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BMW M135i vs Renaultsport Megane 265 Cup, VW Scirocco R and Ford Focus ST
Prefer your fast hatchbacks a little bit more mature? We pitch BMW's M135i against Scirocco R, Mégane 265 and a 292bhp Focus ST
The only really predictable outcome when you try to look into the future of cars is that you'll make yourself look an idiot.
You might fluke it, of course - singing the praises of what turns out to be a mega new car before you've driven it, or spotting 2019's F1 champ at your local kart track. But you're more likely to produce the sort of howler that hindsight brings back to hang around your neck. Like predicting that the Alfa Romeo 156 GTA would be the stand-out performance saloon of a year (2001) that would also bring the E46 BMW M3. Yes, I did that. I really did.
So it's at risk of producing some derisive laughter if you're re-reading this copy of evo in years hence that I'm going to attempt some more crystal ball-gazing. I predict that, in a few years' time, we'll look back on the BMW M135i as one of those game-changing cars. Not only is it one of the better products to emerge from M division in recent years, and a finalist in last year's eCoty over the BMW M6 on the back of that, but it's made the corporate lives of any company trying to sell a senior hot hatch nigh on impossible.
More reviews
In-depth reviews
- BMW M135i 2023 review
- AC Schnitzer ACS1 2022 review – tuned BMW M135i takes on Mercedes-AMG A35
- BMW 128ti 2021 review – does BMW's first front-drive hot hatch have the GTI beat?
- Birds BMW M140i review - British tuner tweaks BMW's rear-drive hot hatch
- BMW M135i (2012-2016) review – price, video, specifications and 0-60 time
- BMW 1M Coupe review - price, specs and 0-60 time
However you cut it, the M135i offers a huge amount of bang per buck. BMW launched it under the £30k barrier. And although the company has since, unsportingly, stuck another £560 on the price, that still means a three-door manual like the one you see here costs £30,555 before haggling. This for a car with a turbocharged six-cylinder engine, 316bhp, a 5.1sec 0-62mph time and the promise bestowed by that discreet 'M' badge. What's not to love?
Put it another way - how hard has it become for even the most silver-tongued VW sales operative to get anyone to sign up for a Scirocco R? The top-spec version of Volkswagen's coupe-hatch has always sold slowly in the UK, but the M135i makes it look silly. With a four-cylinder turbo four, front-wheel drive, 261bhp and a 6.0sec 0-62mph time, it loses on every Top Trumps category. Yet it costs £31,135 – or £32,535 with DSG, as on our test car.
Not that every argument can be reduced to money, of course. Which is why the M135i must also meet and beat our resident hatchback champion – the Renaultsport Mégane. A bit of spec-shuffling last year led to the 'standard' RS being promoted to the spec of the former Trophy model, meaning 261bhp from the familiar 2-litre turbo four. And, if you're prepared to forego the toys and sample it in basic 'Cup' form, it's yours for £25,245. Bargain.
That leaves the wildcard, the Focus ST. Or, more precisely, an ST with a difference, and not just that of a blue-and-white paint job that makes it look like a 1980s British Gas van. Ford has chosen to pitch the ST at the cheaper end of the segment, meaning it's below these rivals on both price and power. And with Ford yet to decide whether or not to do an RS version, we've opted for a rival from left-field – this 'Stage One' tuned version from renowned Ford-fettlers Superchips. A sports exhaust and a mild remap boost it from the standard car's 247bhp to 292; the rest of the car is unchanged. The mods cost £1414, and even added to a new ST this is still the cheapest car here, at £23,409 all in.
FOR THIS STORY, we've picked a very appropriate playground – the quiet corner of the map where Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire collide. A perfect mix of fast and sweeping with tight and cresty makes this one of the best places I've found to put a wannabe hot hatch through its paces. And, with Henry Catchpole on hand to lend his critical opinion, we know the test will be suitably testing.
I arrive in the Scirocco, unshaken but also unstirred. It's a couple of years since I last drove an R, and I'd almost forgotten how effortlessly it manages the business of going quickly. It's supple and refined on the motorway, the ultra-quick changes of the DSG 'box and the turbocharged engine's linear pace helping to forge a path. But it's never a car that shouts about its supposed status as VW's performance hero. From the outside, only unique alloys and a deeper front grille – which Henry likens to Mark Webber's jawline – distinguish it from the standard TSI. And from the driver's seat, the R-ificiation is similarly restrained – blue instrument needles in place of the red ones of lesser versions is pretty much the limit.
Yet you can't help but be impressed by the way the VW keeps its composure when asked to deliver pace. Even with Henry nibbling at its back bumper in the Mégane, the VW is making unruffled progress in a way that makes me wonder if these serrated local roads have been resurfaced since I was last here; with the dampers in their firmest 'Sport' setting there is no floating and no crashing.
But this is not a car that draws you in to the business of driving it quickly. The steering is low-geared, the assistance is light and messages from the front are muted. Grip levels are huge - faster corners are just dispatched, and even in slower ones the chassis finds impressive grip considering its lack of a limited-slip differential. VW's 'XDS' traction control system redistributes torque laterally as the front end runs out of grip, and it actually kills understeer pretty well. But as with the rest of the car, the end result is a digitally synthesised driving experience. You find yourself almost longing for some good old-fashioned torque steer.
It's time to stretch legs and swap cars, and Henry is already raving about the Mégane. Again. 'Getting on the throttle mid-corner and feeling the diff pull you round is like witchcraft,' he says. 'It's utterly addictive.'
Perhaps so, but I'm saving the Mégane until later. Instead I opt to swap into the Focus that evo's newest signing, designer Will Beaumont, has been driving. 'It's, um, interesting,' reckons Will, from behind an uncharacteristically pallid complexion. And within a couple of hundred yards I've found out why.
I've already driven the ST from Superchips' HQ to the office, and on wide A-roads it felt amusingly rapid, with a noticeable increase in performance over that of the standard car, but keeping the Ford's fundamental character intact. But on this rougher tarmac – which the Scirocco's magic dampers had smoothed out, rather than Oxfordshire's roads department – keeping the ST on track is a constant battle.
On the plus side, it's seriously quicker than the standard ST, with enough boost to keep the traction control light flashing in third and sometimes even fourth gear on the bumpy tarmac. If we had a straight line to head down it would be epic – but linear vectors are in fairly short supply on the B4507, and on the bobbling surface the ST's front end is scrapping with every bump and battling every contour, the steering tugging this way and that as the power searches for grip. On the narrow roads that skirt the famous White Horse, where safe progress requires inch-perfect accuracy, it feels wide and unwieldy at speed. It's certainly exciting – like walking an energetic dog at the top of a cliff.
When we stop so that snapper Howell can set up the next shot, we discover another possible reason for the Focus's never-ending battle for traction: some fairly comical rubber on those equally comical blue alloys. Autogrip P308s, apparently. The suspicion is that it may be less of a handful on its standard Goodyear Eagles.
Henry is equally unmoved by the Scirocco. 'It's just a bit dull, isn't it? All the ingredients are there and they all work well together, but it doesn't make me want to drive it.'
With that, he gets into the M135i, and I climb into the Mégane, bringing us to the crux of the test, and once on the move, it's quickly evident that we are definitely in Mégane country. They should put up a sign. Within a couple of miles it's clear that you'd be hard-pressed to find any car, regardless of budget, that feels more at home on these roads. Or one capable of carrying such pace over them.
At first, the Mégane feels over-firm. Renaultsport likes firm suspension settings and the 265 is no exception, engaging rougher surfaces in close-quarters combat as the Cup springs and shocks work together to defuse the bumps in real time. Unlike the Scirocco, there's no give to it and no attempt to roll with the road's punches. But although the overall effect is a vigorous spinal massage, the steering remains uncorrupted and traction uninterrupted.
And that makes the 265 a spectacularly easy car to place on the road; pick a line and the Mégane does its best to stick to it. Even better, when grip starts to fade – a message relayed unambiguously through the fat rim of the steering wheel – there's that diff to help you out, pulling the front end deeper into the corner when most cars would be giving up. With the ESP deactivated you can bring the back end into play, too, easing the throttle, or overlapping braking with turn-in, to feel the mass shifting and the car tightening its line.
OK, so it's not quite perfect. The Renault's engine is effective but lacks character beyond its induction roar under full throttle. The light gearchange makes it easy to swap between ratios quickly enough to keep everything boiling, but I've always felt it lacks a bit of weight. Oh, and for some reason Renault persists in having an odd 'kick down' click at the bottom of the throttle travel (it allows you to override the driver-selectable speed limiter, apparently). But these are niggles.
Henry is almost as impressed by the BMW. 'It's challenging the Mégane for top honours,' he suggests. 'The steering doesn't quite tell you as much so you have to take a leap of faith where the Renault tells you everything. And it would benefit from a proper LSD.'
It does have two more cylinders than the other challengers, though. It's also the most powerful car here, and it drives the opposite set of wheels to the other three. Yet, for all the difference in approach, it's impressive how close the Mégane and the M135i end up in terms of the speed they can carry across difficult country.
The BMW's engine is the star powerplant here, no question. It's smooth, snarly, lag-free and happy to rev. It's as responsive at 1500rpm as it is when the tacho needle homes in on the 7000rpm red line. This is the first time I've sampled the manual, and I instantly prefer it to the frenetic eight-speed auto. The six-speed leaves you feeling more in control and gives the big engine a chance to fill its lungs.
The chassis is great, too. The Adaptive M Sport suspension, with its range of associated settings, is a £515 option, but unlike in some of the 135's fully fledged M-car sisters, the tech doesn't take over the driving experience; you never feel like you're out of the loop in the M135i in the way you sometimes do in an M5 or M6. The dampers struggle with today's road surfaces in Comfort mode, but selecting Sport or Sport Plus imposes discipline.
The steering isn't as direct or responsive as the Mégane's, but there's genuine feedback behind the electric assistance – and an ability to play the front and back ends off against each other. Like lesser 1-series, the M135i doesn't feel rear-driven unless you want it to – the seemingly foolproof stability control means you can hoon it like a front-drive hatch without worrying about the back making an unwanted bid for freedom. And in Sport Plus the system allows enough slip to make things interesting, without being alarming.
Yet despite its extra power and on-paper acceleration advantage, the Beemer can't quite match the Mégane's pace over today's roads. In part that's because of the steering, but it's also due to that lack of a proper limited-slip diff. When it does get to the edge of adhesion, the electronics struggle to replicate the locking effect that gives the Mégane its ultimate edge; the Beemer will go sideways if you want, but it won't find more grip doing so.
Following the Renault gives a fascinating chance to see it flex its muscles. On straights the BMW has the edge under power, and the two are perfectly matched on braking. But in a fast right-left-right sequence, the 265 finds another couple of yards at every apex.
LIGHT IS FADING and brakes are ticking as we regroup for tea and medals. There's no dispute that the Ford finishes last – the Superchips conversion is a worthwhile upgrade, but it will take more than just power to get the Focus on a par with these rivals. 'I hope that's not as close as we get to an RS version,' says Henry. Quite.
Nor is anyone voting for the Scirocco. There's no doubt that it's a great way to cover ground without breaking sweat, but it's not a car to fill you with the thrill of driving.
Separating the Mégane and the M135i is where it gets harder – borderline impossible, in fact. For all the overlap, these are cars from different galaxies; your preference really is going to depend on what you value the higher.
'If you're looking for the most sophisticated, best quality hatch then the BMW wins hands down,' is Henry's considered verdict. 'The Mégane is rawer and would be more tiring to live with – but it's the best drivers' car here.'
He's right. Both of these cars are brilliant at what they do. The Mégane is indeed still the class of the field, and it's six grand cheaper. But the BMW remains a real performance bargain and is barely less talented than the 1M Coupe that's still five grand more expensive used. Any other manufacturer putting a similar rival into the market – Mercedes with its forthcoming A45 AMG, for example – is going to have to produce something exceptional.


