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Would you like to be featured as a JLM Couture Real Bride?
Alison and Matthew
Alison and I met during the last quarter before graduating from our University. I however, remember her since freshman year but didn't have the "guts" to speak to her. Alison was the most beautiful girl on campus, with her dark flowing hair and bubbly personality she made everyone around her happy and feel heard. She was also known as the smartest person in school and always excelling both in academics and athletics. I never could've imagined that I would get a chance to be with her let alone ask her hand in marriage. Before I proposed we were walking in Nordstrom and saw a gorgeous Hayley Paige dress. It was the most beautiful dress we have both ever seen. Alison surprised me on our wedding day wearing the Elysia gown, the same exact gown we both thought was the most beautiful wedding dress in the world. Seeing Alison during our wedding was exactly how I felt seeing her for the first time on campus. She is perfect in every single way and I am happy that she wore the dress of OUR dreams!
Designer Lines
- Photographer Photography by Aizhan
- Videographer Justin Clough
- Wedding Venue Silverado Resort and Spa


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Sunday, August 19, 2007
The Fall 2007 RTW Collection:
The 2008 Resort Collection:
15 comments:
- Broadwaycutie said...
OMGsh! I Love all of them. But I especially love #2,3,4,6,7,10,11. Those are my faves. I love how they are so elegant, but w/o trying.
Love ya!
- August 19, 2007 at 6:13 PM
- diminished said...
im in LOVE with the last dress. very very chic!
- August 19, 2007 at 7:11 PM
- fashionista said...
love marchesa- very romantic, feminine, and gorgeous!
- August 20, 2007 at 12:42 AM
- fashionistakay said...
They might as well be called the dream team. Such tasteful and elegant dresses!nice post
- August 20, 2007 at 9:57 AM
- Cris Lazoru said...
Agree 100%. I have always loved Marchesa. The dresses are lovely, so pretty. Loved this post.
- August 20, 2007 at 10:16 AM
- Pretty In Black said...
I love the last dress.
- August 20, 2007 at 10:28 PM
- Emma said...
Jesus Christ and a bike, this stuff is fab.
- August 21, 2007 at 1:26 PM
- Mrs Fashion said...
Dreamy dresses but I have to disagree - there is a lot of hype about them! (Over here anyway...)
Mrs F x
- August 21, 2007 at 2:46 PM
- the red monster said...
there all so pretty!
- August 21, 2007 at 2:53 PM
- Aisha said...
the second dress is my fave so far =) love it love it looove it =D I wish i had worn it for prom party last year =P
- August 21, 2007 at 10:25 PM
- Bella said...
omg...every single one of those dresses is beautiful...i want them ALL...
- August 21, 2007 at 10:33 PM
- Alison said...
The resort collection is totally gorgeous, I can see every single one of those dresses on the red carpet they're all so stunning
- August 23, 2007 at 11:14 PM
- Gloria said...
shamefully, I have never paid much attn to marchesa. this post is great though- making me take a double look!
- August 24, 2007 at 10:52 PM
- Sarissa Carlsson said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- August 26, 2007 at 5:34 AM
- qishaya said...
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- June 21, 2010 at 10:25 PM

subset: commoncrawl


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What Bruce had to say about his experience…
Benefits of Process Director BPM Software
"We have already discovered that Process Director's business rules engine lets you go as deep as you need to be consistent with your business process. This has made our lives a lot easier."
"Many of the requests for adjustments to the intranet workflow that IT receives can be handled with simple drag and drop functions on the graphical interface. Process Director BPM software enables us to not have to be a development shop yet we can customize applications for our business users."
About Liquid Controls
IDEX Corporation manufactures and markets a wide array of engineered pumps and other industrial products and is the world leader in fluid-handling technologies. Since 1954, Liquid Controls has been dedicated to providing high quality flow meters and accessories for accurate liquid measurement in both custody transfer and process control applications.
Business Challenge: The Need for Instantaneous Access to Forms and Documents
Like most successful companies, Liquid Controls has a company intranet for employees to access forms and information – from HR policies and procedures to expense forms. However, the system appeared to be more of a repository than a dynamic intranet workflow portal because many of the forms were static and had no workflow associated with them. As a result of manual processing and storing, forms and documents were misplaced and information was frequently lost.
Accounting wanted to improve and gain better control of the manual, paper-based CapEx process. As a result of misplaced documents, Accounting was missing audit deadlines.
Quality Assurance needed all quality procedures to be online. One document alone required 12 signatures and several times it was discovered that no one knew who actually had the form.
The Sales Team required an automated sales quoting process. The intranet provided a sales quoting tool, however the forms had no workflow. Submitting, tracking and storing them was also a manual process. Creating monthly reports to management required a lot of time and work.
Decision Criteria For An Intranet Workflow Solution
The IT team wanted to find a way to improve accountability, put more structure around business processes and respond more effectively to changing requirements. Its goal was to find an intranet workflow solution that would allow IT to develop electronic, rules-based workflow applications and allow users to work with eForms as dynamic as the processes themselves. It also needed to ensure seamless access to information for both its employees and auditors.
The IT team then established five criteria for the intranet workflow solution it wanted to procure. In addition to providing online forms and workflow, the product also needed to:
- Require minimal coding or back end development
- Roll out quickly and enable users to make changes easily
- Be scalable
- Be cost effective
- Be deployable out-of-the-box
Evaluating Intranet Workflow and Electronic Form Development Options
The group examined trial versions of Adobe and Microsoft forms builder. Both were good products but could not resolve the workflow challenges Liquid Controls was experiencing. After further evaluation, IT recommended Process Director BPM software as their intranet workflow solution.
Solution: A Dynamic Intranet Portal with Integrated Workflow
By implementing Process Director for a variety of business applications throughout the company, Liquid Controls is experiencing less re-work, better parallel tasking and more standardization. Business users have a visual audit trail, know to whom tasks were assigned and when completed, making the process a lot more efficient. IT can also develop the user requested workflows without writing code.
Finance is able to get a picture of current capital spend at any time using built-in reporting functions. Capital Appropriation Requests are also tracked automatically using the integrated SQL function capabilities of Process Director.
With Process Director in place, reporting, tracking and auditing functions are seamlessly integrated into the Intranet. Authorized employees and auditors can easily access all information to see the entire lifecycle of a change or request. Information about any request can be instantly accessed and displayed graphically. With Process Director's electronic signature technology the audit trail includes electronic signatures of everyone who approved the request or change.
The sales team is able to produce sales quotes more quickly and easily. Electronic forms are now stored with appropriate metadata. Data is automatically available for opportunity reports using the reporting module feature of Process Director.


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Country singer Patsy Cline died in a plane crash in 1963, but her legend lives on, and she still has droves of die-hard fans nearly 50 years later. Fans regularly drive by the house where she once lived in Winchester, Virginia — but now, the site will be open to more than just a drive-by viewing.
On August 2, the Patsy Cline Historic House will open its doors to her adoring public. Cline, who was born Virginia Patterson Hensley and known as "Ginny" to friends and family, lived at 608 Kent St. from her mid-teens to her mid-20s as she rose to country stardom.
After Cline's parents divorced, she and her mother and siblings moved into the house in 1948. She would live in the house — which her mother rented at first and later bought — until 1957, aside from the duration of her short-lived marriage to Gerald Cline.
According to The Washington Post, Cline "was living in the tiny two-story frame house when she signed her first
record deal, made her Grand Ole Opry debut, and won 'Arthur Godfrey's
Talent Scouts' television competition."
The house has been renovated and redecorated to look the way that it did when Cline resided there. At the time, all four family members lived in the one upstairs bedroom. They shared one four-drawer dresser for all of their things.
Will you be stopping by the house to revisit Cline's past?


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brief / Create an identity family that shows the quality of the platform 'Ambitieuze Meisjes' and implement this identity in a range of communication services, such as a online magazine, website, newsletter, email signature and brand guidelines.
created at / Annet Shares
client / Ambitieuze Meisjes
role / Strategy, Design, Development
The identity and implementation of 'Ambitieuze Meisjes' is the result of the growth the brand has gone through in the past 5 years. With locations on more than 15 places, it has become the female network that founder Lotte Rensen envisioned all those years ago.
"Annet has proven to be a valuable asset to our initiative from the moment that she has joined our team two months ago. We challenged her to work with us on our rebranding strategy under the pressure of a very tight deadline. Working many hours on the project with us Annet has shown her impressive 'can do' attitude.
Her eye for detail, knowledge of design and her ability to think outside the box on ways to represent our brand to its full extent could not have come at a better time. I am very thankful for her efforts, Annet has surpassed every expectation and I think everyone who is ready to take their brand to the next level should contact her for sure!"
Lotte Rensen
Founder Ambitieuze Meisjes
tell me more!
During the development of the identity, Lotte told me they've had a new logo for every year in the past 5 years. In this iteration, we've mostly looked into a logo system for the different branches of Ambitieuze Meisjes, such as; the Agency, Academy, Magazine and Community.


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Suicide is a permanent solution for a temporary problem. Bullying is never okay. This should be addressed more heavily at schools. It is not. It should be.
It is a shame that someone who was bullied had to think of a permanent solution for a temporary problem, and whether intentionally killing those other 2 or not. I think when someone is so desperate for death they obviously aren't thinking clearly and not thinking of other options to end their lives. I am saddened to say that this is the new normal. Suicide is I believe the 11th cause of death in America, and I foresee that number growing because kids in school aren't taught not to bully, and they learn it at home from watching parents discuss those who are different. I would like to think that schools now have a better anti-bullying program or better systems in place but I find it disgusting that some teachers see bullying happen and say nothing and do nothing. And then wonder why schools are being shot up and the number of kids (especially LGBTQ) are killing themselves at alarming rates. And when I do get my mental health degree that is something I would love to be a part of, changing the social divide on what is moral and what people can over look. Seeing people kill themselves because they believe no one will love them, I feel like we have taken one step back towards the closet when we should be taking steps further away from that door.


