text:
1 Cor 7:10-11, adultery, Christian, Christian Marriage, covenant, covenant marriage, covenant spouse, Covenant Vow, dead marriage, Divorce, Divorced, Ephesian Marriage, EphesianWarfare, Ezekiel 37, failing marriages, God, hedge of thorns, Help for hurting Marriages, Hurting Marriage, husband, legalized adultery, Love, Malachi 2, Marriage, marriage blog, Marriage Reconciliation, Marriage Restoration, Oath, one flesh, prayer, Prodigal, Prodigal Husband, Prodigal Mate, Prodigal Spouse, Prodigal Wife, remarriage, Salvation, Save my Marriage, Separated, stander, Standing in the Gap, The Ephesian Marriage, the lie of divorce and remarriage, unforgiveness, valley of bones, Vow, Walking Away from Marriage, wife
1 John 3:11 (NASB)
For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another…
John 13:34 (NASB)
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
John 15:17 (NASB)
This I command you, that you love one another.
Romans 12:10 (NASB)
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor
Romans 13:8 (NASB)
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
Galatians 5:13 (NASB)
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
1 Peter 4:8 (NASB)
Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
1 John 3:23 (NASB)
This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
Ephesians 4:2 (NASB)
…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love…
I did a search on "love one another" and that search resulted in twenty-three Scriptures on how we are to love one another. In some you will find the word "commandment" or "commanded" preceding "love one another." In others you will not; however, if it precedes any "love one another," then you can safely assume that it is a commandment — always!
Let me ask you a question. If you were to walk away from your one-flesh covenant Marriage, where would you go? Have you ever thought about that? I can tell you that if you are IN Christ — meaning you are a blood-bought born-again child of the King — and you have made Him Lord of your life, the answer to that question can only be that you would walk straight to Him — and no where else. For there is no other Name given under heaven by which man can be saved. And if you're walking away — or running away — it had better be to Him. Otherwise, your troubles are only beginning. There is no one else that can save you from where you are at this moment in time. There is no one else to rescue you. None. If you are walking away from your Marriage, you are doing so under your own power. You think you have done all you can to make it work — and you are probably right that YOU have done all you can. But you haven't given it to Christ — the One Who redeems that which is lost. The One Who restores that which is broken. The One Who Heals that which is sick. The One Who makes the lame walk; the deaf hear, the blind see — the One Who raises that which is dead and breathes new life into them.
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones.
2 He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry.
3 He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know."
Ezekiel 37:1-3 NASB
Dear Stander, there is nothing more dead than a valley of dry bones. While the above verses are a prophetic vision of Israel that have been fulfilled in our time in the rebirth of the nation of Israel, God's chosen people, those verses also aptly describe hundreds of thousands of Marriages and Homes. Did you know that from the last destruction of their nation to the resurrection and rebirth of the new nation of Israel was 1900 years?
God has used these verses to speak to me about the dead bones that represent my own Marriage. He said to me, "Can these bones live?" and I answered as Ezekiel, "O Lord GOD, You know." It's worth it to read the rest because it contains a promise for the Stander — the one who is waiting for God to open the grave of their dead Marriage, breathe life into it and restore them into the Land of Promise.
4 Again He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.'
5 "Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, 'Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life.
6 'I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.'"
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.
8 And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.
9 Then He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life."'"
10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
The Vision Explained
11 Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished We are completely cut off.'
12 "Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.
13 "Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people.
14 "I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it," declares the LORD.'"
Ezekiel 37:4-14 NASB
I know that you and I do not have 1900 years to wait for the resurrection of our homes, and God knows that too — but as painful as it is to go through, the wait will be worth it to hear Him say, "Well done good and faithful servant." The wait will be worth it to see your Prodigal Spouse acknowledging Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of their life and coming home — HOME — to their Covenant Love. Folks, God has every detail in your life under His watchful care. Nothing that has happened to you has caught Him by surprise — but He uses what has happened to bring about HIS plan and the good that only He can bring about. Trust me, we have not put God on a detour road. All the days were written for me before one of them came to be — so He's not in the least surprised by my stupidity — or yours. Seriously. These painful trying events make us stronger, nobler characters by stretching and growing our faith. I can honestly speak for myself when I say there are times I didn't think I could go any further. In a fraction of a moment in time I actually contemplated "walking away."
The million dollar questions start rolling around in my color-saturated brain cells (you know, blonde):
Where would I go?
To whom or what would I be running to?
Wouldn't I be doing the exact same thing I did when I walked out the first time?
Wouldn't my Prodigal Spouse think he was justified in not coming back?
I've already told our children that God is restoring this family. . . . Hmmm.
In my foolishness, I would make God's Word out to be a lie. Some witness!!
Ask yourself another question:
WHY do you really want your Covenant Spouse restored to you?
Are you lonely?
Your kids are driving you nuts?
Your income and quality of living have diminished. . . .
Maybe you just don't like the stigma attached to being "d-i-v-o-r-c-e-d" and you're afraid of what some people think.
Who cares what they think? If you give sway to their thoughts, then you are like a ship tossed to and fro on the waves of opinion doomed to sink into the muck and mire of legalism and whatever else is out there — like your pride. You won't be able to hear what God has to say when He speaks because of the other voices you give ear to.
WHY? Why do you really want your Covenant Spouse restored to you?
I'll tell you why you should want your Covenant restored.
God hates divorce! That should settle it right there! He gives no exceptions! But since we are always looking for other proof… Keep reading! 🙂 Divorce for any reason is really treason against the God of your Covenant Vow. You see, the real reason you're seeking to reconcile with your Covenant Mate is because:
No 1: God will require your vows of you. Oooo… Why is that so important? Because you didn't just say that stuff with your Covenant Spouse — ". . . . for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do us part." — you made a Covenant with God when you spoke your wedding vows.
"It is a snare to a man rashly to say, It is holy, And after vows to make inquiry." (Proverbs 20:25 ASV)
"Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.' (Matthew 5:33 NASB)
No 2: Can you say commandment? The link to that is this –> The hallmarks of a blood-bought born-again child of the King are FORGIVENESS, MERCY, and GRACE — the very things that Christ imparted to you when you asked Him to — because He loves you. Those are all UNmerited favors and are gifts to the one who will receive them. Freely He gave and freely you received. Those UNmerited favors cannot be earned by anything you do or say. But they are commanded to be given in return — for all are borne out of LOVE! And what is Love? A commandment. It's IMPOSSIBLE to "hate" someone that you are loving as Christ loves you.
Why is it so hard for us to give those same things to our Prodigal Spouse? How can we expect God to forgive us and love us and impart His mercy and grace to us — and then we withhold those very things, even refusing to give them to our one-flesh (one in body) Husband or Wife? I've said it before: I am so very thankful that at present, my Prodigal is not the one who is my Judge. Understand dear Prodigal and Stander: the measure with which you use to judge another by will be the same measure God uses to judge you…
"For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you." (Matthew 7:2 NASB) (Reference also: Mark 4:24 and Luke 6:38)
When you compare everyone to your standard of measure, they will fall short every single time! The Scriptures say that makes you without understanding! Your real standard of measure should be the Word of God and your example is Jesus Christ — He has called you to Love and Forgive every single time — without measure . . . .
"For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding." (II Corinthians 10:12 NASB)
When God calls us — HE calls us to be HOLY because HE is Holy. 1 Peter 1:16 states "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."
When God calls us to Forgive — HE calls us to forgive without measure. Matthew 18:21-22:
21Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
When God calls us to love one another, He isn't kidding. At the beginning of the article, I posted nine Scriptures of at least twenty-three that have to do with loving one another.
Let me ask you another question. Where in the Bible — the final Authority on how we are to live and conduct our lives — does it give instructions on "When to Walk Away?"
I'll save you the trouble in looking for that answer — but I'll answer that question with another question.
When should Christ walk away from us? Have we not all committed harlotries (also known as adulteries) against the One Who shed His blood on calvary to save us from perishing? Romans 8:38-39 NASB:
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
If you can find anything that can separate us from the love and mercy and faithfulness of God — anything that God missed in those two Scriptures above, then you'd be the first. There is nothing but nothing that will make Him walk away from His redeemed, blood-bought born-again children who are His Covenant Bride.
My point is simply this: Because you are one in body with your Covenant Husband or Wife; Because you are brother and sister IN Christ; Because you are one in body with Christ; Because you are His Covenant Bride — then you can never walk away. No matter what you or I do that is against our Heavenly Husband, Jesus Christ, He will NEVER walk away from His Bride and REmarry another. Marriage is to the Husband and Wife what Salvation is to the Church. We are his Covenant Body and our Marriage will take place at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in Heaven when we will be presented to Him without spot or blemish. It is because of His presence within us that makes us Holy and Sanctifies us. It is by virtue of our being ONE in body with our spouse and our presence with them that they are Sanctified and made Holy. And one day soon, in your faithfulness to GOD, you will realize that this isn't about being restored to each other "just because" — but this is really about presenting your Covenant Mate before the Throne of Grace and carrying them in labored prayer until they bow in acknowledgement of Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord of their life.
That's why you're here.
You can never walk away.
>>> ><> ><> +++ <>< <>< <<<
Standers – If you have a Prodigal Spouse who is being abusive and/or using, the above still fits. BUT my only caveat to the above is this — remove yourself to safety. Especially if you have children. Seek Godly help and counseling where appropriate, making sure to test the Spirits seeing that what is being said is in God's Word. With God ALL things are possible — even the healing of your abusive / using Spouse. The fact that they are abusive and/or using does not negate the Covenant Vow. It is still until death. Your standard is still that of God's Word — to be Holy because He is Holy; and to follow I Corinthians 7:10-11 — that a wife is not to leave (divorce) her husband, but if she does, she is to be reconciled to him or remain UNMARRIED. And a husband is not to divorce his wife. Neither spouse can REmarry. Removing yourself from the situation is NOT walking away. You are providing you and your children (if any) safe haven and rest — and relying on God to heal and restore that which has been stolen from you. Remember: your enemy is not your spouse. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12 NASB) Once you truly realize that this is a spiritual battle for the soul of your family, you will be better positioned to pray for the restoration of your spiritually blinded and hurting Spouse to the ONE Who gave all on the Cross at Calvary.
© 2009 – 2011 TheEphesianMarriage. All rights reserved by TheEphesianMarriage unless otherwise stated. All other writings and symbols are the registered trademarks of their respective owners.