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Kia Ora Koutou
Welcome back to my second post and this time I am featuring some gorgeous petunias for a fabulous Wedding card. I apologise for the photos – I only managed to take one photo just before I had tweaked it before I sent it through to Heartfelt Creations.
Products Used:
Embossing Powder – Gold, 359760
Designer Dries Clear Adhesive, 159723
Rajni Chawla's Crystal Clear, PGM15015
Ranger Archival Ink Pad – Leaf Green, RACP436
Ranger Archival Ink Pad – Vivid Chartreuse, RACP531
Ranger Archival Ink Pad – Sunflower, RACP005
Ranger Archival Ink Pad – Buttercup, RACP632
Indian Gold Nuvo Mousse, NU802
Assorted Bead Stamens-Medium, HCS1-459-3
Luxe Gold Cardstock, HCGP1-488
Deluxe Flower Shaping Paper Pack of 50 – White, HCPP1-475
Stack and Store Daubers-Pack of 30, HCDA2-450
Swirly Accent Spray Die, HCD1-7263
Album Tags and Accents Die, HCD1-7202
Classic Border Basics Die, HCD1-7119
Celebrate Love Sentiments Cling Stamp Set, HCPC-3847
Lush Lilac Paper Collection, HCDP1-287
Oakberry Lane Blossoms Die, HCD1-7200
Other Products: White cardstock, Versamark ink, foam tape
For more tips on creating with the Classic Petunia collection, watch the tutorial at https://youtu.be/KOy_qNB9OAk.
For more tips on creating with the foam paper & stamens, watch the tutorial at https://youtu.be/Oma6ctVmUD0.
For more tips on creating with the flower shaping molds, watch the tutorial at https://youtu.be/FSdPL7nXvQE.
For more tips on creating with the booklet frame dies, watch the tutorial at https://youtu.be/kJO5LdNFxgE.
For more tips on creating with the border dies & foldout cards, watch the tutorial at https://youtu.be/wxX94X84kUo.
Instructions: Cut a piece of white cardstock 12" x 8", score at 6" along the long side and fold to create a base card of 6" x 8". Cut a piece of cream coloured paper from the Lush Lilac collection 7 1/2″ x 6" and adhere to the front of the card. Cut two strips of gold cardstock 2 1/16" and adhere to either end of the card as shown. Cut a piece of cream paper 7 1/2" x 6" and using the plain edge die from the HCD1-7119 Classic Border Basics set die cut the ends of the paper. Cut two eyelet edges from the HCD1-7119 Classic Border Basics out of gold cardstock and adhere to each end and trim the ends. Adhere to the front of the card with foam tape.
Die cut two decorative swirly dies from the HCD1-7263 Swirly Accent Spray Die set out of white cardstock and two from gold cardstock. Adhere the white dies to the gold dies and slightly offset the dies to give a gold background. Adhere the ends together and then adhere to the front of the card as shown.
Die cut the outer eyelet decorative tag from the HCD1-7202 Album Tags & Accents Die set out of gold card. Stamp the sentiment from the HCPC3847 Celebrate Love Sentiments Stamp set in Versmark ink on white cardstock and heat emboss with gold embossing powder. Die cut the sentiment out using the inner plain edge die and then adhere to the front of the eyelet die. Adhere this to the centre of the Swirly Accent Spray dies using foam tape.
Stamp the large and small petunias from the HCPC-3786 Large Classic Petunia and HCPC-3785 Small Classic Petunia Stamp sets in Sunflower ink on Deluxe Flower Shaping Paper. Colour with Buttercup ink and die cut with the coordinating die. Shape using the 3D Floral Basics Shaping Mold and shape into a petunia shape. When dry add Indian Gold Embellishment Mousse to the tips of the flowers. Pierce the centres of the flowers and insert the deep yellow wire stamens. Add Crystal Clear glitter to the flowers with Dries Clear glue on a damp sponge. Trim the wires and adhere around the left of the ornamental tag.
Stamp the leaf images from the CPC-3842 Oakberry Lane Blossoms Stamp set in Leaf Green ink on Deluxe Flower Shaping Paper. Colour with Vivid Chartreuse ink and die cut with the coordinating die. Shape using the coordinating mold and sponge the Indian Gold Embellishment Mouse to the tips. Add Crystal Clear glitter using Dries Clear glue on a damp sponge. Adhere around the flowers as shown.
Please look out for my third card this week for Heartfelt Creations.
Happy Crafting
Ka Kite Anu


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10 Popular Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival Greetings/Sayings
- Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!
Zhōngqiū kuàilè!
- Wish you and your family a happy Mid-Autumn Festival
Zhù nǐ hé nǐ de jiārén zhōngqiū kuàilè
- Wishing us a long life to share the graceful moonlight, though thousands of miles apart.
Dàn yuàn rén chángjiǔ, qiānlǐ gòng chánjuān
- A bright moon and stars twinkle and shine. Wishing you a merry Mid-Autumn Festival, bliss, and happiness.
Hàoyuè shǎnshuò, xīngguāng shǎnyào, zhōngqiū jiājié, měimǎn kuàilè!
- Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! May the round moon bring you a happy family and a successful future.
- The roundest moon can be seen in the autumn. It is time for reunions. I wish you a happy Mid-Autumn Day and a wonderful life.
- Wish you a perfect life just like the roundest moon in Mid-Autumn Day.
- Happy Mid-Autumn Day! Wish that you go well and have a successful and bright future.
- I want to make a toast. I Wish that the round moon take my best blessing to you. May you have a happy family and a bright future.
- I wish that your career and life, just like the round moon on Did-Autumn Day, be bright and perfect.
Source: https://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/mid-autumn-festival-greeting.htm


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Emergency Plumbers London are wholly dedicated to providing the very best commercial and domestic emergency plumbing services in Central London.


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Suggest a new Definition
Proposed definitions will be considered for inclusion in the Economictimes.com
Definition: An asset is said to be liquid if it is easy to sell or convert into cash without any loss in its value. By definition, bank notes and checking accounts are the most liquid assets.
Description: A liquid asset allows any individual or a company to access cash at any time they want. At the time of investing, the investor must keep some of the liquid assets in his portfolio so that he can have an easy hand on his money during an emergency.
Cash is a highly liquid asset followed by the banking accounts, checkable account, short-term promissory notes, treasury bills and other government bonds.


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Hakena, Helen, Peter Ninnes, and Bert Jenkins, eds. 2006. NGOs and Post-Conflict Recovery: The Leitana Nehan Women's Development Agency, Bougainville. Canberra: ANU E Press and Asia Pacific Press.
Authors: Helen Hakena, Bert A. Jenkins, Peter Ninnes
Topics: Armed Conflict, Ethnic/Communal Wars, Secessionist Wars, Development, Gender, Women, Conflict, Humanitarian Assistance, NGOs, Peacebuilding, Post-Conflict, Rights, Women's Rights Regions: Oceania Countries: Papua New Guinea
Year: 2006
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Kangaroo zoo
Party Rooms – Jungle
Utah's Best Birthday Parties
Jungle Party Room
Our Jungle Party Room offers a trip to the savanna and the rain forest, where you can open gifts in the presence of the King of the Jungle.
This room has a beautiful mural of majestic animals like lions, giraffes, gorillas and elephants against a background of tangled vines—just like in a real rain forest! Sit at our colorful kid-sized tables and chairs and enjoy your refreshments under magical lotus lanterns.
Like our other party rooms, the Jungle Party Room gives you a private place to hold your birthday celebration, with drinks, plates and utensils provided.
The Jungle Party Room is in our Ogden location. Schedule your next Utah birthday party at Kangaroo Zoo!