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Take the next step to find out if joining the Lillians team is right for you!
Click on the "Take the Quiz" button below to complete a quick preliminary questionnaire. It just takes a few moments to tell us a little about you. If you are accepted, you will be invited to complete a Personal Profile to help us get to know you in more detail. This information will be held in confidence and does not obligate you in any way to purchase a Lillians franchise.


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Today was my first day in Camp Goz Amer, the refugee camp that we had spent 6 days trying to get to. Today was my first day in any refugee camp. It was nothing like what I expected. Actually, I didn't quite know what to expect. I had images of what a refugee camp would look like from the "Save the Children" commercials that used to come on tv, but I had no idea about what that would look like in realty. I thought that I would feel pity and sorrow, but I didn't. I was amazed by a group of people, who under the harshest of circumstances, were surviving. Circumstances that I'm pretty sure that I would not last through! We saw the "old" refugees who had been there "temporarily" for ten years. Their huts, made out of grass and sticks, were arranged in what I would call neighborhoods. Many were surrounded by homemade fences, arranged by families and/or tribes. There was a local marketplace, where produce, fabric and other items were sold.
As we rode by, some adults stopped to look, and others went about their business of gathering wood, water, or doing what they do on a daily basis. Some stopped to look, some smiled, and some waved. The children had one of two reactions. Intense curiosity or fear.
We also went to the new refugee section. These people had just arrived, about 2 months ago, and the environment was vastly different. There were no visible (at least to me) neighborhoods, fences or communities. Trees were not growing like they were in the old refugee area and the people looked exhausted. They had just fled their homes, two months prior, escaping death, mourning the loss of many family members who did not escape, and leaving the only home that they knew. I didn't feel sorrow, but anger that the genocide of an entire people is still occurring and outrage from the world community has not happened. I ask myself why is this happening. I don't have the answer.
Little Ripples is creating spaces where children can thrive, physically and emotionally. Support our mindfulness work.
Become a Sustainer of Action monthly donor.


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ISE is an easy-to-use, affordable, online annual subscription service that enables organized,
amateur sports leagues to manage league operations.
Our service allows you to:
Our product design provides:
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The Edmonton Squash League is one of our first ISE clients. To see an example of our service, please click here...
Contact us:


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another jump-through progress!
ever since david swenson's workshop i have been trying to apply the same physics to my jump-backs attempts and today i saw a bit of progress. yey….
when jumping back i have been doing following: put my hands slightly ahead of hips, bring my legs crossed close to the chest and feet close to the hands and then using my feet lift up and move my upper body slightly forward so i can get the legs backwards. today, however, as per david's tips i used the momentum of bringing my legs towards my chest to lift my bum off the floor. the main difference was that for this my hands had to be next to my hips rather than ahead. woohoo!
my body is still recovering (or still fighting the cold) so my practice was very slow and my hips just would not open so i decided to let go of the half-lotus poses and not insist in binding.
i love my mat…


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Thursday, March 25, 2010
I love organization...especially when it's cute!
First off, I should start by saying someone ought to begin by monitoring my trips to Target! Wow, I can't seem to get out of that store without dropping a lot of $$. Today's trip was actually for a bottle of Motrin for one of my sick ones home with me today. I should know, a trip into Target is never just for the single item I walked in for :-) Spring is definitely in the air as I was admiring all the fun things they are lining the shelves with. I love all the bright colors that remind you that poolside parties are just around the corner. I saw these fun utensil caddies in all different colors. I grabbed my favorite color red already knowing exactly what mine was going to be used for. My sewing room can be quite a disaster zone at times. I've got things stored all over the place and have collected quite the number of tools(yes, we females have tools) attachments, fabric pens, rulers and more. I thought this would be the perfect way to store them. I loved that it had some height to it so my scissors didn't go toppling over and the individual compartments made space for lots of things. I grabbed one of my stickers designed and made by my good friend Cathy and added it to the front to personalize it. So, if you are in the same mood to Spring Clean and brighten things up in your own design center, these silverware caddies are great. Now my girls want one for their room for all their art gear.
at 2:21 PM
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Home >
Art Collection >
John Tenniel : Alice, the Duchess, and the Baby
John Tenniel
Alice, the Duchess, and the Baby
Illustration to chapter 6 of Alice in Wonderland
Wood-engraving by Thomas Dalziel
'Oh, don't bother ME,' said the Duchess; 'I never could abide figures!' And with that she began nursing her child again, singing a sort of lullaby to it as she did so, and giving it a violent shake at the end of every line:
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SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's home-grown C919 passenger jet landed successfully in Shanghai after an 80-minute maiden flight on Friday, a major step for Beijing as it looks to boost its profile in the global aviation market.
The narrow-body aircraft, which will compete with Boeing's (BA.N) 737 and the Airbus (AIR.PA) A320, is a key symbol of China's ambitions to muscle into a global jet market estimated to be worth $2 trillion over the next 20 years.
(Graphic: Passenger jets compared - tmsnrt.rs/2onKgHf)
Reporting by Jackie Cai, Adam Jourdan and Brenda Goh; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman


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Posts filed under 'Nokia'
Internet Tablet Talk: Nokia N810
Internet Tablet Talk has the scoop on the N810! This is the next internet tablet and it has a slide out keyboard! This is a awesome addition to the Nokia series of internet tablets. Stay tuned to the temporary blog for internet tablet talk (in case the main site is flooded) for more information.
Hildon in Higher Then 800×480
Internet Tablet Talk has a story about the Hildon API running on a laptop! This means hildon will scale to resolutions larger then the Nokia 770 and N800 Internet Tablets. This also COULD man a OLPC type device.
What's Hildon? It's the UI that the Nokia internet tablets use with thier Maemo install. It's a nice UI and it seems to be easy to understand to me anyway.
Found Release notes on Nokia 770 OS 2006 edition v. 3.2006.49-2
Did some googling and found the Release Notes:
- Improved quality of WLAN connections
- Wi-Fi certification included
OK…that works. My WiFi was a bit iffy at home but was ok at work (where there is no WPA….don't ask!).
New Nokia 770 Firmware Out, new SpotYah and Bashpodder
I just checked the download site for the Nokia 770 and a new version of the firmware is out. It's called OS 2006 Edition version 3.2006.49-2. I have loaded it on my 770 and it seems to be a bit zipper. I wish I knew what was fixed, but the release notes have not been posted to the Nokia site yet.
Since I had to rebuild my 770 after the firmware update, I also discover that SpotYah has finally had updates for Python 2.5 which has been available for quite sometime. Check it out here.
I also got Bashpodder working yet again on the 770. Here's a hint…put the script on your MMC and then all you have to do is install wget and osso-xterm. You don't need bash. It runs fine under sh. Run it by typing: sh bashpodder.shell at the prompt . You have to do this because your running off of a FAT16 or FAT32 (not sure which…) filesystem and the Unix permisisons just do not exist for sh to check.
My Nokia 770 Review on Gear Diary
I just had my review for the Nokia 770 posted on Judie Hughes new website called Gear Diary located at http://www.geardiary.com. Check it out here.
Adam Likes the N800
I was listening to today's Daily Source Code and Nokia apparantly gave Adam Curry as a gift a new Nokia N800. While Patricia and Christina don't necessarily like it, Adam does and he says screw the iPhone and let's do something like this. Build better stuff on Open Source and Apple Inc. will have to open up more.
If you are buried under a rock and have not listened to the Daily Source Code, listen to today's show and then subscribe!
Nokia 770 is the Largest Linux Desktop Appliance Ever
I was listening to Ken Radio's World Tech Roundup and co-host Andy Abramson, stated that the Nokia 770 is the biggest and most popular Linux based appliance ever. I wonder if it's true?
I do know that he was right about CompUSA not being able to keep it in stock. During Christmas, as soon as it was in stock online, it sold out. I guess he's right.
This post was tapped out on my 770!


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Beach Burrito, Fortitude Valley
So you know I said I would be re visiting Beach Burrito soon, well it turns out it was in fact a day later!!
I just couldn't stay away!
But this time I visited the Fortitude Valley store instead
Both stores are very similar with the decor in relation to the beach theme, however they differ considerably in the way in which they are presented
So I found myself in a similar situation like last time on what to order off the menu as there are so many choices
After much deliberation we decided to start on drinks
Seeing it was nearly 30 degrees, I decided to go for the safe bet of sparking water
However James decided to go for a cocktail concoction, I will find out exactly what it was and then let you know
After finally deciding what to eat, it arrived
I decided to go for the garden salad, it had a mix of beans, guacamole, green onions, pico de gallo, lettuce, tomato, onions, and lots of other components to create the amazing taste I was witnessing
Unfortunately this visit had to be short and sweet, so I had to stop myself from delving into a mouth watering bowl of Churros, which saddened me considerably
Seriously if you decide you want a mexican this is the place to go, the food is to die for, and at a really good price
Until next time.......
Beach Burrito