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L3 Pioneer Rd, New Glarus WI 53574 Sold for $99,900 on 06/22/2018
Features of L3 Pioneer Rd, New Glarus, WI 53574
- Lots for Sale
- Status: Sold
- County: Green
- Acreage: 6.0
- Subdivision: Janie'S Woods
- Elementary School: New Glarus
- Middle School: New Glarus
- High School: New Glarus
- Property Taxes: $0
- Property Tax Year: 2018
- Listing Company: Wilde & Associates
Property Description for L3 Pioneer Rd, New Glarus, WI 53574
L3 Pioneer Rd, New Glarus, WI 53574 - Janie's Woods is a pretty 6 lot development on a quiet country road just a few minutes from New Glarus and less than 2 miles from the Dane County line. Road and improvements are contracted to be installed in the spring. Horses allowed. This lot is mostly wooded with a park like setting for your house & outbuilding. Located at the end of the cul-de-sac.
Building and Construction
- Rural
Land Features
- Topography: Level, Sloping
- Zoning: Agricultural
- Waterfront/Access: N
|MLS Number
|New Status
|Previous Status
|Activity Date
|New List Price
|Previous List Price
|Sold Price
|Jul 2 2018 11:49AM
|Aug 24 2017 7:46PM
|Aug 21 2017 3:50PM
Estimated Monthly Payment
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|New Glarus Real Estate
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|53574 Vacant Land Real Estate
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|New Glarus Condominiums
The information which is contained on pages with property data is obtained from a number of different sources and which has not been independently verified or confirmed by the various real estate brokers and agents who have been and are involved in this transaction. If any particular measurement or data element is important or material to buyer, Buyer assumes all responsibility and liability to research, verify and confirm said data element and measurement. Shorewest Realtors is not making any warranties or representations concerning any of these properties. Shorewest Realtors shall not be held responsible for any discrepancy and will not be liable for any damages of any kind arising from the use of this site.
REALTOR *MLS* Equal Housing Opportunity

subset: commoncrawl


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On Secondary Sin
Blaugust Post #23
Divinity Original Sin: Enhanced Edition is coming out "soon" on PC and the current console generation. I never finished it, but I am a big fan of the original release. Owners of the original will receive the enhanced edition for free, which is in line with what they've done for their previous games.
A sequel, Original Sin 2, is now on Kickstarter. It's one of the cases where simply promising more of the same would probably get me interested, but it looks like they're doing a lot more than that. One of the best features of Original Sin is the ability to disagree with your partner, which results in you playing Rock Paper Scissors against each other. Points for winning are determined by your persuasion stat, and the first to 10 gets to determine what the party does.
Original Sin 2 seems to expand on this concept, and actually let the party work on objectives at odds with each other. No word on if it will allow what Tam refers to as the "GM Victory", but I honestly kind of hope so. It also expands co-op to include up to 4 players.
They're also tweaking the battle system, which was already one of the best turn-based systems I've seen in a long time. Given the character I played the first time around (a ranger-type) I'm not sure a cover system is going to be terribly helpful, but I'm willing to give it a chance. More interactions mostly increases the potential for unintended hilarity. And I appreciate that there are more options for the player than just humans.
I haven't looked forward to a Kickstarter game this much in a long time. It smashed its funding goal on the first day, so it seems likely we'll be playing this at some point next year.


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How I made
Tasty Recipes From All Over The World
0 · ·
How I made
Sobha Shyam says
Happy Vishu dear..payasam looks super delicious 🙂
PrathibhaSreejith says
Yummy payasam 🙂
Happy Vishu wishes to you and family Dear!!!!!
Uma says
A perfect recipe for the perfect day. Happy Vishu to you too..
Shobha says
Happy new year!
Delicious payasam…loved the traditional serving dish.
Kaveri Venkatesh says
Nice post…Wishing you and your family a happy Vishu.
Hope you were able to prepare the sadhya and enjoyed with your family
laurie says
oh my gosh this sounds so good, I have missed so many of your posts , I'm playing catch up, lots of yummy reading here!
Hema says
One of my favorite payasams, very perfectly done..
Rani acharyulu says
Hi Swathi happy Vishu to you and your family. Yummy payasam looks delicious in beautiful Urli.
Vardhini says
Happy Vishu and the payasam looks yummy.
Event: Legumes
Event: Side Dishes
Priya says
Happy Vishu wishes to you and your family Swathi..Rich looking super creamy payasam..
Sensible Vegetarian says
Payasam look superb. Happy Vishu wishes to you and your family Swathi.
i love payasam too. looks so yum!
Happy Vishu to you too!
Vimitha Anand says
Yummy and creamy payasam… Happy Vishu to u dear!!!
Ramya says
Adipoli payasam! Kandittu kothi aavunnu! Belated vishu wishes:-)
Srimathi says
Hi Swathi,
Happy Vishu to you too. I was wondering what payasam rice is. Is it long grain rice? I love pal payasam and make it often. This is a new way of preparation. Thanks for sharing.
Swathi Iyer says
Payasam rice is raw rose matta rice, available in Kerala.
Miriam says
Delicious! Happy Vishu Swathi :), Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters
Simple and so tasty!
Rasi says
Happy vishu swathi :).. the pays am has turned out so well.. my dad does it so well i miss it now seeing this.. love the uruli you have served it in
Lizzy says
What a delicious, celebratory dessert! Hope you had a wonderful Vishu~
[…] without boli and payasam. It is a must to have 3-4 payasam/Sweet pudding, like Ada pradathaman, Palpayasam and kadala parippu payasam, which are most common of payasam. Boli will usually be accompanied by […]


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By most accounts (including this one in the New York Times), Microsoft's SharePoint has been a wildly successful product for the software giant. As the article notes, while sales for the company's flagship Windows fell for the first time ever this year, SharePoint sales grew. The list of 17,000 SharePoint customers includes marquee names like Viacom and Starbucks.
Why then, is Microsoft apparently looking to tweak its marketing of the product with SharePoint 2010?
As Shawn Shell writes on Intelligent Enterprise, Microsoft has changed its "six pillars" of SharePoint, the words that are supposed to clue folks in to what the product is about. Many folks, including me, have often referred to SharePoint as collaboration software, in competition with the likes of IBM's Lotus. Yet collaboration is no longer one of the six pillars. What gives? Writes Shell:
... Collaboration, defined broadly, is both a strength and weakness of the current release. In the 2010 timeframe, Microsoft is using the term "communities." Clearly, Microsoft seems to want to present a stronger social media story, perhaps addressing the existing collaboration weaknesses (at least in terminology). ...
Still, collaboration apparently remains a SharePoint selling point, especially for the cloud-based version of the product. According to a WindowsITPro item, Microsoft's cloud-based Business Productivity Online Suite offers the ability to create "a complete hosted messaging and collaborations solution," with the inclusion of Office Live Meeting, Office Communications Online, Exchange and SharePoint.
Other key changes to the six pillars, writes Shell, are Microsoft's elimination of "portal" and addition of "insights." The use of insights points the way toward improved business intelligence capabilities, which have been a shortcoming of SharePoint. Microsoft's BI strategy is largely based around PerformancePoint Server, which offers users access to data from within Word, Excel and Office and (coming soon) SharePoint.
A big part of the SharePoint story is its integration capabilities, as IT Business Edge blogger Loraine Lawson wrote last month. Those capabilities make some folks very happy and others very nervous. In the nervous camp is Matt Asay, VP of business development for Alfresco and author of The Open Road blog on CNET. He tells the New York Times that SharePoint will help preserve Microsoft's Office business and "pave(s) the way for a new era of Microsoft lock-in."
The Times article also mentions that the next iteration of SharePoint will include more robust search functionality, thanks to the technology Microsoft bought from Norway's Fast Search and Transfer, news I wrote about back in February. (I'd say it's no coincidence that "search" is another of the six pillars.)
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On February 7, my novella Shell And Shadow will be released. This was a labor of love to honor my dear friend and all of the wonderful humanitarian work that she does, both for the PG Family Foundation and through the Betsy Hotel. I've written a story about the heroine of my novels, Lily Evans, on vacation with her boyfriend Kent. After all that Lily went through in Fire And Shadow, the woman deserved a break. And my readers wanted to see more of Kent, and less of his rival Stephen. Poor Stephen, he really is a great guy, if a bit overbearing. If you like him, don't worry, he'll be back in Storm And Shadow.
Shell And Shadow is a stand-alone read, a short romantic fantasy, perfect for Valentine's Day. All profits are going to Zara's Center, a home for AIDS-impacted children in Zimbabwe, supported by the Foundation and the Betsy. To celebrate its release, there is a contest with an incredible prize package. See what the Betsy has offered! And check back next week for the cover reveal and more contest details!