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Even with some fierce competition, it doesn't take much for Kia's rear-driven Stinger sports saloon to tempt the majority of the motor market into opting for it, but that doesn't mean Kia shouldn't worry about its main rivals. With that said, here are 5 of the best motors on the market that match the Korean very well.
1) Audi S4 Saloon
For an Audi S4, all you need is roughly the same amount of money as you'd typically spend on a Kia and the only major difference? Of course, it has to be the quality of the chassis – but that doesn't mean you can pick fault with Kia's structure. However, Audi would be the first to take the lead if ever Kia's Stinger was to slack even just a little bit, but that's hardly surprising since practically every Audi boasts luxury and performance more than the average motor. Thankfully, the S4 combines comfort and technology with serious pace and for that reason exactly – and slightly because of its turbocharged V6 engine – it's able to get from 0 to 62mph in just 4.7-seconds.
2) BMW 440i Gran Coupe M Sport
Since we're certain the 3 Series is the best junior executive BMW model in the business, it's apparent that a four-door 4 Series, almost completely based on the 3, makes for a very good thing – does it not? With frameless window glass on each of its doors to make the atmosphere cooler somewhat instantly, sharper steering than the 3 Series and massive, 1,300-litre boot space so long as the rear seats are folded down, it's no wonder BMW's Gran Coupe M Sport is second to take the lead as one of the Stinger's main rivals.
3) Jaguar XE S
There's nothing quite like a good ol' Jaguar to haul yourself and your belongings from one place to another in style, comfort and class. We all know the standard of Jag's vehicles is to a level that very few other car makers can amount to, except Kia. Strange as it might sound, Kia's Stinger can quite easily compare to Jaguar's XE S, though unlike the Stinger, Jaguar's XE S' 3.0-litre supercharged V6 engine and 75 per cent aluminium body is something that even the Stinger cannot compete with. That said, as impressive as Jaguar's XE S might be to most, it can be argued that the Kia Stinger would make a good substitute.
4) Mercedes-AMG C43
Without a doubt, the Mercedes-AMG C43 is proof enough in itself that Merc will always remain capable of outstanding performance – and even Kia's Stinger cannot compete with this one. Just enough for us to keep faith in the premium car maker, the AMG C43 is much faster than the Stinger which essentially makes it more of a challenge to outshine itself in terms of its performance at speed. Nevertheless, since the Mercedes-AMG C43 has made an appearance on this list of ours, there must be a reason behind it, right? You could argue that its appearance here is entirely based on your own opinion of whether a Mercedes-AMG model would be too aggressively powerful for a day-to-day commute – or perhaps not. If it has too much kick to it, you could always opt for the Stinger since it's down in power compared to Mercedes'-AMG C43.
5) Wildcard: Ford Focus RS
Since the very beginning, Ford has been known to be amongst the most talented of the market's car makers, which is essentially more of a reason as to why it's unlikely for Kia's Stinger to outshine the Focus RS, no matter what's thrown in its path. The Focus has four doors and heaps of turbocharged power, yet it's still £8,000 cheaper than Kia's Stinger – is that even surprising to you? £32,000 bought from new, Ford's Focus RS features everything you'd see in the Stinger, but with more quality and for a cheaper sale cost, too. Granted, the Focus RS is classed as the 5th main rival of the Stinger, but let's be honest, you're talking at least a couple of decades before Ford loses the lead. What's more? You can find a quality second-hand Ford Focus RS, and having saved more than £8,000 this way, you can customise it to your preferences – so essentially, you'd have bagged a bargain!


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Sometimes i hate myself. Because i ruin all the good i have. And the second i do it i wish i could turn the time back.
I just wish you are more forgiving and that you don't always cut me off and leave my alone. You always do that. Leave me alone. :( And it hurts a lot. You promised not to do that. You promised to stay with me no matter what, even if you are mad at me.
I know it's my fault, but i am sorry and i ask for your forgiveness. I want to talk to you!
I love you!


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Fire safety issues in both pubs and clubs are the topic of investigation these days for Newcastle Police officers and New South Wales Fire and Rescue. A joint operation was conducted last weekend in an effort to tackle fire safety concerns in pubs and clubs throughout the city. Adam Gilligan, a Compliance Services Manager claims that the operation is focusing on various priority issues, such as fire safety exits being blocked, smoke detection, alarm systems and capacity issues.
The Importance of Fire Safety
Gilligan implied that it is imperative that measures are set to alert patrons and staff in the occurrence of a fire and to evacuate them safely and quickly.
An concentrated effort is being made to ensure that every building upholds the required fire safety codes and measures. Throughout their investigation, a number of issues were found in a variety of establishments relating to fire exits, smoke detectors and fire alarms. Those who broke the regulations can be subjected to fines and prosecution.
Gilligan says the operation will ensure that pubs and clubs are aware that they must ensure the safety of all of their patrons and staff. The operation is set to be continuous and those who endanger their patrons may not only face fines but also immediate closure.
Source : http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/about_newcastle/news_and_events/media_releases/media_releases/fire_safety_targeted_in_pubs_and_clubs
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SHFPACT offers a free Counselling service for women experiencing an Unplanned Pregnancy. This counselling service is funded by the ACT government.
The counselling provided is confidential, respectful, non-judgemental and non-directive, and aims to provide accurate information and support for women, as well as their partners and/or families if needed. The counselling is provided by experienced sexual & reproductive health nurses who have undertaken extra training in counselling. Referral to external counsellors can be made for more complex problems or for relationship issues as needed.
The counselling is client led and the counsellor is there to respond to the individual woman's needs. Some of the reasons people may attend for counselling include counselling in relation to making a decision about an unplanned pregnancy, seeking accurate information about unplanned pregnancy and the options available, finding out what to do and where to go next, and support around dealing with a decision. All options can be explored and discussed in a safe environment as needed by the individual woman.
Information regarding termination of pregnancy services is provided as needed or requested by the woman. Post-termination counselling is also available for those women who may need support following a termination. Counselling appointments are an hour long and can be a one-off appointment, or several appointments as needed.
Call 6247 3077 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
For information on all options and making a decision about an unplanned pregnancy see:
For accurate information on unplanned pregnancy/pregnancy options/abortion:
- Children by Choice: childrenbychoice.org.au
- Termination of pregnancy services in the ACT region:
- Gynaecology Centres Australia: gcaus.com.au
- Marie Stopes Australia: mariestopes.org.au/abortion
- Medical termination of pregnancy up to 9 weeks gestation can also be provided by some GPs who have undertaken specialised training. Ask your GP if they provide this service or call the SHFPACT Clinic on 02 6247 3077.
Parenting information and resources:
- Having a Baby in Canberra: havingababyincanberra.org.au
- Parentlink: parentlink.act.gov.au
Adoption services in the ACT:
- Adoptions in the ACT are managed by ACT Government Community Services communityservices.act.gov.au/ocyfs/children/adoptions
- Created on .
- Last updated on .


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Fall 2018 Student Concert
On Sunday, November 4, Barry hosted his Fall 2018 Student Concert in the performance hall at Hollywood Piano in Burbank, CA. Eight students of various ages presented a variety of musical styles to an enthusiastic audience, including classical, patriotic, folk, and pop. See the complete program below…
And special thanks to Barry's wife, Linda Wehrli, for her help with video, photography, set up and tear down, and Hollywood Piano owner Glenn Treibitz and manager Ric Overton for providing their great recital hall. Everyone had a great time and next year will be even bigger!
Comments are appreciated.


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Bitcoin and Ethereum Correct Gains, Altcoins Remain Elevated
Bitcoin price traded to a new all-time high near USD 48,200 before correcting. Ethereum also traded to a new all-time high at USD 1,825, XRP is holding gains above USD 0.465. BNB gained over 25% and it seems to be approaching the USD 100 level.
Bitcoin price extended its rally above the USD 45,000 and USD 46,500 resistance levels. BTC even surpassed USD 48,000 briefly, hitting its new all-time high. It is currently (12:45 UTC) correcting gains and trading well below USD 46,500.
Similarly, ethereum climbed above USD 1,800, traded to a new all-time high at USD 1,825, and it is correcting lower. Besides, most other major altcoins remain in a steady uptrend. XRP/USD is holding the USD 0.465 and USD 0.450 support levels.
Total market capitalization
Bitcoin price
There was a strong increase in bitcoin price above the USD 45,000 resistance level. BTC even cleared the USD 47,500 level and traded to a new all-time high near USD 48,200. Recently, there was a downside correction below USD 47,500 and the price declined below USD 47,000. The price is now approaching the USD 45,000 level, below which it could test the USD 42,500 support.
On the upside, the price is facing hurdles near USD 47,200 and USD 47,500. A fresh break above USD 47,500 might push the price to a new all-time high.
Ethereum price
Ethereum price followed a positive path and it climbed above the USD 1,770 resistance level. ETH even cleared the USD 1,800 level, but upsides were limited. It traded to a new all-time high near USD 1,825 before correcting lower sharply.
The price is now trading in a range above USD 1,720, with the next key support at USD 1,700. On the upside, the price must settle above USD 1,800 for upside continuation in the near term.
ADA, litecoin and XRP price
Cardano (ADA) failed to stay above the USD 0.700 level and corrected lower. ADA is now trading just above the USD 0.670 support. The main support is now forming near the USD 0.655 level, below which there is a risk of a larger decline. On the upside, a close above USD 0.700 could start a strong increase in the coming sessions.
Litecoin (LTC) is showing positive signs above USD 165 level. On the upside, the USD 172 level is a short-term resistance. The next key resistance could be near USD 188. If the price fails to stay above the USD 165 support, it could correct lower towards the USD 155 level.
XRP price is still holding gains above the USD 0.465 support level. The first key resistance sits at USD 0.480. The next major resistance is near the USD 0.492 level, above which the bulls might aim a break above the USD 0.500 resistance zone. If there is a fresh decline, the price might struggle to stay above USD 0.465 and it could test USD 0.450.
Other altcoins market today
Many altcoins gained over 15%, including LUNA, CAKE, BNB, FIL, DGB, MIOTA, TRX, STX, XVG, FTT, OKB, NANO, HEDG, and BSV. Out of these, BNB is surging, getting closer to the USD 100 barrier.
To sum up, bitcoin price is correcting gains below USD 47,000. However, the USD 45,000 level might provide support. Any more losses could lead BTC towards USD 42,500.