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Have you noticed how often I use the phrase "like I always say" in my blog? Well I have and it seems that it's almost every week that I say it. Throughout the lifespan of this blog I've repeated certain phrases and catch phrases of sorts fairly often. I do this for a couple of reasons. One is to drill it into your head because it's that important. And the other is because it's a very easy way to get people to learn, simple expressions can be remembered easily and morphed into your own version of it to fit your situation. So I took some time looking over older entries and came up with a handful of my most common expressions for you to put to use. Immediately!
A winner always knows where they're going. A champion never forgets where they're from.
This one is all about fun and respect. Be respectful to other people, both the morons and the competing AH barons. There is simply never a reason to be rude until you're insulted. Always have fun while you play the AH, even if you are driven to hit 1 million stop the moment it's no longer fun.
The most valuable thing you can have is time.
Going against the goblin adage of "time is money" a bit here. Yes you can make easy money prospecting, but how long does it take? When people call something easy, they always forget the whole "time consuming" part of it all. If you're spending a few hours a day working glyphs from the milling all the way up to posting and only making 5k a day... just stop. Please, please, PLEASE value your time a tad more than that. And I don't just mean your in game time, because your game time cuts into your living time. Do you really want to be 60 and look back remembering the week you spent 4 hours every night hitting a "mill herbs" macro? I should hope not.
Music is awesome.
Check out Korpiklanni, great folk metal. Here's a drinking song they wrote that is perfect for everybody. Ok I don't really say that a lot, but they're awesome regardless. Go watch and come back when it's done!
Have a reason that's more than just gold.
Obvious reason is obvious. If you're only playing the AH for cash, you won't get very far. The asshole (me) that undercuts your 300g gem down to 180g is going to really piss you off because you're losing a lot of gold by undercutting them and not selling at 299.99.99 like you want to. If money is your only motivator you're likely going to be very lonely on the AH (and usually IRL if you watch the greediest of the greedy play house) and will be driven out of markets very easily.
Now before you piss and moan "you're wrong Stokpile, I'll just come back when prices are high again" remember that the asshole 100g undercutter that pushed you out (me again) just made 50k profit from the market you left because you left it. If you would have stayed in you'd have 20k from that market and not a fat ZERO. Granted I have a zero as well each week. In fact I have 6 of them all in a row...
Don't forget the small fish.
Always sell everything, even if it's only for a few gold and goes slowly. If it goes slow then there's going to be maybe 1 other person that sells it. In other words you can dictate the price of it, set it, and forget about it. These types of niche markets I just love. Zero thought required and barely any effort involved. If you look at my enchanting numbers and all of the scrolls I sell on the list, you'll that there's a reason I keep to this.
When you find a method that works great for you, don't worry about what I say. Do it and keep doing it, it's usually not a good idea to fix something that isn't broken. But that is entirely relative of course. If your method makes you 20k profit a week working a dozen markets while mine made me 240k profit in a single week, well, you've got some thinking to do.
Now that you're sticking with the same method, you just have to make sure that you take care of your business every single day at least once. Do your cancel/craft/cancel/post cycle in it's entirety at least once a day and keep at it. If you do, you'll be at the 1 million gold cap 10 times faster than if you didn't. In the time that you're not selling, others are and are getting a stronger hold on the market while you're losing yours. The short hand version of this is to once again weigh your effort against your profits and determine if they're worth it. Time is valuable, remember?
Thanks for stopping by!


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Just two short years after suiting its first client, Dress for Success could be found in 22 different cities throughout the United States, and in 1999 we established our first international location. Today, there are more than 140 Dress for Success affiliates in 19 countries—and those numbers continue to increase every year.
I am so excited for the opportunity to volunteer for this wonderful organization and help inspire others to do the same.
Their Beliefs -
Every woman has the right to realize her full potential and achieve financial independence in a more egalitarian world. We believe that with the proper education, tools and action this world is possible.
Poverty often affects women the most, and its effects on them and their families can be long-lasting. Therefore, addressing women's needs is central to improving the quality of life for not only that woman but also her family, future generations and her community. In fact, recognizing the significant role of women in economic development is the smart thing to do, as well as being socially and morally right.
We believe that achieving gender equality is imperative to developing a sustainable and just world for all, which is possible by acknowledging the crucial role that women play in the world economy.
We believe that by building up a woman's agency and knowledge, better synergies between gender equality and economic sustainability are realized, enabling her to generate a long-term impact in both her private and public life.
Dress for Success is a global not-for-profit organization that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.
Since starting operations in 1997, Dress for Success has expanded to more than 140 cities in 19 countries and has helped more than 850,000 women work towards self-sufficiency.
Find your local affiliate here and discover how you can donate clothes, support the organization financially, get involved as a volunteer or help in other ways. If we are not operating in your community yet, learn how to start a Dress for Success in your area!
Dress for Success Worldwide is located in New York and oversees our global affiliate network. Click on the links below to learn about our organization and how you can support us.
"more than 10,000 women and men generously donate their time and talents to our affiliates every year"


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|Sandy Peckinpah
Rosey…the Imperfect Angel was a magical fairytale that focused on the beauty of imperfection. The fairy tale was recorded as a CD, produced by Tony Award Winner, Michael Alden and starred the voice of actress and former SAG President, Melissa Gilbert (best known for "Little House on the Prairie"). The CD made it all the way to the Grammy Ballot in 2009.
Her second book, Chester the Imperfect All Star, followed with the same media attention. Her fairy tales continue to be used in schools, hospitals, and clinics to raise awareness and help children with self-esteem.
After the death of her child, Sandy's passion was to write a book that could help parents through such a devastating loss. Her book, "How to Survive the Worst that can Happen" is a parent's step by step guide to healing after the loss of a child. It recently won the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award from NABE, the New York Book Festival Award, and the Readers' Favorite Award.
Sandy is trained as a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist® by the acclaimed Grief Recovery Institute® in Los Angeles, California. She facilitates programs to help people move beyond the pain caused by loss, whether it be death, divorce, financial, or other forms of loss. Please feel free to contact her for more information:
In addition to writing, Sandy works as a real estate agent for Coldwell Banker in Southern California and also co-hosted a weekly radio show, "Passion by Design" on AM Talk Radio. She focuses on projects that make a difference in people's lives.
Sandy lives in sunny Southern California with her husband and children.


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... today we will finally continue with the building process of Gertie Gumthrop's retirement home... I've told you about Birgit's many projects among them the "100.000 mushrooms for Gertie"-project. And now that Halloween and the November-welcome are done I'm going to show you what Birgit intended to do with all those mushrooms and the other stuff... and we're starting with a view in Gertie's home. This is how the room looked like in the meantime:
The rock being the external facade also comes through inside... appearing to be really handy. The rock offers additional storing place for example for potion jars and space for cultivating magical mushrooms and herbs... very important for a herb witch even when she is retired since ages. Here you can see the start:
Oh... you're saying this is hardly visible at the picture? You're welcome... service is somehow natural for a gentlebeary like me *grin* so I can offer you a close-up:
Of course this was only the beginning...
... and in the end the back wall looked like this:
Don't wonder about the bare spot at the bottom... this is were the bed stands and nothing will ever grow there - not even with magic! *LOL* And the sidewall too became the home of magical mushrooms, pumpkins, jars, herbs and moss just the same way.
And once more behind the bed and the fireplace nothing can grow not even witchy herbs... *smile*
Auf bzw. an der anderen Seitenwand wächst auch nichts, aber dafür hat Gerties Ziertellersammlung hier eine neue Heimat gefunden.
At the other sidewall nothing is growing either but instead of this Gertie's collection of decorative plates found a new home there.
Yes, witches too have hobbies... and are passionate collectors... *teehee* And of course every free space gets used, even above the magical cabinet.
And here you can see how all of this looks together with the furniture:
Not quite what you would expect from a witch's home, isn't it? But just right for Gertie because without plants... that would be absolutely impossible for her. And finally I'm showing you how Gertie's home looks with the lights on:
Indeed a magical home, don't you agree? Now the ceiling it still missing... and of course still a few additions to the furniture. And that's why I'm going to show you the next time what happened in the meantime to Gertie's worktable. ;O)


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So you may be wondering why the title of this particular piece of writing has the Words..............
EXTREME MAKEOVER (courtyard edition)
That is because room 17 has the opportunity to recreate our school courtyard,but in order for us to do that we had to get into groups. So Miss Garden and Miss Ouano put us into groups of two and three.
I was in a group of three with Litia and Ashleigh it was a pretty good choice I think. We had a very big responsibility. That was to put our problems from the past behind us because we have all had meltdowns with each other. But any way that was NOT the only responsibility. We also had to find the prices of what we looking for and much more.
The first thing we looked for online was a picnic table. We all started looking for that all three of us but then we thought that we should look for.


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Sessions –
One of my great joys is recording for others. If you'd like me to play guitar on your song or composition, please contact me regarding Budget, Bit/Sample Rate and Artistic Direction. I will produce, engineer and play on your tracks in the Roadweary Room and will provide:
- Clearly labeled multiple microphone stems (as .wav files) with agreed upon Sample/Bit Rate
- Stereo tracks of how I hear the mix
After receiving your tracks and discussing all pertinent information I will begin to record. If I have any further questions, I'll contact you as soon as possible. Once completed, I'll send an MP3 of the final product. You will then receive a PayPal invoice for the full amount and upon receipt of payment I will send all individual tracks.
Send a message


