ask him to help us as we raise a new generation of young Catholics ready to uphold and embrace our blessed faith.
Before long, Pope Benedict XVI will be in the United States to bless us with his presence. If you are interested in preparing your children for his historic visit, take a look at Pflaum's website for a wonderful array of activities. It seems only yesterday that Pflaum's materials formed a portion of the Pope John Paul II Memorial notebook project my children and I began working on only a week after our Holy Father's death. The plans and helpful discussion surrounding them may still be found at the 4Real Message Board.
Rest in peace, dearest Papa. We love you.
Pope John Paul II walks the field at Shea Stadium (you will note the sunshine on his head--a reminder of how completely the rain stopped for his entrance). This image was taken from The Queens Tribune.
Posted by Alice Gunther on April 02, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBack (0)
Michele Quigley has started a beautiful new message board called Family-Centered Living. What a wonderful spot for sharing and learning!
It will also be the perfect place to discuss the upcoming Family-Centered Learning Conference. I am so hoping to meet many of you there!
Earlybird registration remains open until May 10th.
Posted by Alice Gunther on April 02, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)


text:
A.G. from New Haven County, Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
My neighbor downstairs toilet was clogged and over flowing causing water damaged to my kitchen, living room and half bath. Condo Association claims he nor his insurance are liable because it was not negligence. Can I take him to small claims court to make him or his insurance pay for damaged caused to my unit?
Mister Condo replies:
A.G., typically your homeowner's insurance should pay for damage to your unit. That doesn't mean that you can't sue the other homeowner but you may be limited to your out of pocket expense for insurance deductible. I offer no legal advice here so please speak with an attorney for a legal opinion on the validity of your claim. Either way, I am sorry that you have this damage to your unit and I wish you good luck in cleaning up your unit and remediating the damage. Be sure to keep a vigilant eye against mold that could also follow a water intrusion event like this. All the best!


text:
An operational guide including slots, ground handling and other aircraft services for operating to Julius Nyerere International Airport ( DAR / HTDA ) Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
All information listed below is provided by Equity Aviation Services.
General Operational Information:
Aircraft weight limitation at Julius Nyerere International Airport is not specified, however, an A380 is able to land at the airport.
Fuel uplifts and tech-stops are available when operating to DAR, HTDA airport.
You can also find more contact information and documents on the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority by visiting the CAA section in the Tanzania Country Page.
Airport & Custom Hours:
DAR, HTDA airport and customs are open 24 hours.
Aircraft Services:
Equity Aviation Services provides a list of services at DAR, HTDA including:
- Ground Handling
- Transport
- Fueling
- Permits
- Charters
- Cargo
- Meet & Assist
Slots & PPR:
Slots & PPR are NOT a requirement when operating to DAR, HTDA airport.
There are no specific peak periods at Julius Nyerere International Airport either.
The lead time for the processing of permits is at least 24 hours. However, urgent permits can be obtained on spot.
FBO Facilities:
There is an FBO facility available at Julius Nyerere International Airport.
Kindly contact our support through chat or contact Equity directly for more information on opening hours, executive lounge and more.
Visas, Customs & Immigration:
Airport access for crew is available at DAR, HTDA airport.
European, United States and Russian nationalities require a visa when travelling to Tanzania.
Furthermore, for more information on the visa requirements for Tanzania, kindly visit this website by the Consulate of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Finally, for any further inquiries or if you would require services at Julius Nyerere International Airport – kindly contact Equity Aviation Services.
We're here for you
As always – if you have any questions or suggestions, we are therefore here to help at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Visit flock.aero if you are looking for business information on airports and providers around the world.
Above all, if you want to keep up with how Flock is progressing, new features and the value we can add to your business, keep up with our daily blog posts.