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- A new ranking of the best states to retire puts South Dakota in first place.
- But you've probably seen a few other lists lately.
- That's why it's important to consider your own preferences.
There's another list out of the best places to retire, this time by personal finance website Bankrate.com.
South Dakota came in first place.
Although a recent list in Business Insider called Florida the winner, and a ranking last year in Money Magazine crowned New Hampshire.
If you're overwhelmed by the many listicles of where you should spend your golden years, remember to consider how much a destination meets your personal needs and tastes.
For example, this new rating by Bankrate.com prioritized warmer places over colder ones, assuming retirees want to eschew harsh winters. But some people like to wear a jacket, and not everyone wants endless sunshine. "There are some people who want to see the leaves change," said Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at Bankrate.com.
Also, your lifestyle could vary dramatically in, say, Buffalo, New York versus Manhattan. "It's a broad brush stroke when it comes to states," Hamrick said.
Having a conversation about the ability to achieve one's financial goals in a variety of locations can be a very productive exercise.Mark Hamricksenior economic analyst at Bankrate.com
Meanwhile, packing up and settling into another state is not possible, or desirable, for many.
"There's a risk moving to a place you're not familiar with, or don't have well ensconced friends and business relationships," Hamrick said.
Before you leave behind your current home, Hamrick recommends that people ask themselves a few questions about a new place. Do you know anyone there? Are you familiar with the community? Will you be able to find a suitable home and live in an area that's comfortable for you?
"Make sure you won't have a sense of remorse about what you're leaving behind," Hamrick said.
All of that considered, he said these rankings can be a great place for people to start planning their retirement.
"Having a conversation about the ability to achieve one's financial goals in a variety of locations can be a very productive exercise," he said.
Bankrate's study picked it's best states considering cost of living (20 percent), taxes (20 percent), health care quality (15 percent), weather (15 percent), crime (10 percent), cultural vitality (10 percent) and well-being (10 percent).
1. South Dakota
2. Utah
3. Idaho
4. New Hampshire
5. Florida
6. Montana
7. North Carolina
8. Wyoming
9. Nebraska
10. Mississippi
More from Personal Finance


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1st Edition
Memory and Conflict in Lebanon Remembering and Forgetting the Past
This book examines the legacy of Lebanon's civil war and how the population, and the youth in particular, are dealing with their national past. Drawing on extensive qualitative research and social observation, the author explores the efforts of those who wish to remember, so as not to repeat past mistakes, and those who wish to forget.
In considering how the Lebanese youth are negotiating this collective memory, Larkin addresses issues of:
- Lebanese post-war amnesia and the gradual emergence of new memory discourses and public debates
- Lebanese nationalism and historical memory
- visual memory and mnemonic landscapes
- oral memory and post-war narratives
- war memory as an agent of ethnic conflict and a tool for reconciliation and peace-building.
- trans-generational trauma or postmemory.
Shedding new light on trauma and the persistence of ethnic and religious hostility, this book offers a unique insight into Lebanon's recurring communal tensions and a fresh perspective on the issue of war memory. As such, this is an essential addition to the existing literature on Lebanon and will be relevant for scholars of sociology, Middle East studies, anthropology, politics and history.
1. Introduction: Beyond the War? 2. Locating a Postmemory Generation 3. Contesting Lebanon: History, Identity and Co-existence 4. (Re)Imagining the Nation: School, Street and the 'Independence Intifada' 5. Space, Place and Site: Inhabiting Postwar Memoryscapes 6. Time, Story and Myth: Narrating Lebanon's Future 7. Conclusions
"His writing remains always sober, collected, impartial, and most of all decent, adding much needed substance depth and class to the literature on Lebanon's history and memory."- Franck Salameh, The Levantine Review, 2012.


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Goodbye and good riddance to 2020. The global pandemic had an impact on every business. From a digital marketing standpoint, what will 2021 bring? Several digital marketing leaders shared their thoughts on coming trends.
"Virtual Events and Experiences for audiences to engage outside of your traditional sales messaging. We helped Mariano's launch Mariano's Meet-Ups, Virtual Events spanning Chef Demos, Mixology Classes, and Live Music, and Tricoci market Virtual Consultations for at home treatments. Diversify your social media activity to connect with more engaged users. To that point, enrich the user experience on your social profiles by leveraging shop and other features that break down barriers towards purchasing from you. We helped Tricoci launch Instagram shop to complement their new ecommerce marketing program."
"Social media platforms like Facebook are making it easier for consumers to go from discovery to purchase without ever having to leave the platform, creating a simple and seamless path to purchase. With social commerce continuing to grow into 2021, retail brands will have to adapt to these platforms with new rules, similar to what many did with Amazon."
"This means evolving even beyond the age of personalization and entering an age of personal commerce, where consumers co-curate their experiences with brands to reflect their preferences at any given moment. They expect for brands to understand what they've bought in the past and help them to determine what they should buy next, based on all the data that they've consciously shared with them by engaging with their sites and channels. This is not just a matter of brands meeting consumers where they are; it's about brands telling them what they want, when they want it. If brands and retailers are going to continue collecting first-party shopper data, they will need to begin actioning it in meaningful ways, predicting what their shoppers want to see next, and understanding where shoppers are in their buying cycles to predict when they'll want to buy."
4 SEO Trends for 2021. With each new year, it is only natural to sit back and take stock of your business and where you would like it to be. This will mean laying out some strategic planning for growth and customer acquisitions for many business owners and managers.
Just a sampling of the most important SEO trends to look for in 2021 include:
"SEO has evolved a lot over the last years. With numerous algorithm updates rolled out in 2020, we've continued to evolve our SEO strategy to stay on top of today's SEO best practices for both website ranking, as well as converting visitors to customers. This year more than any, we've had some great success tying our clients SEO success to other forms of engagement & conversions, such as social media, email, display, video, custom landing and squeeze pages and others. "- Jeff Sherman, Owner Top Marketing Agency
"In the face of the COVID pandemic, events became virtual out of necessity. As we move into 2021 and beyond, many events will stay virtual not only because of continued safety concerns, but also as a result of lessons learned in 2020. Companies found that by going virtual, they opened up their event to an entirely new audience as virtual events are more accessible than in-person events. For virtual events, visa issues, travel restrictions and costs aren't as much of a concern as with in-person events, and many companies have found that this allows for higher attendance and more participation. That means lower cost for more people and a higher ROI. The key is to get creative and drive engagement through great speakers, rich content and some fun of course. In 2021 and beyond, virtual events will continue to be a popular route to engage with a broad set of customers as companies see the many benefits of online events."
"Many companies are starting to reduce the number of social media channels they are using to share and influence, and rightly so. With so many channels available, and many companies having tried to stay relevant on all of them, the need to declutter is almost pervasive. Reducing social media channels to only the most relevant will be not only popular but necessary."
"Virtual events have great power but not if there is only one-way communication. There is a mistake among many associations and companies that virtual events should be broadcast versus being live. Yes, there are complications that can happen with live events, but the reward is so much greater than the risk. This is what attendees are looking for, something that can substitute, even in part, for a live event."
"With Facebook owning Oculus and dozens of augmented reality patents, it is only a matter of time before digital growth experts have to learn and incorporate AR into digital engagement. This is still on the periphery but now is the time to research, learn and consider how AR could be used in current digital assets."
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The neocons are at it again: After the tragedies of the terrorist attacks in Paris last Friday (and Beirut the day before), they're arguing that governments need to be able to access all communications from everyone, purportedly to protect us from future terrorist attacks. They're making their case in leading newspapers and TV networks. Now they want to be able to break into encrypted communications on demand, over such services as Telegram or Apple Messages.
Using the Paris attacks as a pretext to create an Orwellian police state is morally perverse, and we should not let fear stampede us to living in a police state.
This is personal for me: Not only am I a dual French-American citizen, but my family remembers painfully how the Nazis rounded up Jewish neighbors and Résistance fighters in occupied France using the dossiers collected by the French authorities on its citizens -- never again.
The truth is the Nazis today would want the same access to encrypted communications as the U.K. government does and that many in the intelligence and police communities do worldwide.
Everyone wants to spy on us, it seems
Evil people and criminals have long used technology to communicate secretly -- but so do freedom fighters, activists, and the persecuted. China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and dozens of other dictatorships would happily agree with U.S. and U.K. policing agencies seeking such spying power to "keep us safe." China is pressuring tech companies to do exactly that. Is that what we really want?
In fact, governments that have nearly unfettered access to their citizens' communications can't stop it all, even if you agree that they should be able to spy on everyone to "keep us safe." There is no technology silver bullet. But there is a slippery slope we are already too far down on allowing governments (and corporations) the ability to see everything we do digitally.
The neocons have been trying to get this spying power long before the Paris attacks, using fear to gain unfettered access to everything we say and see. Paris is only the latest tool in their campaign to get blanket spying approval. Tech companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft have been resisting, such as by creating encryption for which they don't hold the keys and can't be used as police proxies.
Still, the U.K. government is seeking a new law that gives the police the right to force technology providers to unlock encrypted communications. That means tech companies must build backdoors that they access themselves or turn over to the authorities.
BlackBerry, then known as Research in Motion, did that for multiple governments in 2011 so that they could spy on the encrypted communications of their citizens. And it wasn't "just" for autocracies like Saudi Arabia but democracies like India. You know that Western countries have the same access.
And the tech companies that are now opposed to government-required backdoors have long been complicit in providing governments -- domestic and foreign -- access to user data. It seems that they're finally waking up to the reality of how bad it has become and their role in enabling it.
Whether they can resist, such as Apple has been trying to do by eliminating its own ability to decrypt users' iPhones, is an open question. For example, would Apple really leave its second-largest market, China, over government demands to access citizens' data and communications? Or leave the U.K. market, whose proposed laws would put all new iPhones in violation of the decryption requirement?
We now know, thanks to whistleblower Edward Snowden, how deeply U.S. intelligence has infiltrated our communications systems, with hooks into the telecommunications, Internet, server, and social media services we all use.
The NSA has more resources than anyone, but every major country does the same. Some countries simply pretend less. For example, we are aware the Russians and Chinese spy deeply across the globe. So do the British and French, both of which have very permissive laws that enable spying -- Britain has cameras, microphones, and digital taps everywhere, while France requires no judicial permission for police to monitor anyone they suspect.
The dishonest argument that seeks us to give up our privacy
The neocons are now trying to blame Snowden for purportedly steering terrorists to encrypted services to avoid detection by intelligence agencies. That's worse than nonsense; it shows a fundamental dishonesty that should call into question all of their claims.
Snowden revealed the NSA's and others' abusive, illegal activities in 2013, yet intelligence agencies missed many attacks coordinated over channels they could spy on: the attacks on Istanbul in 2003; in Madrid, Beersheba, and Moscow in 2004; in Tel Aviv in 2006; in London in 2007; in Madrid in 2007; in Jakarta in 2009; in Moscow in 2010; in Mogadishu and Delhi in 2011; and in Boston in 2013. Clearly, Snowden didn't help the terrorists get past our intelligence agencies.
There can be no guarantee that we will catch all plots before they hatch, and while we should protect ourselves where possible, we can't trade security for loss of liberty. People, good and bad, will always find a way to work around authorities.
There's no such thing as a good Orwellian state
Ironically, intelligence, military, and police agencies use the same encryption technologies to protect their own communications from terrorists and criminals. So do presidents, prime ministers, and chancellors. So do people in oppressive countries like Iran, China, and Russia. So do rebels we support in places like Syria.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is right: If you create access to encrypted communications for one party, you create it for all parties. The notion that somehow only the good guys would have access is nonsense. After all, the Iranians, Chinese, Russians, Saudis, Americans, British, French, jihadhis, ISIS/ISIL/Daesh, Taliban, white supremacists, Rohingya, Uyghurs, Kurds, Tibetans, Chechnyans, Palestinians, oppressed religionists of all stripes, and so on all believe they are the good guys. Who gets to decide?
Don't forget that those backdoors will let criminals and terrorists spy on companies, governments, and people; governments on each other, on people, and on companies; and companies on each other, on people, and on governments. Essentially, no communication would be private or secure.
You don't have liberty if you don't have privacy, and you don't have privacy if anything you say, write, or watch is or can be intercepted by others. Orwellian governments are bad and can't be justified by security fears.
Encryption is one of the last methods available for protecting our privacy and thus our liberty. We must not give it up.
And we must not use an attack on the nation that has idealized liberté to justify its loss.