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Comics, Movies, Video Games, Xbox, Microsoft, Playstation and nintendo. These are just a few words that comprise our blog. Marvel, DC, Image, and fiction. Those are the second set of words that describe what we are all about. Make sure you check us out and get involved often. We're going to make this Big and keep you informed so get ready for one amazing ride as we deliver to you everything that's awesome. Comics, Movies, Video Games and Super heroes We'll see you in the World of Fiction
Monday, June 24, 2013
300 Rise of an Empire desktop wallpaper + HD trailer Release
The Sequel to the awesome 300 movie is finally revealing its first trailer. The film will be based off of Frank Millers Xerxes as for an actual time line in relation to 300 we'll have to wait to find out more. Visually they have kept the atmosphere the same, there seems to be a new director but Zack snyder is still writing the script and probably "back seat directing" this thing. We're looking forward to some epic battles and slow motion fight scenes. We might even learn a little something about greek history too. Enjoy the trailer and let us know what you think.
Posted by Fiction is Real at 10:55 PM
Labels: 300, 300 Rise of an Empire, Comics, Movies, Trailers
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I know I was going to post shorter articles. But I've failed again as it's time for my annual retrospective on the year seen through some of the photos I've taken. Almost chronological but I've taken some liberties to stretch a few points. The year started with an Icy blast. Even my landrovers were shivering in the yard.
The icy blast continued into February. Working outside on the heath in the short days needed a good fire to stop us freezing up. We cleared an area of scrub and Birch to join areas of restored lowland heath and on the odd occasion I leave a scuplture behind.
Make room for March! I could swear there was a landrover in that corner before somebody dumped a rusting and rotten pile of wood and iron in there. But I could sense a magnificent farm trailer just waiting to be reborn. Very handy too with plenty of logs and hay bales to move through the year. I really liked the traditional sturdy wooden frame so with plenty of help from Richard the trailer was restored. That's all very well but where did that Landrover go?
Not called Puff the magic Landrover for nothing. First you see it and then you don't but more of that later. Despite the signs of spring the weather remained so cold it seemed that Winter would never end.
May arrived and slowly the weather improved. The summer event season arrives and it's peak time for selling all of the winters woodland products, beanpoles, peasticks, flower stakes, brooms rakes and charcoal. As well as getting busy on the polelathe.
The mowing season starts in earnest in June with the Green Scythe Fair and the West Country Scythe Championships in Somerset. I've been seduced by the lure of the traditional English scythe, you know the grim reaper one with the curvy handle. These haven't been in production for the best part of 50years so it was great to have Mike Abbott demonstrating the steam bending of an ash snathe in Somerset.
By July the mowing season is frantic and I'd like you to understand the sense of urgency that imbues our scything. It's not just a weekend posing with our scythes in front of a National Trust mansion – whatever gave you that impression?
Well ok so I do tractors sometimes? August saw Peter my vintage Massey Ferguson 135 with my Vicon-Lely Acrobat hay tuner in full swing. We made 830 bales of hay on a 9 acre traditional flower meadow in 30 degree (C) temperatures during our summer heatwave. Very good hay it was too, and no great surprise that locals flocked to the field to picktheirown bales so we sold the lot in a very short time.
I am losing the plot a bit. Ah yes it's September and meanwhilst down at the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum my friend Martin Fox the blacksmith has become infected with the English Scythe bug. As well as becoming quite competent swinging his blade through the grass Martin and I have been working on the repair and reworking of old English scythe blades. He's even threatening to start making reproduction medival blades. Just as well, because people seem to turn up on my courses with a lot of broken old English blades and it does give Martin something to do all day!
Earlier in the year I came across some lovely little axes made by Magnus. These axes are made traditionally to patterns found at archaeological sites. The head is wrought iron which is wrapped and forge welded to form the eye socket and then the hard steel edge is welded to the head. Magnus is an armourer and a lot of the weapons he makes end up on TV just like this axe which is to a ninth century Viking pattern. It makes a great little carving axe.
Having been a hot summer the sales of charcoal have gone well. I try to make more than I need at the end of the season before the weather turns – but the Gales of November came early and I didn't quite make it.
The gales are still with us and they've been the major feature of December except now they've graduated to Storms with winds forecast at Hurricane force. We spent a few days on Cornwall's north coast admiring the waves before retiring to a log fire in the evenings.
Yes. It's disappearing again. The final photo of the year has to feature Puff my magic landrover. Everything was going so well and then…….. a meeting with a big stump on the heath ripped off a chassis crossmember and peeled back a section of the chassis bottom. Not too good and a clear indication of too much rust in the chassis. The top half of the chassis is very good though – anybody want a top half of a landrover 1961 long wheel base chassis?
Well I've squeezed in a few of the things that have happened over the year, I've had to miss out so many things that made this year special but thats the nature of these things and it does lay a great start for lots of things to happen in 2014. If only I had the time. I hope you had a good 2013 and I wish you all the best for 2014 wherever you are !


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — PVH Corp., under Chief Executive Emanuel Chirico, has been a Wall Street darling, underscored by the stock's surge earlier this month to its all-time high.
However, its shares PVH, +0.45% on Thursday slid 4.7% in their biggest decline since last June, after the parent company of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger warned its February purchase of Warnaco, which makes Calvin Klein jeans and underwear, would hurt per-share profit by 25 cents this year, rather than provide the 35-cent boost it had previously indicated to analysts.
The New York-based company's profit outlook also was hit by additional investments it said it needs to make to integrate Warnaco.
"We clearly are disappointed that we have had to move the numbers," Chirico said on a conference call in response to a question on how PVH can get Wall Street to be "comfortable" with its new "reset" bar after having gained a lot of credibility over several years. "We have tried to be as transparent as possible to really lay it out in excruciating detail so you can understand what we are doing. I have no doubt that what we are doing is right, is correct, appropriate and will pay dividends into the future."
Initial analyst reaction on Thursday generally gave Chirico. who more than doubled the company's sales the past four years through the successful integration of Tommy Hilfiger, the benefit of the doubt.
"Our longer-term bias on PVH is positive as we view the company's solid brand portfolio, unparalleled global distribution and longer-term synergies with Warnaco as investable catalysts," said PiperJaffray analyst Erinn Murphy in a note. She has a hold rating on the stock.
Analysts said PVH's revision wasn't because the company failed to do its homework before the purchase of Warnaco.
It was "more a case of the Warnaco business being underinvested for years from an infrastructure perspective - something that appears to have been largely uncovered over the past 45 days" since the completion of the acquisition, J.P. Morgan analyst Matthew Boss told MarketWatch.
Analysts said they were pleased to see a smart rise in same-store sales at Tommy Hilfiger, PVH's largest brand by sales, and a 45% leap in the brand's adjusted profit. The Calvin Klein business that PVH owned prior to the Warnaco acquisition, which ranges from high-end runway collections to sportswear, also showed sales and profit growth, and the company said its Izod brand shop at J.C. Penney Co. JCP, -5.80% was performing to plan.
PVH also eased concerns about its European business amid concerns the region's slowing economy would hurt consumer spending, saying sales in both its retail and wholesale operations were up. Higher demand in France, Germany and Turkey offset weakness in Spain and Italy. Chirico said the company has seen an acceleration with its European business with customers ordering more for the upcoming fall and the holiday season.
Chirico said the biggest surprise from Warnaco has been the lack of investment the firm made to upgrade and consolidate its operations even as it grew through new stores, acquisitions, franchisees and licensees.
"So the integration for us really is now required to be focused on a country-by-country basis as opposed to what we would have anticipated with more of a regional integration Europe, Asia, North America," he said, adding the ingtegration is now expected to take 24 to 30 months instead of its original plan of 15 to 18 months.
He said the other big surprise was learning PVH would have to clear out some Warnaco inventory in Asia and North America.
Another problem that PVH wants to tackle is the image of Calvin Klein jeans. Warnaco was overly dependent on selling Calvin Klein jeans to the so-called off-price channels, or retailers like T.J. Maxx and membership warehouse clubs, Chirico told analysts on the call. "As such Calvin Klein has lost its leadership position in jeans with all of its major department-store customers."
Chirico said PVH will invest in in-store shops, fixtures and marketing to help build the business back at department stores and sell the jeans at regular prices.
"Overall, this won't be as easy a 'plug 'n play' acquisition as Tommy Hilfiger was for PVH" in 2010, said ISI Group analyst Omar Saad. "2013 will be more of a transition year, but we continue to believe the (Warnaco) deal will pay huge dividends to PVH shareholders for years to come."


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Last month of Spring down under.
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November 10th, 2010, 10:39 PM
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Location: Australia
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Well, the bad news is, LP, that in the past I never aimed for a Summer garden, not with it verging on semi-arid here. We always had to ration water because we never knew how deep the dam was. I guess now we are on the pipeline things can change. I've just taken some tomatoes in to our local nursery owner and had a bit of a look for summer flowering plants, but there is just nothing that catches my eye. I may be inspired when the summer catalogue from The Digger's Club comes out. To keep your spirits up in the freezing cold months I could always share friend's garden photo's with you. Those that were lucky enough to always be on town water.
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For every coffee van, mobile dog grooming service and car service van you spot driving around the 'burbs, you can be sure many of them have quit the rat race of the corporate world and are enjoying being their own boss.
The idea of choosing your own hours and having a more flexible working life has seen a boom in mobile franchises in Australia. People who are worried about being made redundant (or who have been made redundant) are finding they can earn a decent wage by forking out as little as $6,000 for a franchise.
Franchise Expert Tracy Eaton told the Huffington Post Australia there is more awareness about the benefits of buying a franchise, particularly as the threat of redundancy lingers in some industries.
"Low cost entry is making it attractive for people to take on a mobile franchise, effectively buying a wage and job security. A mobile coffee van business costs as little as $50,000 to purchase with the potential of making as much as $150,000 in revenue a year," Eaton said.
"People don't realise 50 percent of jobs that exist today won't exist in ten years and they may want to buy their own business to safeguard them from being affected," she said.
"Nearly half a million Australians are employed directly in franchising and the annual sales turnover for the country's entire franchising sector is estimated at $144 billion. You can work your hours around your family and, depending on your industry, your business can offer flexible hours and work days."
"Also, buying under a recognised brand gives you an edge. You can start from scratch and create regular income, so long as you put in the hard work."
There are 79,000 franchises in Australia, an increase of nearly ten percent from two years prior and Eaton told HuffPost Australia she expects that number to continue climbing.
"Existing franchisors are even extending their current business to allow for mobility and tap into the demand from consumers to access services from home."
"Fast food giant McDonald's are piloting door-to-door delivery and Red Rooster have already launched this."
Christie Jordee left the corporate world to start her own cleaning business. For her, it was the best thing to do after leaving her job that was making her incredibly unhappy.
"I was working in a very stressful corporate job. I was so stressed I was hardly sleeping. I was so unhappy at work, even though I loved the industry, that I had a chat with my aunt who had just bought a cleaning franchise. I said, 'I'm not going to do cleaning!' but when I saw how much she was earning, I quickly changed my mind," Jordee said.
"I'm now earning more money, with less stress, than I was in my corporate job. It was stressful in the beginning because it takes time for a business to get off its feet. But my cleaning business is doing so well it wasn't long before I had to hire other people to help."
Jordee advises other people who want to follow in her footsteps to remember that any business is hard work in the very beginning.
"When you buy a franchise, don't think you're buying a job; you're buying a business. Some people think you can sit on your bum and work just comes to you. It doesn't work that way! It's a business and, if you put your head down, bum up, especially in those first six months, you won't have to spend much on advertising. You'll be able to get by with word of mouth if you take pride in what you do."