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THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA alleges:
1. This complaint is filed by the Attorney General on behalf of the United States of America pursuant to the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act of 1980, 42 U.S.C. § 1997 et seq., to enjoin the named Defendants from depriving persons incarcerated at Crane Correctional Facility, located in Coldwater, Michigan ("CCF") and Scott Correctional Facility, located in Plymouth, Michigan ("SCF"), of rights, privileges, or immunities secured and protected by the Constitution of the United States.JURISDICTION AND VENUE
2. This Court has jurisdiction over this action under 28 U.S.C. § 1345.
3. The United States is authorized to initiate this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1997c.
4. The Attorney General has certified that all pre-filing requirements specified in 42 U.S.C. § 1997b have been met. The Certificate of the Attorney General is appended to this Complaint and is incorporated herein.
5. Venue in the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, is proper pursuant to 28 U.S.C §§ 1391, 1392.DEFENDANTS
6. Defendant STATE OF MICHIGAN owns and operates CCF and SCF, which are state correctional facilities for women located in Coldwater and Plymouth, Michigan, respectively.
7. Defendant JOHN ENGLER is sued in his official capacity as the Governor of the State of Michigan, which is responsible for the supervision and control of inmates at CCF and SCF.
8. Defendant MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS ("MDOC") is the agency charged with authority to maintain and operate CCF and SCF and is responsible for the conditions of confinement and treatment of persons incarcerated in these facilities.
9. Defendant KENNETH McGINNIS is sued in his official capacity as the Director of the Department of Corrections, which is the agency charged with the authority to maintain and operate CCF and SCF and is responsible for the conditions of confinement and treatment of persons incarcerated in these facilities.
10. Defendant SALLY LANGLEY is sued in her official capacity as Warden of CCF. Defendant Langley directly supervises and controls CCF.
11. Defendant JOAN YUKINS is sued in her official capacity as Warden of SCF. Defendant Yukins directly supervises and controls SCF.
12. Defendants are legally responsible, in whole or in part, for the operation of CCF and SCF, for the conditions there and the health and safety of persons confined or incarcerated there.
13. At all relevant times, the Defendants or their predecessors in office have acted or failed to act, as alleged herein, under color of state law.FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS
14. CCF and SCF are institutions within the meaning of 42 U.S.C. § 1997(1).
15. Persons confined to CCF and SCF are women sentenced to prison following conviction of various crimes in the Michigan state courts.
16. Defendants are failing to protect persons confined to CCF and SCF from sexual misconduct by correctional officers and staff. Inmates incarcerated at CCF and SCF are subjected to a variety of sexual misconduct from Defendants' employees, including sexual relationships, sexual assaults, sexual touching and fondling, and without good reason, frequent, prolonged, close-up and prurient viewing during dressing, showering and use of toilet facilities.
17. Defendants are failing to provide adequate medical care by, inter alia, failing to provide access to adequate care for serious medical needs.
18. Defendants are failing to provide adequate mental health care by, inter alia, failing to treat serious mental health needs of prisoners.
19. Defendants have been consciously aware of the factual allegations set forth in paragraphs 16-18 for a substantial period of time.
20. Defendants have failed to address adequately the abuses described in paragraphs 16-18 though they consciously knew of those abuses.
21. The harm or risk of harm to inmate health and safety set forth in paragraphs 16-18 have been obvious within CCF and SCF for a substantial period of time.VIOLATIONS ALLEGED
22. The acts and omissions alleged in paragraphs 16-21 violate the rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution of the United States of persons confined at CCF and SCF.
23. Unless restrained by this Court, Defendants will continue to engage in the conduct and practices set forth in paragraphs 16-21 that deprive persons confined at CCF and SCF of their rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution of the United States and cause them irreparable harm.PRAYER FOR RELIEF
24. The Attorney General is authorized under 42 U.S.C. § 1997 et seq. to seek equitable and declaratory relief.
WHEREFORE, the United States prays that this Court enter an order permanently enjoining Defendants, their officers, agents, employees, subordinates, successors in office, and all those acting in concert or participation with them from continuing the acts, omissions, and practices set forth in paragraphs 16 through 21 above, and that this Court require Defendants to take such actions as will ensure lawful conditions of confinement are afforded to inmates at CCF and SCF. The United States further prays that this Court grant such other and further equitable relief as it may deem just and proper.
Respectfully submitted,
JANET RENO, Attorney General of the United States
DEVAL L. PATRICK, Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division
SAUL GREEN, United States Attorney, Eastern District of Michigan
STEVEN H. ROSENBAUM, Chief, Special Litigation Section
MELLIE H. NELSON, Deputy Chief, Special Litigation Section
U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
Special Litigation Section
P.O. Box 66400
Washington, D.C. 20035-6400
(202) 514-0195 >