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Earlier this month, I was interviewed for an Apartment Therapy article about ideas on how to put the "pow" in your powder room. You may not think of a half-bath as a space to focus much design effort on, but it is an important part of the house because the half-bathroom is the guest bathroom! If you're sending your guests to the powder room, you want the space to be clean, welcoming, and a good reflection of your home. Many updates can be simple such as swapping out hardware, lights, or even the mirror. But if you want to give the space a complete overall, it's such a great opportunity to have some fun like this Denver powder-room I'm working on now.
If you'd like more ideas for half-bath design ideas, click to read the article on Apartment Therapy written by Wendy Helfenbaum.


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Bubble earringsRegular price $1,203.07
Bubble earrings from the "Zip Code" collection, a series of delicate pieces inspired by the circle. Shaped into a ring profile and set with a dainty diamond and a white pearl closure.
- Material: 18kt responsibly yellow gold, white diamond 0.005ct, freshwater pearls
- Sold as a pair
- Our diamonds are mined in conflict-free countries that are full participants in the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS)
- Handcrafted in Italy
Fully insured shipment.
Shipments are handled by DHL express courier and the jewels are fully insured.
The orders are processed the following working day and shipped within 5 days.
Once the order has been shipped you will receive an email with tracking number to check the status of the shipment.
For any other information, please check our Shipping Policy or contact our Customer Service at the email address firstname.lastname@example.com
Please follow list of steps below to ensure your jewelry lasts a lifetime.
Many of our products are very delicate. Damage or twist may occur with excessive uneven force.
Product may get caught in garments, resulting in unexpected accidents. Handle with care.
Remove product during physical work, sports, before bed, and keep away from reach of children. If skin irritation or problems are noticed during use, stop using immediately and consult a doctor.
Quartz and pearls
All products are delicately made and are sensitive to heat. We recommend avoiding conditions of high temperature and hot water. And perfumes.
Changes in appearance of surface finishes are not considered a defect, but a sign of normal wear and tear.


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There is much to mourn since my last piece on Patheos. We mourn the victims of the white supremacist who murdered two men trying to defend two Muslim teen girls on public transit in Portland, Oregon. One of the men killed, Taliesin Myrddin Namkai Meche, reportedly had "close ties to the Pagan world."
We mourn those killed in the Grenfell Tower fire, victims of the English government's greed, never forgetting that the first named victim of the fire was Mohammad Al-Hajali, a 23 year-old Syrian refugee and civil engineering student in London who had escaped such horror and endured so much hate and scapegoating from the Western governments of Theresa May and Donald Trump, only to then die in this conflagration of negligence.
And we mourn the news of yet another police officer facing no legal repercussions for the murder of a Black man beloved by so many. Rest in power, Philando Castile.
Thankfully, there is bountiful soul balm available to help get us through these days of fear, nights of terror, and scandal-ridden, endlessly-breaking news.
Soul balm. These are the words that come to mind when I think of the following modern-day mystics. Most are queer, and some are women of color, femme, and/or non-binary. Most of them integrate explicit analyses of oppression, white supremacy, capitalism, intergenerational trauma, and more into their practices. Affirming and strategizing around the impact of oppression is a crucial aspect of queer femme-oriented witchy spirituality, as it goes beyond a superficial neoliberal mantra of "positive thinking" to provide spiritual best practices for those of us marginalized by societies that are at best indifferent and at worst brutally violent and scarring.
Here are my top five favorite modern-day mystics, trained not only in magick but in deep emotional intelligence and embodying a multi-layered understanding of liberation.
Bri Luna, the bruja behind The Hoodwitch, offers an inspiring blog and store that center and uplift women of color. Featuring empowering horoscopes, stunning visuals, and how-to articles and think pieces organized under numerous verticals with topics such as understanding crystals, the power of space clearing and cleansing, and nuanced political analyses like "Witches Under Empire: What it Means to Be a Witch In Trump's America," The Hoodwitch acts as an intersectional portal that starts from the premise that magick and liberation are inextricably linked.
As Bri explains in a 2015 interview, "I feel like more people, especially more women of color … [I would tell them] just trust yourself, because … you're innately powerful and you are magic! … [L]earn how to trust yourself and connec[t] with nature and really just giv[e] yourself that love and nurturing that only you can really give yourself." Whether you're checking in to see who's the latest Goddess of the Week or hoping to snag your own Black Power Tarot deck, The Hoodwitch offers a wealth of knowledge, supplies, and contributing writers to enrich your journey.
Chani Nicholas is the queer anti-oppressive astrologer of my dreams. She has garnered an impressive following for linking the patterns found in the stars to the particulars of what humans down here are facing vis-à-vis current events and social justice. I don't even know exactly how she does it, but her weekly horoscopes, which she posts for free to her website every Sunday in addition to paid classes and rituals for each new and full moon, are always in sync with the larger issues I'm grappling with that week.
In an interview with the L.A. Times she describes her readers as "in the struggle, and they are activists and they are working in the world trying to make it a better place." I couldn't ask for a better-tailored astrologer. When you read her horoscopes, make sure to read the entries for both your sun sign and your rising sign!
Dacia Holliday of High Moon Femme identifies as an "indigenous femme nth generation community healer, storyteller, and orator" who works with their ancestors and clients' ancestors and spirit guides in a process she terms "mediumship tarot." I've worked with Dacia twice so far, once in a one-card reading on Instagram and another time via Skype for a more in-depth session, and both times the information they revealed to me resonated strongly with respect to the challenges I was facing.
Dacia is not afraid to tap into her emotions and talk through issues of oppression very frankly as part of the session, which I appreciate as a working-class queer femme and, at the time, recovering academic with experiences of marginalization specific to those identities. In addition to their regular rates, she has select "pay what you can" slots, discounts for queer femmes, and is open to bartering as a form of payment. For a powerful and soulful experience with a commitment to "accessible healing," as they call it, Dacia is your mystic.
Like many twenty-first century witches and mystics, Biddy Tarot, based in Australia, has become my go-to source for tarot interpretations. I consult Biddy Tarot frequently, drawn to its "know thyself" style of philosophy that centers emotional balance and self-care, practical advice, and an astonishingly nuanced set of interpretations for a range of situations, from relationships to career and beyond.
Brigit Esselmont, the powerhouse behind Biddy Tarot, has put all her interpretations up for free on her website, which is where I first found them. She has also recently compiled them all into one handy book, The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings, which I highly recommend not only for those learning tarot but for anyone who wants to add more depth to their readings.
If you're looking for a witch who not only reads tarot but also creates films and writes incredible academic work and zines on a range of topics including, as they put it on her website, "trauma, madness, addiction, sobriety, gender, sexuality, desire, magic, re-enchantment, environment, and more-than-human worlds," Clementine Morrigan is your person.
Their most recent zine is titled Fucking Magic #1 and has been gaining fans, including myself, across Canada and the United States. Clementine reads tarot in downtown Toronto "and sometimes in other cities," with a focus on working with queer and trans people, people with experiences of trauma and madness, and people with disabilities. She has a sliding scale as part of their anti-capitalist commitment to what she calls "accessible magic" and can be booked here.
These healers, sages, and teachers give so much to our communities as we arm ourselves with love, spiritual fortitude, and the mending of psyches in order to sustain ourselves in the larger struggle for social justice. May we honor these mystics, patron them, and strive to champion and amplify the voices of the most marginalized in our communities.
Do you have other suggestions? Please share in the comments!


text: Alifornia is sunshine, color, freshness and quality of life. Inspired by the city of Alicante, this bouquet feeds your eyes with the combination of the pink carnation with the most power of color there is, white daisies and colorful gerberas with the serenity of eucalyptus. All the colors remind us of a walk along the Alicante promenade under the warm sun, and through its old neighborhood full of fantastic color. If you are one of those who like to live and enjoy the moment, this is the bouquet you are looking for.