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HIV-Positive Prisoner Betsie Gallardo Passes Away
By Kellee Terrell
February 1, 2011
Last month, TheBody.com reported on Betsie Gallardo, an HIV-positive Florida inmate who was dying from stage IV gallbladder cancer and being denied food and liquids from prison officials. I'm saddened to report that Gallardo passed away Jan. 31 in her mother's Indiana home. She was only 27 years old.
In an e-mail sent to HIV advocates around the country, Gallardo's mother, Jessica Bussert, wrote:
This morning at about 10:00am, Betsie Gallardo Bussert passed away. She was surrounded by her parents and her siblings, and the room was simply filled with love. Over the past few weeks Betsie was able to visit with family and friends, walk on the beach, go out to a movie, go shopping, and attend church. She was free and happy and she was blessed in a thousand ways. When the time finally came she was at peace and out of pain. We held her hands and prayed with her up until the last.
In 2009, Gallardo was convicted of battery of an officer and resisting arrest. She was subsequently sentenced to five years in prison, even though she had no prior convictions. Many advocates believe her sentence was unfairly harsh and was issued because she was HIV positive and spit on the officer.
In early 2010, she was diagnosed with stage IV gallbladder cancer. While she received cancer treatment in prison, a tumor developed that blocked her intestines, making it impossible for her to hold down food and liquids. However, prison officials refused to provide Gallardo with nutrition intravenously. Without food, Gallardo would have eventually starved to death.
Bussert brought this injustice to the attention of the media and begged that her daughter be released from jail and sent to a hospice so that she could receive intravenous nutrients and given the opportunity to die in the presence of her family. On Jan. 5, her request was granted: The Florida Parole Commission voted 2-1 to release Gallardo to a local hospital. Gallardo was later taken back to her home state of Indiana.
Kellee Terrell is the former news editor for TheBody.com and TheBodyPRO.com.
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Eric Radford: Skater is first openly gay man to Winter Olympics gold
Canadian figure skater Eric Radford has said he "might explode with pride", after becoming the first openly gay Olympic champion at any Winter Games.
Radford took gold at the Pyeongchang Games in the team figure skating event, alongside his partner Meagan Duhamel.
The pair performed a beautiful routine set to Adele's Hometown Glory.
US skater Adam Rippon, the first openly gay athlete to reach the US Winter Olympics team, won bronze in the same event at the Gangneung Ice Arena.
He skated to Coldplay's O, and Arrival of the Birds by Cinematic Orchestra.
The team figure skating, which debuted four years ago, sees each nation compete in the men's, women's, pairs', and ice dance disciplines. The team with most points overall takes the gold medal.
After his win, Radford, 33, wrote on Twitter: "This is amazing! I literally feel like I might explode with pride."
Later, he tweeted a smiling picture with Rippon, adding the hashtag "#outandproud".
Fellow Canadian medallist and LGBT advocate Mark Tewksbury, who won a swimming gold in 1992, sent his congratulations.
"FINALLY in 2018 an openly gay man is on top of the podium," he said. "No more isolation for LGBT sport men!!"
Some on Twitter questioned why it made a difference if Radford was gay or straight.
"Why does his sexuality matter? He is an athlete that won a medal," one observer wrote.
- The 'unstoppable' snowboarder who just wants ice cream
- Olympic skater sails through wardrobe malfunction
- Winds cause havoc in slopestyle final
- Team USA's gay Olympians march with pride
Another replied: "It matters to people legitimately afraid of losing jobs or getting abused if they are open about being gay. When someone can reach the top of their field without hiding, that gives hope."
American Rippon has himself addressed why his sexuality matters, after the subject made headlines in the US.
"Being gay has never been a big deal to me, which is why it's a little funny to be getting all this attention about it," he told GQ magazine.
Many Games viewers with no prior knowledge of winter sports have been won over by the 28-year-old – including Hollywood star Reece Witherspoon.
The skater told NBC: "I want to represent my country to the best of my abilities. I want to make Reese Witherspoon proud."
And did he? The actress made her positive feelings plain on Twitter:


text: Viognier is a fragrant, powerful white grape grown in Languedoc-Roussillon and the Rhône Valley of France. It is the only grape allowed in Condrieu; elsewhere in the Rhône it is typically blended with other white grapes such as Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Rolle (or Vermentino), or blended as a small percentage into Côte Rôtie. It is also grown in other countries including Australia and the United States. Viognier is well-known for producing wines with distinct floral aromas and assertive stone fruit flavors. You can use Wine Enthusiast's online Buying Guide to find the top-rated Viognier among our extensive Viognier wine reviews and easy-to-use database. Our Viognier reviews will give you a general idea what to expect from wines made from Viognier, and will help you find one that best suits your needs.


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When to use a Page Instead of a Post in WordPress
In this article, we will talk about when you should use pages rather than posts.
Let us first start by defining what each one is…
The original idea of posts is to have blog style layout that WordPress is known for. However posts can be used to share content in a dynamic, easy to search way. Using posts and categorizing them makes it easy for your visitors to keep track of whats new on your site.
Pages are static pages that can be used to display content outside of your normal blog posts. This can be helpful for about us pages, services, contact information, etc. With the same power and flexibility as a regular blog post, pages can expand the type of content on your site.
When you need content outside of your blog/posts, we recommend using a page rather then trying to use a post.


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ISN Fellowship makes for better pediatric kidney care in India.
Pediatric nephrology is an emerging specialty in India. Children with kidney problems often don't get timely treatment. Their parents are either unaware of their condition or cannot afford the cost of treatment. ISN is trying to respond to these issues by offering its members the chance to carry out their fellowship in a developed country. By sharing what they know doctors can strike the balance in kidney care worldwide.
Susan Uthup from the SAT Hospital Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram took part in the Fellowship Program, spending six months in the pediatric nephrology unit at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). She shares how she hopes to improve clinical nephrology services for children locally especially by offering Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) for younger patients.
She explains: "Pediatric Nephrology is an evolving specialty in my state. Pediatric dialysis, CRRT and transplantation are still in the primitive phase. These modalities are possible only in bigger children. Smaller children especially those weighing less than 15 kg are given only conservative management in End Stage Renal Disease."
The fetal End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) program at CCHMC was an eye-opener. She adds: "I will try to coordinate and develop a pediatric nephro-urology team to provide more advanced care including transplantation in small children. Developing a pediatric nephrology center of excellence in my institution is a mission to be accomplished. The fellowship program has not only helped improve the quality of work in my unit but has also helped to offer training for postgraduate clinical hands-on training."
The pediatric nephrology unit at SAT Hospital Government Medical College is the first and only one of its kind caring for young kidney patients throughout Kerala state, India. Susan is the only qualified nephrologist in the unit, giving comprehensive care for young patients suffering from acute and chronic kidney disease including peritoneal and hemodialysis. The center has no expertise in Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy, hemodialysis and transplantation for patients below 5 years old.
"I am really thankful to ISN for giving me this wonderful opportunity to broaden my perspective in pediatric nephrology. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center being the 3rd best pediatric nephrology center in US, I learned the latest developments in clinical pediatric nephrology, transplantation and dialysis in children," she adds.
Being an ISN Fellow helps build ties for the future in the hope of advancing care in the long term. Susan hopes to work with Prasad Devarajan, Professor of Pediatrics and Developmental Biology at Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation, a pioneer in Biomarker development in acute kidney failure. "The pediatric urology division at CCHMC carries out pioneer work on children with CAKUT. I want to familiarize myself with Renoprotection and optimum bladder management given to children with spinal dysraphism."


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Raymond R. Hoffert Jr., 66, of 138 E. Goepp St., Bethlehem, died Sunday in Beach Haven, N.J., after reportedly having a heart attack. He was the husband of Virginia (Mann) Hoffert.
He was a machinist for Bethlehem Steel Corp. for 37 years before retiring in 1977. He also taught music for 40 years.