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SafeNumber and SafeInt: Protecting your SWF against memory hacking
I'm currently making a game at the minute so I've been looking a lot into protecting my SWF file and stopping people from hacking my game. I came across a video where Nate Beck and Aaron Boushley from PushButtonEngine fame discuss the different ways hackers can hack your game and cheat their way to glory. The video's just over an hour long, but it's a recommended watch if you're serious about security.
One of the things they talk about is people searching through your memory, finding sensitive values, then changing or freezing them at will. This can be the score, life, power, sizes, whatever; anything that gives them an advantage. They don't even need to know the name of it. They can simply search for values that have increased or decreased, and through a process of elimination, narrow down to the variable they're looking for. As the SWF format is openly documented, this is relatively easy to do.
What to do
In the video, they talk about implementing a method of obfustication (making it harder for hackers to find what they need) which they named
SafeNumber and
SafeInt. Wrapping the value in a class and using
Math.random() to mask it's value means that it's hard for the hacker to pinpoint the value they're looking for. By also using
Math.random() between a range of -1.0 to 1.0 (for example), it means that hackers can't simply just looking for values that are constantly increasing or decreasing.
The implementation
With the methodology in place, I set about creating
SafeNumber and
SafeInt so I could use them in my project. So without further embellishment for the sake of filling space, here's the
SafeNumber class:
package com.divillysausages.ds.security
* Holds a number value safely to stop it being sniffed out and changed. Only use this
* for important numbers as there is a cost to it. It's much slower than using a normal
* var (mainly because of the getter/setter access). There's also a small margin for
* error because of the conversion
* @author Damian
public class SafeNumber
// static constructor
private static var m_keys:Vector.<Number> = null; // the list of security keys to use
private static var m_invKeys:Vector.<Number> = null; // the list of inv keys (quicker to multiply than divide)
private static var m_currIndex:int = 0; // the current index for our number
// inits the SafeNumber class, filling up our arrays
// NOTE: We can't prepend the vars with "SafeNumber" as it comes out as null
// (not created yet?)
private static function _init():void
var max:int = 100;
m_keys = new Vector.<Number>( max, true );
m_invKeys = new Vector.<Number>( max, true );
// pre-generate random numbers so it's accessed quicker
for ( var i:int = 0; i < max; i++ )
var num:Number = -100.0 + Math.random() * 200.0;
m_keys[i] = num;
m_invKeys[i] = 1.0 / num;
private var m_value:Number = 0.0; // our value
private var m_index:int = 0; // the index of our key
* The value for this Number. When being set, a new key is used to save it,
* and when being retrieved, the inverse key is used to decrypt it
public function get value():Number { return this.m_value * SafeNumber.m_invKeys[this.m_index]; }
public function set value( n:Number ):void
this.m_index = SafeNumber.m_currIndex++;
if ( SafeNumber.m_currIndex >= SafeNumber.m_keys.length )
SafeNumber.m_currIndex = 0;
this.m_value = n * SafeNumber.m_keys[this.m_index];
* Creates a new SafeNumber
* @param n The initial value to set it at
public function SafeNumber( n:Number = 0.0 )
this.value = n;
What's going on?
I'll go through and explain what's going on here. First things first, the static constructor:
// static constructor
I learned about this handy piece of code a while back through a random link. What it does, is execute what's in the brackets the first time your class is referenced. This can be really handy for initialising different vars. The only drawback seems to be that in the
_init() function, you can't actually reference the class. Normally I'd reference static members like
SafeNumber.m_keys.... If I try to do this within the static constructor it throws an error (perhaps because the class itself isn't loaded yet?).
_init() function itself is pretty straightforward:
private static function _init():void
var max:int = 100;
m_keys = new Vector.<Number>( max, true );
m_invKeys = new Vector.<Number>( max, true );
// pre-generate random numbers so it's accessed quicker
for ( var i:int = 0; i < max; i++ )
var num:Number = -100.0 + Math.random() * 200.0;
m_keys[i] = num;
m_invKeys[i] = 1.0 / num;
I create 2 fixed
Vectors of
Numbers between a range of -100.0 and 100.0. You can make this range whatever you want, but I'd recommend having an even mix of negative and positive values. Creating
Vector arrays means that we can avoid a
Math.random() call every time we set our number (which if you're using it for a time variable can be a lot).
m_invKeys contains the inverse key (i.e.
1.0 / m_keys[i]). This is another speed tweak. It's much quicker to multiply than it is to divide, so by doing this we gain a bit more.
The variables for the class are pretty straightforward:
private var m_value:Number = 0.0; // our value
private var m_index:int = 0; // the index of our key
m_value is our obfusticated value, while
m_index is the
Vector index of our key.
getter and
setter of the class do all the hard work:
public function get value():Number { return this.m_value * SafeNumber.m_invKeys[this.m_index]; }
public function set value( n:Number ):void
this.m_index = SafeNumber.m_currIndex++;
if ( SafeNumber.m_currIndex >= SafeNumber.m_keys.length )
SafeNumber.m_currIndex = 0;
this.m_value = n * SafeNumber.m_keys[this.m_index];
getter simply returns our obfusticated value by the inverse key to obtain the original value. The
setter gets the next index in line for the key
Vector (we simply loop back when we're at the end) and obfusticates our value by mutliplying it with the key.
The SafeInt class
SafeInt code is practically identical save for a few small changes in the
getter and
public function get value():int { return int( this.m_value * SafeInt.m_invKeys[this.m_index] + 0.5 ); } // +0.5 = equivalent of Math.round()
public function set value( i:int ):void
this.m_index = SafeInt.m_currIndex++;
if ( SafeInt.m_currIndex >= SafeInt.m_keys.length )
SafeInt.m_currIndex = 0;
this.m_value = i * SafeInt.m_keys[this.m_index];
m_value is still a
Number to work properly with the multiplication and division of the random number, so we need to convert back to an int. We add 0.5 before casting it (this is the fastest way to do a
Math.round()) as there's a small rounding error present when using
Numbers. A value of 5.0 when obfusticated and deobfusticated may return as 5.000000001 or 4.999999999 depending on the key. If we cast 4.999999999 to an int, we get 4, so by adding 0.5 we ensure that it falls on the right number that we want.
Is this really the best way?
This method is only an obfustication. You can create your own methods of obfusticating the numbers if you wish. If you use the Mochi API, they include a
MochiDigits class that uses bit shifting and
Strings to obfusticate the
Number. It's more secure but also much slower. It's all a balance between speed and encryption.
What to expect
Using the
SafeNumber or
SafeInt classes will have a negative impact on the performance of your game. The speed difference between using this class and a normal var is mainly down to the access through the
getter and
setter methods, and that said it's not too bad - just don't use it for every value in your game :)
With the
SafeNumber class, there's also a small error margin due to the multiplication/inverse multiplication that was talked about just above. This is in the range of something like -0.000000001 - 0.000000001 so it shouldn't affect you too much.
SafeInt is fine as it's cast before being returned.
SafeNumber and
SafeInt classes can be extended if needed to include the ability to check a value against the value stored to make sure it hasn't changed in the meantime. For the
SafeNumber, I'd compare against a range rather than a hard number (which is never really a good idea with floating point numbers).
I've embedded a small SWF example showing the
SafeNumber and
SafeInt in action. Just click on the stage to increase the values. The value will be shown along with what it's actually stored as in memory. The stored values are rounded down to make them easier to see. Each time you click, you add 0.5 to the
SafeNumber and 1 to the
SafeInt. You can download the two classes at the bottom of the page.


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Sun Belt Conference Softball: Weekend Preview
Four big softball series' highlight the second full weekend of league play in the Sun Belt Conference this week.
Currently, 13th-ranked South Alabama is 4-0, while 20th-ranked Louisiana and WKU are both 3-0, with Texas St. coming in at 2-1 in the conference standings. Following those teams are ULM at 1-2, Georgia St. and UT-Arlington at 0-3, and Troy at 0-4.
Let's take a look at the respective conference series' schedule for this weekend:
TEXAS ST. (18-15, 2-1) at #20 LOUISIANA (22-6-1, 3-0)
Louisiana, who ranks second in the league in hitting (.303) and fifth in pitching (3.33), will be at home this weekend, playing host to the Texas St. Bobcats, in a three-game, weekend, Sun Belt Conference series.
UL, who won seven-straight, and 14 of their last 15, is led by freshman outfielder Hayley Hayden, who currently leads the conference in home runs, with ten, and runs batted in, with 35, along with senior second baseman Natalie Fernandez, who leads the conference in hitting (.517).
Texas St. currently ranks fourth in the conference in hitting (.277) and third in pitching (2.77).
Louisiana and Texas St. will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2 o'clock (cdt), and a single game on Sunday at 1 pm.
ULM (14-9, 1-2) at SOUTH ALABAMA (26-3, 4-0)
South Alabama, who currently ranks sixth in the league in hitting (.262) and first in pitching (0.90), plays host to ULM this weekend.
The Jaguars feature the individual league leaders in ERA., with junior right-hander Farish Beard (0.45) and senior left-hander Hannah Campbell (0.70).
The Warhawks currently rank first in the conference in hitting (.307), and first in stolen bases (77), while ranking seventh in pitching (4.61).
The series is scheduled for a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 pm, followed by a single game on Sunday at 1 o'clock.
WKU (19-10-1, 3-0) at UT-ARLINGTON (14-18, 0-3)
WKU currently ranks fifth in the conference in hitting (.266) and second in ERA. (2.36).
The Lady Toppers are also the top fielding team in the league, at a .981.
The Mavericks are currently seventh in the league in hitting (.247), while ranking sixth in pitching (3.49).
The two teams will play a 1 o'clock doubleheader on Saturday, followed by a 1 pm single game on Sunday.
GEORGIA ST. (13-16, 0-3) at TROY (14-19-2, 0-4)
Georgia St. currently ranks third in the league in hitting (.287), and eighth in pitching (5.15 ERA.), while Troy is eighth in hitting (.213) and fourth in pitching (3.13).
A doubleheader between the two squads is scheduled for Saturday at 1 o'clock, with a single game scheduled for Sunday at noon.


text:
Port Aransas Historic Locations
The following historic locations are located in Port Aransas, Texas. Please select a historic place in Port Aransas to view detailed information including address information, historical signifiance, and much more.
Texas Historic Places
|Aransas Pass Light Station
N of Port Aransas on Harbor Island
Port Aransas, TX
Naval Facility, Water-Related, Communications Facility
|Tarpon Inn
200 E. Cotter St
Port Aransas, TX
Texas Historic Places


text:
You are in Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region (ESAR)
NESQUIK is an easy and delicious way to ensure that children drink milk.
With No artificial colourants, NESQUIK Chocolate and Strawberry ensure that kids get a nutritious beverage that is pure FUN to drink!
*Nutrient Reference Value for Individuals 4 years and older .
One glass of NESQUIK Chocolate prepared with 200ml low fat milk provides 25% NRV for calcium.
One glass of
NESQUIK Strawberry prepared with 200ml low fat milk provides 22% NRV for calcium.
Did you know?
In pursuit of providing a healthier offering to children, the old NESQUIK Strawberry artificial colourant has now been replaced with a non-artificial colourant, which has resulted
in a lighter shade of pink.
Choose from our range of flavours such as delicious Chocolate and Strawberry.


text:
"How are porcupines built?"
"How are seeds built?"
These are the questions a four year old asks his mother before saying, "Momma, hold me close," and falling asleep.
We're regularly astounded by our child. I suppose most families delight in the strides their little ones take. We're onto letters now. Like, "Oma, your name has three letters."