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June 19, 2020
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, based on data from Genscape
U.S. imports of natural gas by pipeline at U.S.-Canada border crossings in the western United States fell to an estimated average of 6.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in April and 6.3 Bcf/d in May 2020, according to Genscape pipeline flow estimates. Imports by pipeline into these western states account for most U.S. natural gas imports and tend to be less seasonal than imports by pipeline in the eastern United States. In recent months, natural gas spot prices in Alberta, Canada—where nearly all of Canada's natural gas is produced—have been higher than spot prices at the U.S. natural gas benchmark Henry Hub.
Natural gas spot prices at the NOVA/AECO-C (AECO) trading hub in Alberta, Canada, have ranged between $1 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) and $2/MMBtu below Henry Hub spot prices from mid-2017 until late 2019. However, from October 2019 through March 2020, there was little difference in spot prices at those two points. In April and May 2020, AECO natural gas spot prices increased, even as many other natural gas prices (including Henry Hub) fell.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, price data from Natural Gas Intelligence
Price movements at the AECO hub over the past several years reflect regulatory changes to Western Canada's pipeline operations. In August 2017, TransCanada (now TC Energy) changed operations on its NOVA system, prioritizing firm-service customers and stopping deliveries to interruptible customers—which include storage operators—during maintenance periods. This change made the AECO natural gas spot price more volatile and reduced injections into natural gas storage in Alberta.
In late September 2019, the Canadian Energy Regulator approved a temporary service protocol (TSP) for the NOVA pipeline system, which allowed additional service flexibility during maintenance periods and, in particular, allowed deliveries to storage facilities during periods when the system is constrained. Shortly after the TSP approval, the difference between AECO spot prices and Henry Hub narrowed.
As in the United States, natural gas inventories in Canada typically hit seasonal lows in the spring because natural gas is withdrawn from storage in the winter months to meet higher demand for natural gas heating. In March and April 2020, Alberta's natural gas inventories were at multiyear lows of slightly more than 300 billion cubic feet.
These operational changes in Western Canada's natural gas pipeline system and narrowing differences in spot prices have resulted in less natural gas being exported to the United States, especially at border crossings in Montana and North Dakota. Natural gas imports in Montana and North Dakota in the first five months of 2020 averaged 0.4 Bcf/d and 0.3 Bcf/d less, respectively, compared with the first five months of 2019.
According to its most recent Short-Term Energy Outlook, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects gross imports of natural gas by pipeline into the United States—more than 99% of which come from Canada—to fall from 7.4 Bcf/d in 2019 to 7.0 Bcf/d in 2020 and then increase to 7.9 Bcf/d in 2021. EIA's forecast of 7.0 Bcf/d in 2020 would be the lowest level of annual U.S. natural gas imports by pipeline since the mid-1990s.
Principal contributor: Katie Dyl
Original source: EIA.gov


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Answers to some frequently asked questions about caring for your child with cancer at home.
A checklist to work through with your child's nurse before leaving the hospital.
When your child is getting ready to go home from hospital, feelings of excitement can be mixed with feelings of anxiety for everyone in the family.
KidsHealth is a joint initiative between
The Paediatric Society of New Zealand -
Te Kāhui Mātai Arotamariki o Aotearoa
and Starship Foundation
Supported by Te Whatu Ora -
Health New Zealand
Call Healthline free on 0800 611 116 for health advice and information in NZ
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© The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2023 Printed on 06 December 2023. Content is regularly updated so please refer to www.kidshealth.org.nz for the most up-to-date version


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Jonlin Carollissen is the new head chef at Camps Bay Retreat's Von Kamptz Restaurant, bringing an exciting new era for the restaurant and its guests. Here are eight questions for us to get to know him better.
Where did you grow up?
Mitchell's Plain in the Cape Flats, only 30 kilometres from here.
Did you always want to be a chef?
In fact, I actually wanted to be a pathologist when I was in high school. But, I happened to go to the open day for Cape Town Hotel School at CPUT (Cape Peninsula University of Technology) in Mouille Point and was fascinated. Without telling anyone, I signed up for chef school. My mom was excited, but my dad thought there was no future for chefs in South Africa. Now, my whole family is so happy with my career.
Describe your career path.
My career has been hugely varied. I interned at the Vineyard Hotel Restaurant. From then, I was a personal chef for politicians and doctors. I love cheese, so from there I helped Luke and Jessica Williams open the Culture Club. The Culture Club is essentially a cheese heaven. After that, I worked with Ash Heeger at Ash Restaurant as a sous chef.
Did you learn anything from childhood that influenced your cooking?
As a child, I spent lots of time in the kitchen and learnt from my elders about cooking techniques that had been passed down the generations.
What's your favourite dish to make?
My favourite to make is a seafood tagliatelle, which I learnt from an old Italian chef who trained me during my internship at the Vineyard.
…and your favourite to eat?
It has got to be something my mom makes. She makes this incredible meal of pan-seared chicken livers, with homemade yoghurt and poppy seed pitas. Everything from made from scratch and just delicious.
What makes you feel connected to Camps Bay Retreat?
Camps Bay Retreat has such a beautiful garden, which makes me feel at home. My Ouma had a herb garden and there was a saying in my family, "If you don't plant it, you'll never have it." There is so much to discover at Camps Bay Retreat food wise. The other day I made a baba ghanoush with plums I picked from a tree in the garden here, with charcoaled beets and nasturtium flowers. I hope to add more items like that to the menu.
What can we expect for Von Kamptz?
The whole feel of this place is old world luxury. I want Von Kamptz to match that standard.
For the summer high season, I am going to stick with the same menu but really focus on upping the quality. Then by March, I am going to have a whole new menu. I want to focus on edibles that come from Camps Bay Retreat itself.
Want more culinary updates? Follow Camps Bay Retreat on Facebook.


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Students, faculty and staff trying to access the Internet via their laptops on campus are now directed to the new CSUN Wireless Network Login Page, where they are prompted to type in their username and password.
Hilary Baker, vice president for information technology and chief information officer, said the new wireless authentication process replaces the need for wireless users to register their computer's Media Access Control or MAC address with the IT help desk located in Room 29 on the garden level of the Oviatt Library.
"This MAC authentication process was confusing for many users," Baker said. "The new method of accessing wireless is so easy that students can save time and get connected by simply logging on with their username and password."
The IT walk-in center was previously responsible for configuring the CSUN network on students, faculty and staff's computers.
Keith Holland, help desk support for IT, said the old process was time consuming and a waste of resources.
"Now we are able to allocate those resources elsewhere, such as installing the Virtual Portal Network on student and faculty laptops," Holland said.
Holland said the VPN is something the IT department highly recommends to secure a personal network.
"You don't need it, but it prevents your computer from security threats," Holland said.
Baker said the wireless network authentication process is a security practice that only allows current CSUN students, faculty and staff to access the network.
Guests and consultants are able to obtain temporary accounts if requested by a CSUN sponsor or university department.
IT intentionally implemented the wireless network for the summer, when there is considerably less network traffic, Holland said.
"The network has been tested extensively by various department work groups for the past six months, but you can never be too sure of network glitches," Holland said.
The CSUN Information Technology Web site has tips on how to use the new wireless network features.
The Web site includes instant messaging programs such as America Online's Instant Messenger, iChat and Windows Messenger, along with non-browser e-mails such as Outlook and Entourage that will work after an Internet browser launches and the CSUN Wireless Network Login Page is accessed.
The Web site also advises people who have smart phones or a PDAs with Wi-Fi or wireless capabilities to visit the IT Walk-In Center for assistance with accessing the network.


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Death Of Venus Patch
$ 2.99
A more macabre version of the classic painting "Birth of Venus" focusing on the shell she came in on (and as a patch). Sorry that her legs got cut off... Great gift for art students and fans of art history, but have a weird sense of humor.
Exclusive reissue between Michael Ezzell and Strange Ways.
- Embroidered patch
- Iron-on backing
- 100% embroidered design
- Custom, heat-cut shape
- Measurements: 3" x 2"


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Save hours each month
managing your office
Simple software that provides everything you need to manage your office safely and efficiently. Our automated tools will save you time and ensure your compliance with safety legislation.
30 day trial, no payment details required
Trusted by:
Save hours managing your flexible office policy
Seamlessly control who has access to the office and when: Set priority levels, capacity restrictions, enable check-ins and get real time data on exactly who is in the office.
Steer Workplace will enable staff to request their own office access days and allocate them automatically according to priority and availability, saving hours of admin and troublesome errors.
Our insights
Read about what we're currently focusing on, new features in the pipeline, and how we're approaching our customers' real-world problems.
Log and track safety tasks with just a few clicks
Give up the burden of manual log books, calendar reminders and reliance on expensive third parties, by taking control of your own safety requirements. Steer workplace collates this information and tells you and your team when actions are due.
Keep digital asset registers, manage fire drills, log incidents and track alarm tests all from one workplace, accessible by key team members.
Get instant access to insightful management reports
Track your daily office utilisation for all of your sites from one place.
Get a positive COVID test amongst your team? Find out who else may have been exposed in seconds.
30 day trial, no payment details required
Learn with our team
We strive to solve the same problems encountered by all office-based businesses. Find out how we create solutions designed to make office life easier.
Why employees feel burnout, and what organisations can do to reduce it
Employee burnout is estimated to cost organisations approximately $1.5 trillion globally, yet 90% of managers claim not to be worried about it. So what exactly leads to burnout?
What is Hybrid Work and Why is it So Popular?
Many are touting hybrid work as the 'FUTURE OF WORK'. But what actual is it and why is it so popular?
Are Staff Returning to the Office?
With COVID-19 restrictions being lifted in many locations, are staff returning to more traditional, office-based ways of working?
Simplify your office management,
Book a demo today and one of our team will walk you through exactly how Steer Workplace can help your organisation.