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Welcome to Page Two of today's Colorado Beer News. There was just so much news today it needed a second page. Here's more of what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Tuesday, July 24th, 2012. If you missed it, read Part One.
Dillon Dam Brewery (Dillon) - Here's what's happening. Live Trivia Night on Wednesday the 25th at 9pm. Then on Thursday at 9:30pm it's live music with Strive Roots. This is the last week for their Montezuma Marzen. Their Hefeweizen is coming in August. This week's Big Beer is their Coffee Vanilla Stout aged in a Breck Distillery Barrel. $5 for a half pint while it lasts.
Bristol Brewing Company (Colorado Springs) - It's Karma Hour Tuesday! This week, they're proud to support the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Southern Colorado. From 5-9pm tonight, $1 from every pint will go to this cool cause.
Pateros Creek Brewing (Fort Collins) and Loveland Aleworks (Loveland) are coming together for the City vs. City Cheese and Beer Pairing Event at The Welsh Rabbit Cheese Shop in Fort Collins on Wednesday, August 8th at 7:00pm. Tickets cost $29 for 5 cheeses and 10 beers. Which pairings will you prefer? Sign up and find out. The Welsh Rabbit Cheese Shop is located at 216 Pine Street in Fort Collins, CO. This event is co-hosted by Napa of Beer (blog).
Arvada Beer Company (Arvada) - It's smelling great in Olde Town Arvada today. Dennis and Kelly are brewing up a Russian Imperial Stout. It's got lots of hops and is black as can be. This is going to be a great beer. Look for an August 12th release date.
The Mayor of Old Town (Fort Collins) - Don't forget! Tonight meet David Walker at 7:00pm as he taps Firestone Walker Brewing Company's 15th Anniversary Ale. It's an ale aged for a year and oh so good.
Summer Brew Fest (Denver) - Denver's Channel 2 did a video story on the upcoming Summer Brew Fest happening this Friday, July 27th at Mile High Station (outside). Tickets are going fast for this popular event. If you can't view the video below, head to ColoradosBest.tv for the full story.
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Loveland) - In honor of them opening their doors for business 2 years ago today - come celebrate with Grimm Bros and get Buy 1 Get 1 on all pints today!
Crabtree Brewing Company (Greeley) - Special today: $3 Pints all day today! The Berliner Weisse and the new Peach Berliner Weisse now on tap! Delicious on a hot day! Also on tap: Head Turner Blonde, Ginger Bee, Dearfield, Twisted Creek Wheat and Peachtree Wheat. Stop in - the days at their old taproom are numbered prior to the big move!
New Belgium (Fort Collins) - The new collaboration brew between New Belgium and Alpine Beer Company called "Super India Pale Ale" is close to being on the shelves. It will hopefully be there by #IPADay on Thursday, August 2nd. Look for it in 22oz Lips of Faith bottles.
Equinox Brewing (Fort Collins) - Soon there will be even more beer on tap at Equinox. Wanna know why? They just received their new 10 bbl fermenter today! Now if they can only fit it inside the brewery...
Live Music - Beer and live music go great together and many of your Colorado breweries and top watering holes offer up tunes on a regular basis. Check the Brewery Music Listings and see who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar near you in Colorado. Updated daily.
Festival Listings - Looking for the next beer festival or beer-related event in Colorado? Check out the listings on the 2012 Colorado Beer Festivals & Events Calendar. Updated weekly.
There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook page. Thanks for helping us grow to over 930+ "Likes" so far in 2012! Be sure to visit the Page directly on Facebook as now you aren't guaranteed to get new FB posts on your Feed due to their new pay to promote policy.
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com - a Colorado beer blog.
Don't miss another article. Subscribe to Fermentedly Challenged by RSS today. If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing, re-tweeting, Stumbling or +1'ing this to let others know about it. Cheers!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Colorado Beer News 072412 continued
Welcome to Page Two of today's Colorado Beer News. There was just so much news today it needed a second page. Here's more of what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Tuesday, July 24th, 2012. If you missed it, read Part One.


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UK's 'ban Trump' petition passes half-million mark
A petition on the UK government's website, calling for US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump to be barred from entering the country, has now passed a half-million signatories becoming the most-popular petition ever posted on the site. The signatories include a majority of UK MPs.
The petition was originally submitted late November by campaigner Suzanne Kelly from Aberdeen, preceding Trump's remarks which prompted the overwhelming response. Kelly, saying her attention was drawn due to concerns over Trump's golfing developments in the area, noted, "I never in my wildest dreams imagined it would get so many signatures". Locally, Robert Gordon University have stripped an honorary degree from Trump, and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon removed him from the GlobalScot network of business ambassadors.
Following the tycoon's call for a "complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States", an NBC/WSJ survey found the majority of adults in the United States disagree with him. The remarks also prompted global criticism of Trump.
London mayor Boris Johnson said the demand made him "unfit to hold the office of the president of the United States". French Prime minister Manuel Valls stated on Twitter, "Mr. Trump, like others, fuels hatred […] our only enemy is radical Islamism." The director of the American university in Cairo's Kamal Adham Center for Television and Digital Journalism, Hafez Al Mirazi, said: "What we are getting now is really terrible […] Stuff that only the Ku Klux Klan and others would say." Kassem Allie, from the Islamic Center of America, accused Trump of evoking fear "reminiscent of Nazi Germany".
In contrast, a humorous petition calling on NASA to "send Donald Trump into Space and Leave Him There" on the change.org site has exceeded 30,000 signatures. Autumn Boehle from Michigan, who started the petition last Wednesday, says, if the petition garners sufficient signatures, she will provide a link where people can: "donate to make this happen. It wont be cheap, but it will be worth while."
The petition to ban Donald Trump from the UK, having passed 100,000 signatures, is now eligible for debate in the House of Commons.
UK's Financial Conduct Authority drop inquiry into culture of banking
The Financial Conduct Authority, one of Britain's banking sector regulators, indicated it has decided to drop an inquiry into banking culture, including practices and payment of banking staff. The inquiry was intended to review "whether culture change programmes in retail and wholesale banks are driving the right behaviour, in particular focusing on remuneration, appraisal and promotion decisions of middle management, as well as how concerns are reported and acted on".
A spokesman for the Financial Conduct Authority stated: "A focus on the culture in financial services firms remains a priority for the FCA[…] There is currently extensive ongoing work in this area within firms and externally. We have decided that the best way to support these efforts is to engage individually with firms to encourage their delivery of cultural change as well as supporting the other initiatives outside the FCA."
The Shadow Chancellor, Labour's John McDonnell, said shutting down the inquiry would be a "dangerous and costly mistake" and said: "This will be a huge blow to customers and taxpayers who are all still paying the price for the failed culture in the banking sector that's been widely attributed to be among the main causes of the crash and the scandals over Libor and price-fixing".
Members of the Treasury Select Committee have also been critical of the cancellation of the review. On Twitter, Labour MP John Mann stated the "FCA surrender to big banks today is entirely from pressure from Treasury and Osborne". Conservative MP Mark Garnier, told the BBC: "There has always been this great argument that perhaps the Treasury is having more influence over the regulator than perhaps it ought to and certainly, if I was looking for a Machiavellian plot behind what's happened here and the tone of the regulator, then I suppose I would start looking at the Treasury."
Richard Lloyd from the consumer group Which? expressed disappointment at the cancellation of the report: "It's disappointing that the regulator has decided against publishing this report on the culture of banking. Cultural change doesn't happen overnight, so despite signs of improvement, the FCA must not take their eye off the ball and should continue to clean up the industry"
The FCA has had no leader since Martin Wheatley resigned in July following an expression of no confidence by George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.Read More