text:
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Peskipiksi Pesternomi!!
...And, we're encouraging it! :)
You may remember Frankie Pixie posted about a long while back. He was mom's first attempt at Ghilie's "poppet". And, mom chose to make a pixie like those in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. He's still with us (as you can see in the pic below), though not zooming around getting into mischief as much as he used to. He's pretty tame now. Since then, we've also spotted two others that got away before I could catch them for some pics. They stowed away to Kansas to pester my sis's family and Geezer, the house elf.
Now, finally we've caught a fresh one to share with you. We're naming it "Pesky". We had to "clip" his wings to keep him from escaping. (Seriously, I just haven't been able to get the wings just right. I've tried so many techniques, but nothing working for me. I'm up for suggestions. The ones in the cage pics were the best of my experiments made with wire and white glue. Still not sure how to attach them.)
I think this pixie is a wee larger than the last few. Not sure mom used the right version of the pattern. We've gone through a few. His torso seems much smaller than the arms and legs. :) (I think the pixies have been in my pattern box.) Anyway, the original poppet is a great doll pattern. We've used altered versions of it many times to make the pixies, house elves and a few other dolls. The pixies are a much smaller version. We just shrunk the pattern down, altered the ears and nose, and added antennae. We've found the easiest antennae are made using chenille stem. You can curl it up out of the way while sewing. And, what luck! I had this lighter blue "terry cloth"-like pipe cleaner that matched the pixie in my stash for a while.
Let me just nip him back into the cage we found at the flea market. We see these cages quite frequently in our bargain hunting expeditions.This one is a bit small, but our larger wooden cage is housing Hedwig at the moment.
There, that's better. Don't want him tampering with the computer. I think this one broke our modem just the other day leaving me without internet for 4 days! The horror! I'll have one more Harry Potter themed post about magical creatures coming up soon. Again, it's not really a new project. Just an improved one (I hope).
UPDATE: Now you can own one of our newer pixie versions or make some using our Cornish Pixie Pattern/Tutorial available in my Etsy store (mieljolie).
7 comments:
- Andréann said...
- July 4, 2011 at 10:27 PM
- Atteneri said...
I think I NEED one of these Cornish Pixies!! Love it!
- July 6, 2011 at 3:09 AM
- mieljolie said...
Thanks, Andréann!
Atteneri, after seeing your charming creations, I'm honored that you like our pixies! We just love your cuties. If you would like to, we'd be happy to swap one of our pixie for one of your adorable Halloween Town characters. Or, if you're up to making your own pixie, you can get the poppet pattern (that we altered to make ours) FREE from Ghilie's website. She's awesome and takes doll/stuffy making to another level. :) (If you do decide to make one, lmk. I can send you the altered pattern pieces, too.)
- July 6, 2011 at 10:06 AM
- SUSSEXMOUSE said...
I have just downloaded Ghilie's Poppet Doll pattern after seeing your Mum's wonderful creatures. Tell her they are utterly brilliant !
- February 4, 2012 at 3:10 PM
- mieljolie said...
Thanks, SUSSEXMOUSE. She'll be please that you like them. :)
- February 4, 2012 at 4:09 PM
- Melissa Joyce said...
Do you sell these pixies? I've been searching everywhere for some for my daughter's Harry Potter themed room! If you do, PLEASE email me at firstname.lastname@example.com
- October 1, 2012 at 9:45 AM
- mieljolie said...
Hi Melissa! We'd be happy to make your daughter a pixie. I'll contact you with details.
- October 1, 2012 at 10:02 AM


text:
The pancreas rests between the stomach and the spine on the back side of the abdomen. The liver is just above the pancreas. The spleen is also near the pancreas.
The larger end of the pancreas, called the head, is oriented toward the right side of the body. The narrow pancreatic duct goes toward the left side of the body and connects to the first section of the small intestine, called the duodenum. The duodenum curves around the pancreas. The pancreas is a flat gland about 6 inches long. It helps control blood sugar levels in the body as a part of the digestive process.


text:
Tomorrow (Thursday 14th November 2013) is World Diabetes Day (WDD for the sake of my typing). It's going to be the first time I've "celebrated" it and I've been thinking about what it really means to me.
The short answer is "I don't know". I've been diabetic for 12 years now and truth be told, I've only known about WDD for a couple of years despite it having been running since 1991. Those with curious minds can visit the International Diabetes Federation website to find out a bit more about it and the significance the date holds.
Obviously I'm all for anything that helps promote awareness of diabetes and the various difficulties it brings. There's without doubt a certain stigma that comes with it as many people are unaware of the different "types" of diabetes and the different causes/effects of each. Again, I'm not going to shove the information down your throat, but Diabetes UK have a pretty quick and effective guide to Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes if you're interested.
I've done a fair amount of work over the last 12-18 months to help fundraise and awareness on behalf of Diabetes UK (thanks to everyone who's supported me in those ventures) but I'm still unsure of the best way to "mark" the day, or whether I need to mark it at all.
I've got some great friends within the Diabetic Online Community (#doc) as well as some great relationships I've formed with people I've met via hospital courses or through my local Voluntary Group. I'm sure tomorrow will be like many others in a lot of respects in that I'll experience a few highs and lows (physically, metaphorically and blood glucosely) and that I'll chat some of the same nonsense I always do.
After a little contemplation, I decided that I'll rock up to work in a blue shirt and tie (repping the IDF colours) and that I'll try and "live tweet" my day as a Type 1 diabetic. I'll post my blood glucose readings, my meals, my carb calculations and some of the emotional responses that a "typical" day with diabetes can elicit. (There's a lot of talk around the associated mental health problems people with diabetes can face that you may not be aware of).
If you want a snapshot into the world of a diabetic, or might know someone else who'd be interested, you can follow me on Twitter at @BroomOwl I'll do my best to tag my posts with #WDD and #DILOD (Day In the Life of a Diabetic) depending on character limits and all that.
I suppose tomorrow will be a chance to reflect and be thankful that whilst having diabetes can suck some of the time, I'm lucky to be alive in a time where modern medicine means I've got a pretty decent shot of living with it for years to come.


text:
Mishra, who didn't create it to the taking part in XI throughout the three-Test series, said that he was continually going to get wickets. New Delhi: For a senior player it is vital to run the speak that is exactly what Amit Mishra desires to do so the juniors will ...Read More »
Indian Team bowling part is at its best, stated skipper MS Dhoni
Dhoni said the 5 match series provided the Indian team management the proper platform to check some youngsters. Visakhapatnam: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni lavished praise on his bowlers for the reverberating series-clinching win over New Zealand within the fifth and final ODI here on Saturday, describing the effort as ...Read More »


text:
3. How did it feel to see how far Marco's Pizza has come over the years?
Bryon: "I am proud of what we have all accomplished. The show is the embodiment of our brand. We have more than 20,000 employees, just like the four who are featured on the show. These people are working hard every day to make the dream a reality."


text:
Wise Eyes
Jeannie Dysert 1/17/2003 6:22:15 AMWay cool! #19215
Cathy :) #43191
Cathy :) #55513
Lynton Bolton 7/23/2007 10:29:53 AMMark, this is a great shot of a Great Grey Owl, many congrats with this entry. #4544388
Close up of a Great Grey Owl. Taken at Marwell Zoo, UK.
Uploaded on 1/17/2003 6:19:26 AM
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Mark Oxley. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
Log in to follow or message this photographer or report this photo.


text:
My tasty green lentils dhal recipe is a fantastic accompaniment to most meals. You can eat it with bread, rice and even chips (fries).
It is a dry dhal recipe and which not only uses green lentils but green petite pois peas too.
Green lentils are very healthy for you as they contain lots of vitamins and minerals like Iron, Folate, Copper, Maganese and even the happy chemical Tryptophan - as well as being high in fibre.
I also use my mild curry powder and 2 red chillies pepper to make this green lentil dhal recipe but you can add more or less chilli to suite your tastes. This is a dhal that taste very good without any heat at all so it is up to you.
3 Portobello Mushrooms (chopped)
1 Cup cooked Green Lentils
1/2 - 3/4 Frozen Petite Pois Peas
1 Carrot (diced)
Rice bran oil
2 Tomatoes
1 Garlic clove (minced)
2 Inch fresh ginger (grated)
3-4 Tbsp Water
Salt to season
3 tsp dried methi leaves
Large pinch Dried curry leaves
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1 Large tsp Jeenas mild curry powder
2 Red chillies (diced)
Fresh coriander
In a small blender place tomatoes, curry leaves, methi, cayenne and turmeric and blend into a paste.
Use a fair amount of oil in a large pan.
On a medium heat cook your carrots for 5-7 minutes.
Add garlic and ginger, stir very well and cook for one minute.
Add the curry powder stir well and cook for one more minute.
Do not boil or you will destroy the spices.
Simmer for another 10 minutes.
Add the tablespoons of water as you go along to loosen the dhal only.
Stir very well and simmer until the lentils are heated through.