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DUNKIRK (2017) Review
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Whenever writer and director Christopher Nolan makes a film, everything's hyped. Understandable as the guy makes films that are worth experiencing. He's one of those filmmakers that pushes the boundaries of filmmaking, always trying to offer something new, something different. And Dunkirk is no different from that.
In short, Dunkirk is a triumph. The technicalities of the film is immensely crafted. The shots are beautiful and at times scary. Scary because it captures some of the terrifying moments at sea and in a war.
The main attraction of the film though is Hans Zimmer's musical score of the film. From the start of the film, the bass of the audio will take you to the tension of the war and how its characters felt in those scenes, be it in a sinking ship or a crowd that's being open fired by the enemy's air force.
Dunkirk is filmmaking at its best. Each scene, each frame is carefully planned and executed the best way possible. Not only that it impressively highlights every scene through cinematography and musical scoring, there is an unexpected emotional juice in the film that will leave you in awe of all the mixed emotions you can get from soldiers who are fighting for their country and for their lives.
Christopher Nolan yet again, gave us something huge, emotionally and visually. Dunkirk is a riveting war movie that goes way further than any other war films had done before. It's an experience that will let you feel the fear and the call for celebration for surviving the hell of being in a war.
"Dunkirk" is now showing in cinemas and IMAX Theatres nationwide from Warner Bros. Pictures. Rated PG by the MTRCB.


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Rathfinny Wine Estate
Rathfinny Wine Estate - The taste of luxury
The stunning facilities at Rathfinny Wine Estate overlook the vineyard and the South Downs National Park. It offers the perfect escape from the office.
Two meeting rooms are available and ideal for executive delegates and corporate teams.
The Tasting Room, situated within the Winery, offers a private and flexible space to accommodate board meetings of up to 16 people, larger meetings for up to 30 people seated and 80 people standing. The room adjacent offers capacities ranging from 60 – 250 seated.
The Tasting Room is well equipped with AV equipment, flipcharts and stationery and staff are on hand to make sure your meetings run smoothly.
Accommodation is available on-site for exclusive use (mid-week only) offering 10
en suite bedrooms sleeping.
The Flint Barns provide alternative facilities, are well equipped and offer delegates a relaxing and enjoyable 'home from home' environment.
There are plenty of local activities on offer that can be organised for you such as yoga, stargazing, cycling and guided walks.
Staff can assist with travel arrangements, tours of the Vineyard and Winery as well as tastings of Rathfinny wines and a private evening meal if your timings allow.
For more information on
Rathfinny Wine Estate
Visit www.rathfinnyestate.com/tours-and-events/host-your-event
View the Venues Brochure - Flint Barns
Venues Brochure - Winery
Venue Enquiries
Tasting Room +44 (0) 01323 871 031 firstname.lastname@example.com
Flint Barns + 44 (0)1323 874 030


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Category Archives: Uncategorized
Car Finance – What You Should Know About Dealer Finance
Car finance has become big business. A huge number of new and used car buyers in the UK are making their vehicle purchase on finance of some sort. It might be in the form of a bank loan, finance from … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Dealer, Finance Comments Off


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1-abc.net Synchronizer 5.00 был доступен бесплатно 12 октября 2012 г.
1-abc.net Synchronizer сравнит папки, обнаружит новые, а также измененные файлы и сохранит последние версии в обе папки. Вы можете начать синхронизацию вручную, автоматически или настроить синхронизацию по расписанию.
Windows XP, Vista and 7; CPU 300 MHz; RAM 32MB; disk space 10MB; supported interface languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Hungarian and Polish
Ваш комплексный набор для защиты данных и ваших файлов! 1-abc.net Security Box – защитите свои личные данные, зашифруйте или сотрите файлы, а также сохраняйте их автоматически! Скачайте ограниченную версию прямо сейчас! Предложение по обновлению программы 1-abc.net Synchronizer 5.00 со скидкой! Специальная цена обновления для пользователей GOTD: $19.99 вместо $39.99 (обычная цена).
А такую птичку видели? - http://download.chip.eu/ru/Toucan_4312721.html
Да уж, поделка школоты. Настроек - 0, синхронизация только в одну сторону, интерфейс не информативен. Файл для локализации есть, но русские буквы не принимает категорически.
Вот этому:
даже в подмётки не годится.
И кому эта фигня нужна? С первым постом совершенно согласен!
Бесполезный фонд.. Палец вниз!
Образец для подражания:
I normally do not post comments but today's promotion does not only deserve a TRIPLE THUMB DOWN but also an additional comment that I hope the developer will read.
Beside the fact that there are a million freeware that can do a lot more than 1-abc.net Synchronizer, this program:
1) Does not handle empty folders (which in some cases are really necessary)
2) Makes a total mess if some directories get moved within the master folder (namely in the slave folder empty folders are left behind and new ones get created at the new locations!)
3) Cannot be run maximized... And BTW the GUI is horrific.
I think it is sufficient to leave it at that without mentioning other trivial flaws.
Opportunistic developer which continues to do itself no favours with a complicated registration process (that WILL result in you being spammed in future unless you're using Gmail's server-side delete filter, or some other server-side intervention) and ridiculoius self-promotion via "awards" which it knows to be phony -- or, if it doesn't, then it shouldn't be in the software business anyway.
Nothing about this developer encouraged me to sample its products in the past and there still seems no good reason to bother now: as others have already pointed out, and doubtless many more will yet do so, file synchronisation software exists in abundance as both freeware and commercial ware from developers who (a) don't go email harvesting; (b) don't put daft sticker prices on their products; and (c) are astute enough not to bedeck themselves with "awards" that are absolutely meaningless.
1-abc.net is becoming a regular on GAOTD but until it cleans up its act (and realises that no award is better than 10 phony awards) there seems little point in it persisting with its offers. Thanks, GAOTD, but no thanks.
This company usually makes pretty good and useful shareware programs...problem is that most of them can nearly always be easily replaced with better FREEWARE ALTERNATIVES....so what's the point of charging money in SUPER SUPER SATURATED fields like this one? 20 $??
Come on, please....LOL!
* (Portable) FreeFileSync
Great Open Source folder synchronization and comparison software utility, designed to sync or compare two folders with ease.
· Compare an endless number of files (bytewise or by date), folders and subfolders (including empty folders) and then synchronize them.
· Supports Network & filesizes > 4 GB
· Selects folders via drag & drop and automatically ignore directories "RECYCLER" and "System Volume Information" when comparing and syncing
· Deletes files before copy, so as to avoid disc space shortages with large sync-operations
· Filter functionality to include/exclude specific files from synchronization (without re-compare!)
· Creates sync jobs via GUI to synchronize automatically (can be scheduled or executed directly).
* Portable Create Synchronicity
Cool brand new lightweight, portable, fully customizable and very easy to use Open Source app designed to synchronize and backup any files/folders quickly and easily.
· Backup, Restore, Folder synchronization
· Scheduling (daily, weekly, or monthly), with automatic catching up
· Mirror / Incremental backups
· User-friendly GUI, based on profiles
· Network backup (LAN Backup)
· GZip, BZip2 Compression
· Precise inclusion and exclusion (regular expression, file type, full text)
· Automatic translation of environment variables
· Integrity checks (MD5 Checksums)
· Dynamic destination folder (Date, Time)
· Batch synchronization + Network File Transfer
* Allway Sync
Pretty good FREE bidirectional file & folder synchronization software designed to keep track of recent changes in your files, so as to syncronize your multiple PCs via a network or removable drives (flash keys, card readers, USB drives, MP3 players, digital cameras, CDRWs, SAMBA, removable hard drives etc...).
· Performs true bi-directional and n-way file and folder synchronization
· File modifications and deletions are tracked in a local database
· Generates a full report of differences between synchronization folders (it's capable of synchronizing more than two folders and supports files of any size)
· Detects when folders are removed from one device and removes them from any other corresponding synchronization targets
· Supports virtually any file system (FAT, NTFS, SAMBA, Netware, X-Drive, CDFS, UDF and more)
* (Portable) Synkron
Excellent multiplatform sync app helping you keep your files and folders always updated with a lot of features.
· Tabs allow you to have more synchronisations running at once.
· Periodical syncs automatically sync your folders in selected scheduled intervals.
· Restore files which were overwritten during the synchronisation.
· Add files and folders to black list to make sure they will never be synchronised in the future.
* Sync Wizard
It compares two different folders to analyze their contents for any possible differences in a side-by-side tree-view panel, syncing and backing them up at the same time to avoid any data loss in case of a sudden future PC crash.
Can also automatically perform a 1 & 2 way Synchronization of your files & folders with any portable storage device plugged in your system.
* PureSync
Can easily synchronize, compare files & folders with preview and automatic sync.
It sports many advanced features, such as the ability to detect and resolve any possible conflict between different folders.
It's able to perform multiple backups using a great deal of filters (can even copy locked files) and each backup can be encrypted and/orcompressed.
* Sync Breeze
Pretty unknown but very powerful FREE sync app with multiple one-way and two-way file synchronization modes, periodic and real-time file synchronization capabilities.
· Maximum Number of Files ==> 100,000
· Maximum Storage Capacity ==> 1 TB
· Maximum Number of Sync Commands ==> 3
· File Synchronization with Preview
· Support for Long and Unicode File Names
· Support for UNC Network Path Names
Thirty-Seven listed awards, most from obscure download sites I would never trust to put software on my system. The legit sites no longer connect to this software at all. With the latest collaboration software and cloud resources this type of app is obsolete at best. Cheers :)
Not happy. I got an invalid key that I can't register it with. Here is why:
Dear User,
here is your personal registration key for 1-abc.net Synchronizer:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX <---- censored
Enter this key into the program's registration dialog and you will have unlimited access to all features.
Thank you!
By the way: our registration system auto-detected following problem:
Your e-mail address collides with paragraph 4 of the end-user-license you have to agree to by installing the program.
Please read the license agreement again and check carefully if you were allowed to register with this e-mail address. You can also read it online here:
1-abc.net Registration Service