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Life and Protection - Intermediary Focus - UK - November 2012
"The protection market from an intermediary's perspective looks somewhat daunting over the next year. The large number of regulatory changes and the prevailing economic conditions mean that the months ahead will be a challenge. However, there is no reason that intermediaries cannot continue to prosper despite these challenges. By addressing changes in customer behaviour such as a desire to embrace technology and increasing efforts to raise awareness of protection products, intermediaries can prosper during this period of change within the industry."
– Stephanie Seenan – Financial Services Analyst
Some questions answered in this report include:
- How will the protection market fare post-RDR?
- How can the industry overcome the difficulties around consumer awareness and understanding?
- How can the industry keep up with technologically advanced consumers?
- How can intermediaries justify their position in the protection market?
- How will the protection market look for intermediaries as we enter 2013?
What you get
What's included
- Consumer Attitudes and Behaviour
- Market data
- Competitive analysis
- Risks and Opportunities
- What's Next
- Market Trends
This market report provides in-depth analysis and insight supported by a range of data. At the same time, introductory and top-level content is provided to give you an overview of the issues covered.
Mintel provides a range of market information, frequently through the category level, including market size and forecasting, complete with market drivers that illustrate the forces that shape a category or market.
Mintel's proprietary consumer research provides our analysts with the attitudinal and behavioral data used to provide valuable insight to topical issues.
Mintel provides overviews of the top brands and manufacturers, and uses consumer research to explore attitudes and reactions to brands, as well as insight into what will resonate with consumers.
Market reports provide appendices of data to support the research and insight produced. Our tables of data are easily manipulated and downloadable to support your research needs and covers factors from consumer attitudes to market forecasts.
* This is a sample representation of the report layout and does not reflect the research included in this report.
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Table of contents
- Abbreviations
Executive Summary
- The market
- Distribution of protection products is IFA-dependent
- Term assurance distribution
- Figure 1: Total new premiums for individual regular-premium term assurance policies written, by distribution channel and policy type, 2007-H1 2012
- Critical illness distribution
- Figure 2: Distribution of new individual CI rider benefit premiums, by channel, 2008-H1 2012
- Income protection distribution
- Figure 3: Distribution of new individual IP premiums, by distribution channel, 2009-H1 2012
- Market factors
- Protection product payout rates can offer the industry a boost
- Uncertainty in the housing market worrying for protection sales
- FSA stats show 6% drop in number of advisers
- Overview of regulation changes
- The RDR
- Figure 4: RDR business impact over the next 12 months, August 2012
- Solvency II
- Gender-neutral pricing
- Companies, products and innovations
- Product and service innovations
- The IFA
- Barriers to generating new life and protection business
- Figure 5: Barriers to life and protection sales, August 2012
- Changes in client behaviour
- Figure 6: Changes in client behaviour, August 2012
- Provider support
- Figure 7: Ways to improve life and protection sales to clients, August 2012
- What we think
Issues in the Market
- How will the protection market fare post-RDR?
- How can the industry overcome the difficulties around consumer awareness and understanding?
- How can the industry keep up with technologically advanced consumers?
- How can intermediaries justify their position in the protection market?
- How will the protection market look for intermediaries as we enter 2013?
Trend Application
- Changes in lifestyle require flexibility in protection cover
- Youngsters can learn from their parents and ensure they are protected
- Releasing seniors' savings to protect the young
- Changes in lifestyle require flexibility in protection cover
Market Drivers
- Key points
- Protection gaps have to be addressed as welfare support decreases
- Figure 8: Income protection gap (measured by annual benefit), 2005-10
- Target market size
- Figure 9: Ownership of life protection and health insurance products, March 2012
- Fears about facing mortality put people off
- Treasury group recommends launch of simple life protection product
- Disclosing payout rates can build consumer confidence
- GDP figures provide hope for 2013
- Figure 10: UK GDP growth – percentage change, latest quarter on previous quarter, Q1 2009-Q3 2012
- Mortgage market fluctuations impact protection sales
- Figure 11: Residential housing transactions (seasonally adjusted), Q1 2007-Q2 2012
- First-time buyers provide a boost for pure protection sales in Q1 2012
- Increased longevity means lower protection premiums
- Figure 12: Cohort life expectancy at age 60, by gender, 1981-2060
- Major insurers make changes to improve protection offerings
- Attempts to boost income protection take-up
- Key points
Regulatory Environment
- Key points
- RDR will pose challenges for advisers and the protection market
- FSA reports 6% drop in number of advisers prior to RDR
- Complaints about IFAs continue to fall
- Figure 13: Financial services firms complained about, by sector, 2007/08-2011/12
- Taxation of protection business
- Gender-neutral pricing could push up premiums across the board
- Mortgage Market Review could reduce mortgage activity
- Solvency II could also contribute to higher premiums
- Capital adequacy rules postponed
- Key points
SWOT Analysis
- Figure 14: SWOT Analysis
Who's Innovating?
- Key points
- PruProtect offering wealth manager range prior to RDR
- Zurich launches revamped microsite
- LV= launches budget IP offering
- Exeter Family Friendly launches new website
- Life quote protection app launched by Openwork
- Advisers plan new financial educational charity
- Key points
Protection Market Size
- Key points
- Term assurance
- Term assurance market falls back slightly in 2011
- Figure 15: Volume and value of new individual regular-premium term assurance policy sales, 2007-H1 2012
- Mortgage-related new premium term assurance sales fall back in 2011
- Figure 16: Volume and value of new individual regular-premium term assurance policy sales, by policy type, 2007-H1 2012
- Critical illness
- Growth in the CI market is encouraging
- Figure 17: New individual CI sales, by volume and value, 2008-H1 2012
- Standalone CI sales account for a small proportion of new business
- Figure 18: New individual CI sales, by type, by volume and value, 2008-H1 2012
- Term assurance is the largest selling partner of CI policy sales
- Figure 19: New individual CI rider benefit sales, by volume and value and type of insurance, 2007-H1 2012
- Income protection
- Policy sales increase as average annual premium costs decrease
- Figure 20: New individual income protection sales, by value and volume, and average annual premiums, 2007-H1 2012
- Key points
Distribution Overview
- Key points
- Life and protection channels to market rely heavily on intermediaries
- Term assurance
- IFAs have the edge in the term assurance market
- Figure 21: Total new premiums for individual regular-premium term assurance policies written, by distribution channel and policy type, 2007-H1 2012
- Critical illness
- CI rider benefit sales dominated by intermediaries
- Figure 22: Distribution of new individual CI rider benefit premiums, by channel, 2008-H1 2012
- IFAs account for the majority of standalone CI premiums
- Figure 23: Distribution of new individual standalone CI premiums, by channel, 2007-H1 2012
- Income protection
- Just over half of new IP premiums are sold by IFAs
- Figure 24: Distribution of new individual IP premiums, by distribution channel, 2009-H1 2012
- Direct sales opportunities are limited in the protection market
- Key points
Intermediary Company Profiles
- Sesame Bankhall Group
- Figure 25: Key financial data for Sesame Bankhall Group Limited, 2010 and 2011
- Openwork
- Figure 26: Key financial data for Openwork Limited, 2009 and 2010
- Intrinsic Financial Services
- Figure 27: Key financial data for Intrinsic Financial Services Limited, 2010 and 2011
- Positive Solutions
- Figure 28: Key financial data for Positive Solutions Financial Services Limited, 2009 and 2010
- LifeSearch Limited
- Figure 29: Key financial data for LifeSearch Limited, 2010 and 2011
- Cavendish Online
- Sesame Bankhall Group
Brand Communication and Promotion
- Key points
- Adspend on protection products jumps in 2011/12
- Figure 30: Overview of total adspend on protection products, 2009/10-2011/12*
- IP advertising is responsible for the overall jump in adspend
- Figure 31: Adspend on protection products, by category, 2009/10-2011/12
- Unum accounts for almost a quarter of all protection product adspend
- Figure 32: Top 15 advertisers of protection products, 2011/12
- TV advertising dominates over other protection advertising methods
- Figure 33: Overview of media type used to advertise protection products, 2011/12
- Advertising in intermediary and trade press declines by over 50%
- Figure 34: Adspend in intermediary and trade press*, 2010/11 and 2011/12
- Key points
The IFA – Challenges in the Life and Protection Market
- Key points
- The challenging economy is the main barrier to life and protection sales
- Figure 35: Barriers to life and protection sales, 2011 and 2012
- IFAs and insurers can work to educate customers
- Point-of-sale advantage and better offers direct from insurers a concern
- Adviser confidence has not changed in the last six months
- Figure 36: Adviser confidence levels, August 2012
- IFAs worried about housing market confidence
- Figure 37: Impact of consumer confidence in the housing market, August 2012
- Key points
The IFA – Client Behaviour
- Key points
- Changes in client priorities are harming protection product sales
- Figure 38: Changes in client behaviour, August 2012
- Independent consumers pose a risk to advisers
- Consumers developing a taste for technology
- Simplicity and customer focus are needed to improve product awareness
- Figure 39: Ways to improve life and protection sales to clients, August 2012
- Consumer purchase triggers
- Figure 40: Life insurance purchase triggers, May 2012
- Key points
The IFA – Protection Industry Approach to RDR
- Key points
- Fears of negative business impact from the RDR
- Figure 41: RDR business impact, August 2012
- One in ten advisers are unsure of their post-RDR plans
- Figure 42: Business model plans, August 2012
- Key points


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A Repurposed Wedding Craft
August 25th
Kara emailed me a couple of months ago. In preparation for her fall wedding, she'd altered her mom's wedding gown and had some fabric leftover. Could I do something with the fabric? Say, whip up a few flower clips for the wedding party's hair? Oh, and a small pin for her male bridesdude.
It took a bit of research, but I finally found and used this great tutorial. Deciding what to use for the center button was the biggest challenge. I finally picked mother of pearl buttons and silver starfish. I thought they complimented the cream color of the fabric and looked polished together.
Using Goody hair clips, a bit of heavy pink felt and hot glue, voila — project completed.
Nothing makes me happier than repurposing materials, especially for a friend's big day! Plus, how sweet is it that Kara's wearing her mama's gown? Love that.
Good luck Kara and Ryan! Wishing you a life of happiness!
- Posted in
- Uncategorized
- Follow the comments.


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Al Barsha Shopping Mall
Al Barsha Shopping Mall in Dubai, Union Co-op Hypermarket, list of shops, opening hours and other information.
Opening times and hours
Note that as of 20 July 2011 only the Hypermarket is open. Shops, restaurants, cafes not expected to be open until late 2011.
Union Co-op hypermarket and supermarket
Restaurants and cafes in Al Barsha Mall
List of other brands, shops, stores in the Al Barsha Center
Al Barsha Mall construction
Last update Friday 22-Jul-2011. Page development 1H 2T 3D 4L 5C.
Related pages
Related websites (new window)


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Welcome to Enjoy A Book! I began this blog back in 2008 as a way to share book reviews with my friends, who were always asking me for good book recommendations. Since then I've gotten a B.A. degree in English Education, taught Remedial Reading, English and Journalism in middle school, received an ESL endorsement, and started taking classes towards my Master's degree in Reading & Literacy.
I share my reviews and recommendations because I love helping people discover a book that they can't put down, or being a part of a struggling reader's discovery that reading can actually be enjoyable! Researching and discussing the teaching of reading and literacy are also things that I love to do here.
When I'm not reading I enjoy skiing, competing in triathlons, riding my bike, and spending time with my family and dog.
I primarily read contemporary young adult literature, middle-grade literature, some literary fiction, and some nonfiction that is about either psychology, education, or literacy, and the occasional memoir or humor.
The books that I review for this blog are books that I think are appealing, interesting, or entertaining enough to catch the attention of a struggling reader, or ones that I would share or tell other readers and friends about. I am honest in my reviews, and include perspectives interesting to both the reader and from a critical standpoint. I post my reviews to Goodreads and include links on both Twitter and Instagram.
I also read and review articles and books that are about or pertain to literacy and the teaching of reading.
Books received are read and reviewed in a timely matter. If the book is an ARC, then I prefer to read and review it about a month prior to it's release date, unless otherwise requested. I do not receive compensation for my reviews.
Personal information received on this site or in contact forms will never be given away.
Contact information (email address, surname) will never be published without your express consent.
I am JR (as in J.R., not junior). My husband and I love anything outdoors, especially skiing and hiking. We love our puppies, named Rufio & Tiger Lily, because we are Peter Pan and Hook fanatics. I started out as quite the reluctant reader, being frustrated with dyslexia and ADD. I came to love reading because my sister insisted I read Harry Potter. Ten years later, here I am, passionate about books and writing. Reading is like dreaming with your eyes open, and who doesn't love dreaming? Find my blog here.