text:
Price includes Table and 4 Side Chairs. Please select options.
Alive with an exciting Arts & Crafts flair, the contemporary style of Ameillia Collection uses smooth medium brown finish and clean line design to create an inviting atmosphere to enhance your dining experience. The contemporary design appeals to the sense with its subtle attention to details. The birch veneered table features oval shape top with butterfly leaf supported by massive shaker leg. Chair seat and bench seat feature easy to clean dark brown bi-cast vinyl.
586-76 Oval Dining Table 40 x 58-76 x 30H
586S Side Chair 20 x 23 x 40H
586-13 48" Bench (Shown) 48 x 16 x 20H
586-14 60" Bench 60 x 16 x 20H
586-40 Server 52 x 18 x 33H
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For OUT OF STATE Shipping, please contact us at
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text:
If you can't see the video and only hear the sound, please switch to Firefox/Chrome/Safari for better performance.
Shock Wave
When a terrorist who specializes in explosives takes hold of an underground tunnel, he threatens to kill hostages if his demands are not met.
Actor: Andy Lau, Wu Jiang, Jia Song, Philip Keung, Ron Ng, Leo Zi-yi Wang, Felix Wong, Sau Sek, Kai Chi Liu, Cheung Chun Kit, Kai-Chung Cheung, Babyjohn Choi, Joseph Kwok Lun Lee, Ying Kwan Lok, Yeung-Ming Wan
Director: Herman Yau


text:
- World Beer Cup
- Battle of the Beers
- Great American Beer Festival
Category: Coin Games
Submitted By: Michael Cirillo (firstname.lastname@example.com)
It is just like quarters. You start off with 2 teams of 3 or 4. You need a pitcher of beer and 5 quarters if you have 3 players on a team and 7 quarters if there are 4 players on a team. The point of the game is to bounce 3 or 4 quarters into the pitcher. The team that bounces the quarters into the pitcher first gets to pick an ankerman. The whole losing team has to empty the pitcher. You can keep going untill you take your lips off the pitcher-- then it goes to the next person. Finally, it gets to the anchor man and he has to finish it.
P.S. Be careful not to swallow the quarters.


text:
Pachinko Puzzle
- Publisher: Josh Blazer
- Genre: Puzzle
- Released: 2 Nov, 2008
- Size: 28.8 MB
- Price: FREE!
- App Store Info
DescriptionPachinko Puzzle is an addicting ball-dropping game for the iPhone and iPod Touch loosely based on the Japanese game Pachinko.
Features gameplay that will appeal to fans of marble based games such as Pinball, Labyrinth, and Peggle.
Drop marbles from the upper drop zone... Tilt your device left to right to "steer" from one side to the other as they drop to light up all the objects in the playfield.
Current Features:
- Simple but addictive gameplay
- Realistic physics model
- Accelerometer control for left-right movements
- Listen to your iTunes music library while you play.
What's New in Version 2.0Complete rewrite of Pachinko Puzzle!
- new 3d engine
- Particle effects throughout
- new advanced control mechanism (drag, drop, tilt)
- bottomless pits
- transport portals
- Animated platforms
- bug fixes
- 40 brand new levels in total!
- Recommended 3g or higher IOS device


text:
So I made a 1950's tilt hat today using an old vinyl record. I used boiling water to heat and shape the hat.
But before I share the hat I want to exclaim over some great patterns and vintage notions that I got for really cheap at an estate sale. I was got several boxes of patterns and a box of belt buckles and a bunch of hat buckram.
So many patterns!
There were so many patterns from the 80's and 90's that I am not sure what I will do with, but there was a number of patterns from the 50's and 60's that I really love.
It shall take me quite a while to sort through and organize these patterns.
There were massive belts buckles and small belt buckles.
I am looking forwards to using these and making belts. Belts and hats are two of my favorite accessories.
So, on to the hat. I made it with from a vinyl record as the base.
I boiled hot water and dumped that over it to soften it up. I then shaped the hat with my fingers. I covered the record title with a giant flower and gave it a finishing touch with some greenery and netting.
Overall I like the effect and want to wear this with a little 1950's looking black dress. I shall try to take pictures when I get the outfit around.
That's all for now.


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Your contributions help to support our programs, activities, events, and our continued growth. Regardless of the amount, your contribution is very important and deeply appreciated.
INOMA is a 501 (c) (6) organization; if you are interested in tax emption for your donation, please note it on your donation and we will funnel your funds to the NOMA Educational Foundation a 501 (c) 3 organization.


text:
William Dartnell Memorial Lecture at the Muthaiga Club, 5 November
High Commissioner H.E. Geoff Tooth introducing the lecture
The audience during the lecture
Mr James Willson giving the lecture on 'Exploring the Myths of the First World War Campaigns in East Africa'
Remembrance Cricket Match with the British High Commission, 8 November
The Australian High Commission cricket team with the British High Commissioner H.E. Dr. Christian Turner
Remembrance Sunday Service at the Nairobi War Cemetery, 9 November
High Commissioner Geoff Tooth giving the welcoming address
The dignitaries
High Commissioner Geoff Tooth and Defence Attache Wes Volant carrying a wreath
High Commissioner Geoff Tooth and Defence Attache Wes Volant paying their respects at the Stone of Remembrance
Wreaths laid at the Stone of Remembrance
High Commissioner Geoff Tooth laying a wreath on the grave of Australian Able Seaman Victor Jarius
Schoolchildren viewing the First World War photo exhibition