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Jerry Jones, Who is he? Well, to many, he is a father, businessman, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the Owner and CEO of the NFL franchise the Dallas Cowboys. But, how did he get to this point? Well, this is his story as told in the NFL Network original series "A Football Life.
In October of 1942, Jerral Wayne Jones (Jerry Jones) was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. His parents were owners of a grocery store in his hometown and were fascinated with their work that he attended the University of Arkansas where he got a business degree.
On January 19, 1963, at the age of 20 years old, Jerry Jones married the love of his life and winner of Miss Arkansas Gene Jones. Since tying the knot, they have raised three children: Stephen Jones, Charlotte Jones, and Jerry Jones Jr. When they got older, they would be a part of the inner workings of the franchise. Stephen Jones is the Executive Vice President, CEO, and President of Player Personnel, Charlotte Jones is the Executive Vice President, and Chief `Brand Officer of the Dallas Cowboys, and Jerry Jones Jr. Is Chief Sales and Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President.
Also in 1963, while still attending the University of Arkansas, he was also the running back for the Razorbacks football team. During the 1963 season, he led the school to a National Championship under then head coach Barry Switzer and fellow teammate Jimmy Johnson.
In 1989, he would strike oil and sold it and with the money he received, bought the Dallas Cowboys from the previous owner Bum Bright.
As he entered the NFL as an Owner and General Manager, he helped the league add teams like Carolina, Baltimore, Jacksonville, and Houston. He has also helped the league relocate teams. He moved the Raiders from Oakland to LA back to LA as well as to Las Vegas in 2017 and helped the St. Louis Rams and San Diego Chargers relocate to Los Angeles, California.
Two days after joining the Cowboys, his first order of business was firing Tom Landry, the longest active head coach not only in the NFL but as a Dallas Cowboys. His replacement was former Arkansas teammate Jimmy Johnson.
Then that same year, Jerry Jones made the biggest trade in League history… When Hurshal Walker was traded to the Minnesota Vikings. That trade included 18 players and draft picks. During the Jimmy Johnson era, Jerry Jones won two Super Bowls in 1992 and 1993.
After the 1993 season, Jerry Jones relieved Jimmy Johnson as Cowboys head coach. In Johnsons' place was former Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Beary Switzer. In 1995, Switzer won A Super Bowl under Jerry Jones.
Since winning their fifth Super Bowl in '95, the Dallas Cowboys have struggled to win a sixth championship in franchise history. In early to mid-2000's the triplets (Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, and Emmitt Smith) all retired and entered both the ring of honor and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In 2007, Jerry Jones announced that the Dallas Cowboys would be getting a new stadium for the start of the 2009 season. In week one of 2009 the Cowboys new home AT&T Stadium (originally called Cowboys Stadium). They took on the New York Giants. In the opening game, the Giants defeated the Cowboys. Not only was The Star Built for the Dallas Cowboys, but it also is the place for entertainment as well as the home for high school to play in Frisco, Texas. Six seasons later, the newly built The Star was the new home base for America's team. Finally, in 2017, Jerry Jones bought the 2018 NFL Draft to AT&T Stadium.
From growing up in Arkansas to owning the Dallas Cowboys, has earned him a spot in football royalty… The Pro Football Hall of Fame.


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This Woman Is Making A Ton OF Money On Tinder [PHOTOS]
Love it or hate it, Tinder is one of the hottest apps today. It is a location-based social search mobile app that promotes communication between mutually interested users, allowing matched users to chat. The matching is based on Facebook and Spotify profiles.
But aside from meeting new people, one woman found another clever use for the app. Most would judge her for what she did but her ingenious idea went viral. Read on to find out more about her brilliant idea.
Maggie Archer, a 20-year-old student from Missouri, came up with an interesting strategy to make money in Tinder and it seems to be working, in a way. Her profile doesn't say much about her but has attracted a lot of guys.
She simply writes, "Send me $5, see what happens." It sounds deceiving even scammy but guys have fallen for the "trap."
See what I mean? Sneaky Maggie has had more than 20 men send her cash thanks to this inviting line in her Tinder profile. She doesn't promise the men anything, but several men have already turned over their money with hopes that they will be rewarded.
Of course, Maggie wouldn't do anything compromising. Find out what she does after receiving the money.
As soon as the curious men take the bait and send her the cash, she unmatches them. The idea started as a joke from Maggie's friend who suggested she give it a try. But after it surprisingly started working, she decided to keep it going for a little while.
It's really a foolproof plan because I'm not actually promising anything, I just say "see what happens,"' she said.
In just one week she has received 'donations' from more than 20 men and claims that one in five men who ask about the comment in her bio send money. That's an easy $100 for the week. No wonder she decided to continue the prank.
The most she has received from a single match is $10 but shares that some matches have offered to send her even more. She said, 'Some men get creepy and assume if they offer a lot more, like hundreds, something will actually happen, which of course it doesn't.'
Then, Maggie Archer shared her money-making strategy on Twitter where it quickly went viral, being shared more than 8,000 times in less than a week with a caption 'The best possible use for tinder.' For some, the app may be their hope for finding love but for Maggie, it's a convenient money-making strategy.
Some women even tried out the prank themselves. But of course, you can't please everybody. While a majority of the responses on her Twitter post were positive, plenty of people have also attacked her for being cruel. Although Maggie says that her critics have been mostly men.
It's an amusing story. But some may find it irritating. It's just how the way some people are. If you're gullible then the jokes on you. Next time you're on Tinder better be careful or else you'll end up a laughing stock.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.


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For the last 50 years, the rate of smoking has dropped precipitously from 42% to 15% of all Americans. However, thousands of young smokers take up the habit every day. Many know of the effects of cigarettes on the lungs, including lung cancer but few know of the effects on the legs and feet. The effects of nicotine on the vascular supply can result in peripheral arterial disease in which the arteries undergo narrowing and/or blockage from damage. Loss of blood supply to the legs and feet can result in tissue death and amputation. In some people, Buerger's disease in which inflammation of the medium and small blood vessels also results in distal tissue death and amputation. Any wounds developed while smoking may slow or stop healing. Bones become less dense as smoking may increase the risk of fracture.
Although difficult, it is possible to stop smoking.
Smoking cessation tips that may be recommended by your doctor or podiatrist:
- A number of medications are available to help smokers quit
- It is important to form a support system with friends and family to help encourage you as you quit
- Often hypnosis or cognitive behavioral therapy can improve your odds of quitting
- Alternatives to cigarettes or chew include a lower risk of cancer but may have other negative effects since nicotine can cause constriction of the vasculature and e-cigarettes are known for causing popcorn lung; if possible it is better to cease all smoking and nicotine use
- .gov and other sites are available with tips and tricks to become and stay smoke free
Many of the recommendations from your doctor may work for you, but each person is different. The good news is that once you stop smoking, the effects on the vasculature can improve within a year and resolve within 5 years if the tissue is not dead. Talk to your doctor or podiatrist today about quitting smoking. You will be happy you did.
Please visit our website for more information or call 614-885-3338 (FEET) to schedule an appointment with us at our Columbus or Gahanna office


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Balers For Cardboard, Plastic & Recyclables
Cleaning Up The Environment
A-Ward offer a full range of exclusive Bramidan machinery that can service a wide range of materials. Bramidan Balers have a proven track record of cost saving and environmental effectiveness amongst leading retailers both within New Zealand and in over 44 countries globally.
A-Wards Balers will:
balers for paper, plastic & recyclables
Compacting waste makes good business sense. It saves space, frees up manpower, and reduces the overall costs associated with waste handling.
Bramidan and A-Ward have teamed up to deliver these benefits a wide range of business sectors – including industrial, commercial, retail, hospitality, and the public sector.
Bramidan is a global leader in compacting and baling machines, with one of the widest product ranges in the market. Each machine is specially optimized to handle different types of waste materials, including:
- Cardboard
- Paper
- Plastic
- Expanded plastic
- Metal
- Textiles
- Marine/offshore
For a full list of Bramidan machines, see Options.
low lifecycle costs
Bramidan balers provide a cost-effective way to collect and handle waste – and earn you income. You'll benefit from reliable operation, a longer product lifecycle, and a great return on investment.
a machine for every material
Just tell us which industry you're in, and we'll have a Bramidan machine to suit. We even have special machines for bulky materials, wet waste, and waste compaction at sea/offshore.
plus accessories and consumables
Bramidan also supplies innovative accessories to make recycling even easier – including tipping systems, recycling racks, and consumables.
simple and safe operation
A-Ward provides installation, configuration and operator training for a quick and easy start-up.
24/7 service and back-up
We are also on hand 24/7 to ensure trouble-free operation and maintenance of your Bramidan machine.
Product Options
The range of Bramidan machinery includes:
- Vertical balers
- Multi Chamber
- Horizontal balers
- Special Machines
- Marine balers
- EPS Machines
- Tipping Systems
- Consumables
For full details and specifications on the above products, download brochure.


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Hey Suzhouren!
That's is happy to announce we have launched a WeChat account dedicated to Suzhou. Scan the QR code below (or search for ThatsSuzhou on WeChat) and click 'follow' to get daily info about Suzhou, including news, cool events, giveaways and reviews of the freshest and finest venues in the city.