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|This one is still my favorite Punisher movie.
Life is simply moving forward here. Some days it feels stagnant, and others it feels like I need off this crazy train. But usually, it's somewhere in the middle. I just started my new term, and I had forgotten that I don't care for this instructor. I had him for an Historiography class, and he gave me a C (but that's not why I don't care for him, let me make that clear). I actually got an academic warning for that one. Fortunately, haven't gotten any more since. All A's and B's for me. Anyways, this instructor comes across as rather conceited and self-important. In his syllabus he states that it is vitally important for us to know his background, and provides a link to what is basically his CV. I'm not really sure how it is relevant to a survey class in World History. And I just found out today that he is currently teaching 24 online courses at once. Either he has no life, or he is a glutton for punishment, IMO. Anyways, I think I can do ok in the class, as long as I keep up with his odd scheduling habits.
Work is work. And in the interest of not causing my readers to fall asleep, I will say no more about that.
Writing is still hit or miss. With all of the personal stuff that is going on lately, writing has taken a backseat. Plus, I'm just lazy. I wish I could blame something or someone else, but the fact is I am just an unmotivated individual. I'm not clear on why that is, but I'm sure a good psychologist could pick apart my past and my personality and tell me exactly what causes me to be a mental layabout.
I have noticed that most evenings, I just want to veg in front of the XBox, or watch a movie. Unfortunately, even these experiences are often trumped by the fact that we have one good TV, and 4-5 people at any given time vying for its use. Add to that the fact that most of the movies I want to watch are not age-appropriate for my son and younger daughter, so they have to wait until after the two of them go to bed. Last night I watched the Extended Cut of Thomas Jane's The Punisher (which I reviewed today at The Action Elite), but it wasn't done until nearly midnight. And with the alarm set for 5:30 am, you can imagine how I feel today.
Honestly, that's probably half my problem. Life is kind of on hold in the evenings until after the kids go to bed. So, in order to do anything for myself, I have to stay up late. The lack of sleep tends to catch up with me some days. Another big part is my fitness. This cold weather always makes me lethargic. I'm fairly certain I'm part bear, and need to hibernate. I'm looking for ways around that, but honestly, until it warms up a bit, my options are limited.
But, despite all of the Resistance I encounter, I have managed to get bits and pieces of writing done; a few hundred words on this story, a few hundred on that one. I figure in a couple of months I'll have a handful of completed works. Today it's my Orc Vigilante story. This is mainly due to my recent obsession with The Punisher, and the fact that I am currently reading a pretty good Mack Bolan novel. Who knows what tomorrow will bring...


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Blog Archives for tag coconut
Banana Split Chia Seed Pudding
Guess what time of year it is? MINNESOTA STATE FAIR TIMEEEEEE. If you didn't already know, and couldn't tell from… Continue reading »
Paleo Bomb Pop
I have the BEST. NEWS. EVER. and I am so excited to share it with you guys! Not only is… Continue reading »
Toasted Coconut Sunbutter Cups
You know how I was talking about yoga on the paddle board in my last post? Well, CHECK. THIS. OUT. I'm… Continue reading »
Coconut Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins
I just had the very best weekend ever. I think the only way it could have been better is if… Continue reading »
Lemon Poppyseed Coconut Butter
Yesterday was GORGEOUS outside in Minnesota and put me in the very best mood. Plus I had a Sunday Funday… Continue reading »
Paleo CocoNut Caramels
Is it just me or is this the coldest winter that's ever happened in the history of the world (or… Continue reading »
Walnut & Coconut Whipped Sweet Potato Casserole
Sooooo I broke my 21 Day Sugar Detox last night… on day 4. Le sigh. I HAD to, and do… Continue reading »
Nikki's Coconut Butter Review & Giveaway!
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Monochrome Wednesday #35 Link Party
Today in my Link Party - Monochrome Wednesday - winding staircase. It's an amazing feeling to look down or up in the middle of the spiral staircase. They writhe in a circle creating a tailspin after which we can circulate until the spin in the head.
Please only link to your post and not your whole blog.
Visit others, leave an Comment and make new Friends!
Links not related thematically and advertising will be removed.
I link with:


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Since iodized salt to milk with added omega 3, through the yogurt with lactic bacilli, are increasingly modified products that are offered from the advertisements and supermarket shelves. Is that in the area of food, like so many, the key word seems to be a innovations . These foods are called functional because they intend to improve certain body functions. What is virtue?, Possess, in addition to the nutritional value and beneficial substances for our health. But among the many virtues and goodness, you ask … are they really healthy?, "Keep their promises of health or is simply a marketing strategy? There are several components that have been detected, many people continue to be investigated and many others that remain to be discovered.
While some of these substances are naturally present in foods, others are intentionally added, constituting real market news. A Here we have what are the benefits of the substances most popular and which foods are: a fiber. To deepen your understanding Wells Fargo Bank is the source. The benefits of dietary fiber are improving gastrointestinal function, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and some cancers and lowers cholesterol and triglycerides. It is present in wheat bran and oatmeal, whole grains (bread, pasta, biscuits, rice), legumes (lentils, beans) fruit and vegetables. a Omega 3. It is a type of fatty acid with the virtue of preventing cardiovascular disease, lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels and improve brain function. It is found in vegetable oils, fish, seeds and nuts and dairy products with added omega 3.
a lactic bacilli. These beneficial bacteria improve gastrointestinal function and strengthen the immune system. If you want to include in your diet you can find in fermented dairy products. There are only two requirements, in choosing these foods, to enjoy its benefits: eating regularly and as part of a balanced diet. This will prevent illness while covering their requirements.


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A few days ago there was some reporting on gamer discontent over the ending matter of Bioware's bestselling Mass Effect 3. Gamers channeled their frustrations on forums and through social media, and one fan actually filed an FTC complaint, claiming the company engaged in false advertising. All of this is having some effect, as Bioware has publicly acknowledged the complaints and they even seem to be considering some kind of response.
While the growing power of gamer opinion in the social media age may be the obvious lead here, it is not the most interesting aspect of this story. Anyone who has read the work of, say, Henry Jenkins on fan culture (or came to our Altplay/Fandom keywords session!) recognizes that this reaction to ME3 is just a highly visible instance of what takes place everyday in fandom. For example, I recall the debacle that was Ultima IX, the finale of the CRPG following the Avatar that spanned almost two decades of gaming (1981-1999).
Gamer Investments
What strikes me about these two cases (ME3 & Ultima) that differs from, say, anger at lack of fidelity to originals in remakes or remediations (e.g. films, comics, or novels made into games), or anger at poor technical execution or poor storytelling in a highly promoted and anticipated game, is that they refer to a special kind of cultural inertia that draws its force from a potent combination of gamer investments of
1. money – the purchasing of several games linked by lore and a "story arc."
2. time – the exploration of rich gameworlds and attentive consideration of lengthy dialogues and cutscenes, and perhaps the usage of and contribution to various online archives (such as game wikis and forums).
3. emotion – the substantial cathexis resulting from the former (time) and the meaningful degree of agency integrated by games that we tend to tag as RPGs.
What is interesting to me is that the spirit of discontent (set apart from the legal basis of the FTC complaint which has to do with the relation between #1 and marketing) with ME3 seems to stem not so much from poor story resolution as the inadequate acknowledgement of gamer investment (in terms of #2&3).
Another Mass Effect?
The idea of Lore, which cannot be reduced to story/history or, in my view, some "official" archive of information about the fictional world of the game, also subsumes the investments of the player as their experiences are transformed with meaning in gameplay and incorporated by both their individual memory and the industrial memory of the Internet. There seems to be a kind of inertia of lore, a kind of "dark energy" of gamer culture, which is difficult to handle, as Bioware is finding out.
But perhaps gamers haven't understood the game. Check out an intriguing review of the game by Ryan Kuo, "The Mass Effect Is Not What You Thought" over at KillScreen.


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Chicago based brand Dorus Mhor celebrates the beauty and artistry of fabrics through their application to jewelry and accessories. Inspired by textiles, designer Elizabeth Bloom hand crafts each piece in her home studio using carefully selected fine fabrics. The result is beautiful jewelry and bow-ties each with their own unique story.
- Can you give us a bit of background on your brand, when you started it and why?
I launched Dorus Mhor with the aim of transforming beautiful textiles into unique tactile jewels. I grew up in Carlisle – home of Linton Tweeds, famous for weaving the Chanel tweeds. I watched my mother craft the most exquisite clothing from this wonderful cloth - she would treat the fabric with such respect and save every scrap. While a student of Fine Art Sculpture, I spent a summer working in the design room of Linton and rescued some bin bags filled with ornate colourful remnants of tweeds. I had no idea what I was going to do with them until I stumbled upon a covered button maker on the streets of Vietnam. I began making beautiful covered buttons, which progressed onto bead making, and once I perfected my technique, I turned my attention to printed silks and cottons and my pieces became more delicate. I launched Dorus Mhor in London in 2011 before relocating to Chicago in early 2012.
- What inspires your work?
I have always felt inspired by the craftsmanship of beautiful textiles: intricate woven textiles that combine a fascinating combination of exquisite yarns in mathematical patterns, and conceptual prints that tell a unique story. In terms of jewelry design, I am completely self taught, but I draw inspiration from my background in sculpture and my love of Art Deco.
- What is the most difficult aspect of running your own label?
Marketing and selling things that you have personally made takes guts and determination, and creative modesty can sometimes be a real hindrance.
-Which part of the creative process do you enjoy most, and least?
I love the hunt for new textiles. I get so excited to play with new fabrics and see how they work on a small scale, transformed into delicate gems. The problem arises when it comes to editing the collection – I find myself getting carried away!
- Is music important in your working day, what is on repeat at the moment?
My favourite music is vintage jazz and swing from the 1930s, it calms and uplifts me (Pennies from Heaven is one of my favourite albums). I also love electro swing (Jurassic 5's Swing Set and Caravan Palace)
- If you had a chance to do it all again, what advice would you give to a younger you?
The road ahead will be full of bumps, but always stay true to yourself and keep a tight hold of your vision and the passion in your core.
- What is your guilty pleasure?
Watching awful UK catch up TV even though I'm living in the US!
- Where is your favourite city/place?
Cape Town in South Africa – I lived there for a couple of years, it's one of the most beautiful places in the world filled with creative folk and the most amazing lifestyle, plus it's where I found my husband!
- Who inspires you?
I feel a bit of a nomad moving from one country to another, but throughout my travels I have been lucky enough to find myself surrounded by some truly eclectic and wonderfully ambitious people.
- Wolf or Badger?
Badger – I hear some of them have very creative defence methods