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Pressure regulator is a mechanical device, which does not require any external source. It acts as a valve, at certain pressures and is used to break the flow of liquid or gas automatically.
- Mainly the regulators are used to allow the fluids with high pressure supply to the tanks and lines. This is used to reduce the pressure safety and various other applications for working pressures.
- The pressure regulator acts a valve, sensor and controller unit. Basically regulator is available at low cost installation where the maintenance is also done at ease.
- When the gas is filled in the container or cylinder for proper discharge of the gas, the pressure regulators are use at that level.
- By using the regulator one can control both the liquid and non-liquid state gases.
- Based on the range of the pressure, accuracy, quality, design, material constructions, and flow rate the regulators are selected.
- Mainly the gas pressure regulators are used to control the gas pressure. But these are not used for the flow rate measures.
- Rotometers, flow meters, mass flow controllers are mainly used to regulate the gas flow rates with utmost accurately.
Operation of the pressure regulators
The flow of the gases and to regularize the demand of the gas flow in to the system, the primary regulatory function is to be matched. The pressure flow decreases with decrease in the load flow. If the flow of the load is increases, then the device flow must be increased to stop the organized pressure from decreasing. This can happen due to storage of gases in the pressure system.
The Pressure regulator system consists of loading element, measuring element and restricting element.
- The loading element is a part that applies force on the restricting element. The load can be provided with the help of a piston actuator, a spring, a weight, diaphragm actuator mixed with a spring.
- The measuring element is used to determine the fluid flow which states, the inlet flow must be equal to the flow of outlet.
- The diaphragm is used to measure the flow and it can serve as a joint element.
- The restricted elements act as a valve and help the liquid flow. They are butterfly valve, globe valve and poppet valve etc.
There are two types of regulator, they are
Single stage regulator
Double stage regulator
Single stage regulator
In the single stage regulator, through the inlet valve the high pressure gas is entered into the regulator.
With the help of the needle valve the entered gas must be controlled. When the pressure is raised, at that condition the diaphragm is pushed towards the inlet valve. Valve must be closed to which it is attached, which prevents the regulator from entering the gas, to the pressure gauge outlet side is attached.
If the gas present inside the regulator falls below the actual limit, then the gas is drawn outside the cylinder. The spring pushes the diaphragm and then the valve open. Till the equilibrium reaches between the spring and the outlet pressure the gas is be supplied. The outlet pressure must be depending on the force of the spring. The spring must be adjusted with the help of knob or handle, where single stage regulators are use with cylinders and pipe lines
Double stage regulator:
The double stage regulator is also used to regulate the pressure, instead of using one stage regulator.
Initially the first stage is pre-set, as it reduces the pressure supply of the gas to an intermediate stage. Later, from the intermediate stage the gas passes into the second stage. The control knob which is attached to the diaphragm is used to adjust the gas to the working pressure. The two stage regulator has two safety valves, so the excess pressure is sent outside the valves to avoid explosion. To the single stage regulator there is a regular torque adjustment. If the given pressure falls below the minimum level, the process outlet pressure must be increases, so that the torque adjustment can be done if required. But in the two stage regulator we can see the involuntary reparation of the drop in the stream pressure. The two stage regulators are used with manifolds and cylinders.
Applications of pressure regulator
The pressure regulators are used in the oil and gas industry, breathable air supply, mining industry, recreational vehicle,
LP gas/propane gas, gas powered vehicles, oxy fuel cutting and welding, cooking, pressure reduction in water and Air compressors.
Mining industry
In the underground mining operation industries in relation to the depth the pressure builds rapidly. So, to reduce the pressure it requires water system. During the process it releases high pressure, where the arrangement must be installed at a certain distance, which is nearly 180m. With the high pressures the valve, pipes can burst easily.
Breathable air supply
Pressure regulators are arranged to the air tank. The tank may contain a pressure of 2000PSI, if the pressure exceeds the limit it causes the fatal barotrauma injury. At the ambient pressure, the regulator allows only the sustained flow of air.
Recreational vehicle
A pressure regulator is need in the recreational vehicle with water system. The basic water must have a huge pressure level. If the water flows from the tank, at that instance the water must have high amount of pressure level, when compared with the ground water level. Mainly the water pressure depends on how far they are coming from. If there is no pressure regulator, at that instance one can observe the damage of the pipe lines, joints and causes floods. Pressure regulators are used to supply water; camper is connected to the tube with the help of small screw on fixtures.
LP gas / propane gas
Regulators are used for the supply of gases. Propane tank consists of pressure, as it can fluctuate significantly. Regulator is used to deliver study flow pressure gas to next purposes. Normally the pressure ranges between the 30 to 200 PSI, and it delivers normally 11inches water column for residential applications, and for the industries 35inches of water column is delivered. Propane regulators are differing in shape and size, where the delivery pressure must be adjustable. At that time of pressure delivery at the outlet, should maintain a uniform level for next requirement. In all the regulators the outlet pressure must be lower than the inlet pressure.
Gas powered vehicles
In the fuel cell electrical power train or the internal combustion engine do not require what type of the motor needs to be used, but a specified pressure regulator is needed to bring the stored gas. The stored gas pressure must be from 20, 35, 50 and 70 MPa operational requirements in all safety operating pressures.
Oxy fuel cutting and welding
Oxy fuel cutting and welding require gases at particular pressures. For the material where the welding and cutting of the storage cylinders are not possible, in such situations the pressure regulator will be used to reduce the high pressures. There are two types of the Oxy gas regulators they are
- At constant rates the regulators release the gas from the cylinder. When the gas is released outside, in such situations the pressure in the cylinder turns out to be less.
- From the intermediate to low pressure, the pressure reduction is controlled by the regulator. Two pressure gauges are arranged to the valve assembly. One gauge is used for indicating the cylinder pressure, and the other is used for indicating the hose pressure.
To prevent the explosion for safety purpose, there is an arrange for pressure relief valve, and pressure regulator valve to the pressure cookers. In any case the pressure regulator valve fails in that particular stage, one can observe the pressure released outside. In olden days there is no presence of the safety release valve. Mainly the home need models maintain a low pressure and high pressure settings. Usually they have a fixed setting in the range of 7 to 15 PSI. A simple single stage pressure regulator is used in the home cooking units. In the olden days, a small weight is placed at the top of an opening, which allows the excess pressure to be pushed outside. Now a day, the equipment is fixed with the spring loaded valve to lift and discharges the excess pressure outside when the vessel rises. On the pressure regulator valve there is an arrangement of quick releasing pressure, lower the spring tension it allows the pressure to outside with safe.
Pressure reduction in water
By using the application of fluctuating pressures, industrial areas, and in remote locations water must be entered. To avoid damage to the piece of equipment, pressure regulator is needed to keep the pressure range, and also to avoid accidents that are involved in the pipes. Proper pressure maintenance is required to avoid the accidents plus to reduce the damages. For high error tolerances single stage regulator is sufficient.
Air compressors
Mainly the air compressors are used in industries, work shop areas to perform a variety of jobs including cleaning, running of air powered tools and expanding things like balls, tires etc.
The compressor regulator is arranged to regulate the pressure by the handler, when the pressure exceeds. In many cases the compressed gas is used to supply for multiple purposes, in such situations many regulators are arranged to send the suitable pressure. For compressed gas few air tools are arranged.
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Home › magazine › latest news › 2012
Diversey summit highlights risk management14th of June 2012
Over 200 business leaders from companies in the building care, retail, lodging, and food & beverage industries were at the recent Risk Management Summit organised by Diversey in Amsterdam recently.
The delegates came from 18 countries to hear presentations from speakers representing global leaders such as ISS, Metro, Coca Cola, Compass Group,
British Advertising Standards Authority declares Tennant ec-H2O advertising13th of June 2012
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK has ruled that cleaning equipment manufacturer Tennant can no longer claim in its advertising that the ec-H2O water-based technology used in its scrubber dryers cleans better than traditional chemicals and methods.
"The ad must not appear again in its current form," said ASA. The ruling comes as
Taking action on IP at ISSA/INTERCLEAN12th of June 2012
The issue of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and preventing infringements among exhibitors was a top priority for the organisers of ISSA/INTERCLEAN in Amsterdam recently.
This year, for the first time, a much stricter policy was implemented by Amsterdam RAI and ISSA following an initiative by ECJ. The aim - to protect the IPR of original
Danish cleaning company fined for underpaying11th of June 2012
Forenede Service, Denmark's second largest cleaning contractor, has been hit with a multi-million kroner fine for underpaying subcontractors - reports trade magazine Fagbladet 3F.
Earlier this year the company was exposed for systematically exploiting Romanian cleaners who were being brought over to Denmark by one of the company's
CSSA makes case for cleaning industry jobs growth8th of June 2012
With unemployment figures in the UK now hitting 2.63 million - 8.2 per cent of the population - the Cleaning & Support Services Association has launched a report to make the case for employment in the cleaning industry as a growth generator.
The report is titled 'Employment Growth - The Case for Cleaning' and details the contribution that the
Japan opens public toilet with its own grounds7th of June 2012
A public toilet housed in a see-through glass cubicle and situated in its own grounds is the latest novelty washroom to come out of Japan.
The ladies' loo sits in its own 200 sq m plot of land in front of Itabu railway station in Ichihara City. Although the single cubicle has transparent walls it is protected from voyeurs by a two-metre high


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This just in: QNX Software Systems has entered into a distribution agreement with Arrow Electronics, a global provider of products, services, and solutions for the industrial automation and commercial markets.
Under the agreement, the companies will focus initially on the distribution of QNX technology and engineering services to the medical, industrial automation, and general embedded markets in North America.
You can read the press release here.


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R: CDT in Cloud Computing for Big Data 4: Project Home – R-Forge
Project description
Functions and datasets used for teaching in Newcastle University's CDT in Cloud Computing for Big Data. This package is used in the "Efficient R Programming" course.
Project Info
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Demon free Barb
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by Lois Prislovsky | Jul 10, 2012 | Featured | 0 comments
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Loud Mute Radio is for the people by the people, so it is important we hear from you. If you have a comment or question, please call and and record it. We are happy to help you be heard and may put your voice on the show. (And not in the sassy, tricky way we do our non-consensual celebrity guests – we won't clip your comment and use it out of context - promise… ok, unless you are very famous and we think its funny…other restrictions may apply) The number is (442) BARB-989
Of course, if you are non-normative communicator without access to a friendly mule, you can always email us at firstname.lastname@example.com


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I know it's nothing compared to the outages and suffering of those affected by the hurricane, but this is the longest GMail has ever been down for me – going on over two hours now:
Server Error
Gmail is temporarily unavailable. Cross your fingers and try again in a few minutes. We're sorry for the inconvenience.
EDIT: It's back now, after almost 4 hours of being gone. Whew! Anyone know what happened?


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August 18, 2008
Yellow & Brown Wedding
Today's yellow and brown wedding was inspired entirely by this ceremony/reception photo from Faye & Greer. I am in love with every detail- the cream and yellow wedding dress, the bridal party attire in a mix of browns, goldenrod and creams, the lush greenery of the garden, the closeness of the guests to the ceremony, the cream patio umbrellas and the white paper lanterns - everything works so well together! Since this one photo shows so much there are very few other elements left to include! For the invitation, consider Sunshine by Thistleberry Press for a luxurious letterpress presentation with yellow florals [via]. A bridal bouquet cream calla lilies and pale yellow freesia would be lovely. And lastly, a beautiful 5-tier cream/yellow wedding cake alternating lattice-esc bands and flowers [via Rebecca Thuss].
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- julie desmeules said...
I just passed the Kiss Ass Blogger award along to your site - it is truly one of my favorites! Visit my site and click on the award banner to register your site. Now it's your turn to pass the award!
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text: Thanksgiving Day safety The best way to ensure enjoyment of Thanksgiving dinner is by making safety in the kitchen a priority while preparing it. Download / File Link The best way to ensure enjoyment of Thanksgiving dinner is by making safety in the kitchen a priority while preparing it. Download / File Link Thanksgiving Day safety While food should never be left unattended while cooking on the stovetop, people should stay in their homes while cooking turkeys in the oven and check on them frequently. Download / File Link While food should never be left unattended while cooking on the stovetop, people should stay in their homes while cooking turkeys in the oven and check on them frequently. Download / File Link From unattended cooking to worn cords and overloaded outlets, there are numerous fire and shock hazards to always avoid during the holiday. November 17, 2014 | By Paul Netter Stand by your pan. It's a popular warning from fire-safety experts and even the name of a cookbook, but it is spot-on when it comes to cooking safely, especially during Thanksgiving. That's because the unattended cooking the admonition highlights is the No. 1 cause of home fires on Thanksgiving Day, a day in which homeowners suffer three times more fires than any other day of the year, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Think twice before leaving simmering pots, skillets and appliances alone for even a few seconds, says Keith Mora, an inspector with the L.A. County Fire Department, who has seen his share of this neglect. "[Unattended cooking] is always one of our biggest problems during Thanksgiving and it's a year-round problem for us," said Mora, who also cited candles and non-working smoke detectors as issues during the holiday. "It's always a bad idea. You never want to leave any food unattended on a stove or cooktop. It needs to be attended at all times just in case something goes wrong and you need to extinguish it." Mora cautions people, however, to never try to douse an electrical or grease fire with water, saying the best option is a fire extinguisher that's Underwriters Laboratories (UL)-listed and rated for electrical and grease fires. It's important advice because about 2,000 fires occur yearly in the U.S. on Thanksgiving Day, causing an average of five fatalities, 15 injuries and $21 million in property damage, the U.S. Fire Association says. Two-thirds of home-cooking fires start with the range, according to the fire protection association. Damaged appliance and extension cords and overloaded circuits also contribute greatly to electrical accidents and fires during the holiday season, according to the Electric Safety Foundation International. "Along with potentially sparking a fire, frayed cords no longer offer people protection from electrical shock or serious injury and should be replaced immediately when discovered," said Don Neal, director of Corporate Environmental, Health and Safety at Southern California Edison (SCE). Something that does provide protection from electrical shock is plugging all countertop appliances into Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)-protected power outlets. "GFCI protection is a must near sinks or really any area with moisture because of the increased danger of inadvertent shock," said Neal, adding that despite these protections, people should still place appliances away from the sink and never forget that water and electricity don't mix. As for extension cords, Neal urges people not only to refrain from overloading them, but also to never use them with large appliances, such as refrigerators and space heaters, because the increased heat they generate could cause the cord to overheat, melt or ignite. And that UL label mentioned earlier regarding fire extinguishers? It is equally important to make sure appliances and cords bear it since it is a trusted independent product safety organization that does not certify the use of turkey fryers. Other trusted product safety organizations include the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or Intertek (ETL). Curious and excited children should not be forgotten during Thanksgiving, either. To help protect them, keep small kids at least three feet away from the oven, keep appliance cords out of their reach, keep pot handles turned inward on the range and keep the floor clear of extension cords to prevent trips and falls. But, when it comes to more urgent dangers, Mora preaches preparation. "Have a plan and be ready for any kind of emergency," the fire inspector said. "Have neighbors and friends that you can call on. Just constantly have a backup plan." Neal agrees but encourages prevention, too, saying, "Most mishaps and injuries can be prevented by merely being aware and conscientious because to have the best Thanksgiving, you have to have a safe one." Topics: Safety


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The people of ancient Mesopotamia had many baskets which had been sealed with a special mark pressed into a lump of clay. Government officials marked their property so nobody could steal it. Their neighbors further east in India and west in Greece, from the Early Bronze Age, about 2100 BC, learned to use seals too. By the Ch'in Dynasty, about 200 BC, people were also using seals in China.
You can also make seals and seal things. Seals can be made from anything hard enough to mark wet clay (or Play-Dough). You might try carving wood, or making seals out of clay and letting them dry. Be sure to design a seal which is different from anybody else's!
Take a box, like a shoebox, and put something in it. Put the lid on. Stick a gob of clay over the join between the lid and the box, to stick the lid closed, and press your seal into it while the clay is still wet, then let it dry.
Or, just put a small object inside a gob of clay, then seal it and let it dry.
Now mix yours up with other people's. Can you tell which belongs to whom, by comparing the seals? What if you were a thief? How would you try to steal this stuff? What problems would you have?
More about seals
Bibliography and further reading about seals and sealings:
Near Eastern Seals, by Dominique Collon (1991). A good introduction for adults.
The Chinese Chop Pack, by Robin Tzannes (2003). About Chinese seals (called chops), and includes some real chops for you to use!


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Get up to Speed on the Latest EMC Test Requirements and Standards ASAP
The "EMC Testing Beginner's Bundle" is an online video training program that introduces emissions and immunity EMC testing requirements and methods to design and compliance engineers.
The training package includes 3 separate training courses:
"EMC Testing 101" – an introduction to individual EMC tests and how they will be applied to your products.
"Standards and Regulations" – how to identify and navigate the standards that apply to your product.
"Essential Tips & Guides" – information that can save you thousands of dollars on equipment, testing and standards.
Read on below to get a full course outline…
Meet Some of Our Happy Clients
EMC Testing 101
Mapping the EMC Minefield
In this 13 module course, we cover the fundamentals of what each of the main emissions and immunity tests are that your product may face at an EMC test lab. We cover items like: What each test is for, test equipment used, test methods, how the tests will be applied to your product (for immunity tests), typical failure modes and more…
Topics Covered:
- What is EMC?
- Radiated Emissions
- Conducted Emissions
- Harmonic Current Testing
- Voltage Flicker Testing
- Immunity Testing Overview
- Radiated Immunity
- Surge
- Conducted Immunity
- Magnetic Field
- Voltage Dips, Drops & Interruptions
Global Regulations & Standards Course
Guide to finding and interpreting the standards that apply to your products
In this 11 module course, we cover the processes and procedures for picking the right route to market for North America and Europe. You'll learn how to find and navigate the EMC and RF standards that apply to your product, how to keep up with the latest standards and the pros and cons of using wireless modules. You'll get a bird's eye view of the regulatory requirements and how to efficiently navigate them.
Topics Covered:
- Introduction
- Unintentional radiator process (FCC)
- Wireless certification process
- Navigating FCC (non-wireless)
- Navigating CE (non-wireless)
- Using pre-certified wireless modules (and pitfalls to avoid)
- Navigating FCC (wireless)
- Navigating CE (wireless)
- How to keep up with the latest standards
- How to work out which immunity tests apply to your product
- FCC and CE exemptions
Essential Resources
Tips & Guides
The training series covers a few modules that can literally save you several thousands of dollars. Choosing the right test lab can save you over $2000 and 2 weeks time to market, and we cover what you need to know to pick the right one.
You'll learn what the implications are of changing your wireless or non-wireless product after testing. And we cover an over the should look at how I managed to buy test equipment worth over $5000 for under $500 with a screen capture walk through of the process. And finally, you'll learn how to pick up CE emissions and immunity standards for free (or very close to free) – legally of course.
- How to select the best test lab
- PCB changes after certification
- How to find low cost test equipment
- How to save $1000+ on CE standards
- 1 year online access to 3 training courses
- Certificate of completion for each enrolled student who successfully finishes each course
- Relevant application notes and resources for each training module
- 1 year content updates
- 1 year basic product support
Note: Due to copyright infringement concerns, online courses are not available for download.
[hfcm id="4″]


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Ashton Kutcher has reached out to Miranda Lambert after she accused the actor of "making fun of country" during his appearance at the Academy of Country Music Awards, insisting he's "the biggest" fan of the genre.
The Two and a Half Men star donned a red blazer and cowboy hat for guest presenting duties at the Las Vegas prizegiving on Sunday, and also sang a few lines of George Strait song I Cross My Heart before handing Lambert her Female Vocalist of The Year trophy.
But, watching the footage of her win after the event, the blonde beauty started to question Kutcher's motives for being at the ceremony.
Taking to her Twitter.com page, she wrote, "Was Ashton Kutcher making fun of country or is it just me? Watching it back now and I'm kinda wondering?"
Singer Justin Moore was equally unimpressed with Kutcher's appearance, telling his followers, "Seen Ashton kutcher at the acms tonight. What a douche! I don't care for people making a mockery of the way country artists dress."
But Kutcher insists he meant no harm with his cowboy clothing and has personally reassured Lambert that he's a big country fan.
In a series of posts on Tuesday, he wrote, "Miranda_Lambert I Am One Of The biggest country Music fans you've ever met. Wasn't making fun at all. btw (by the way) congratulations again."


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I've been in and around the contest scene for a long time now. I've entered and failed many times, entered and made it a handful of times and have now had the chance to sit on the other side of the desk and judge a few of them too.
Truth: I LOVE contests.
This time around I have no stake in Pitch Madness. I'm not entering and I'm not judging, but I've decided to include myself in another way-- helping at many people as I can.
Step one was to offer a few entry critiques, but I could only help a few people that way so my step two is to reach more people with is this post. My contest tips! (step 3 is a full manuscript critique give away for after Pitch Madness. More info at the bottom of the page!)
If you don't know what Pitch Madness is (what is wrong with you?!?), it's a contest where writers submit a short pitch and first page of their finished novels with the hopes that they'll be picked from the masses and presented to literary agents. More info here!
What does it take to be picked?
1) an awesome pitch that not only explains what your story is about, but how it stands out from others in your genre/category.
2) and awesome first page with awesome-- polished!-- writing, great voice and conflict! Since I wrote a post about writing an awesome first page a while back I'm just going link that (http://middlegrademinded.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-perfect-first-page.html) and spend my time talking about the pitch here.
A 35 word pitch is very hard to master, but so fun (when you stop stressing out about it) and very rewarding!
The biggest problem with these contests is that you only have 35 words to tell why your story stands out from HUNDREDS of others
How do you stand out?
Show us something different!
Show us something that we haven't seen before. It can be a plot twist, a setting, a unique character-- anything! But give us something NEW. That will get you remembered and you HAVE to be remembered or by the time the slush readers read the next hundred pitches, they won't care enough to pull yours out from the masses. (sometimes the writing of the first page is what makes them remember you. But if BOTH stand out? You're golden.)
This is the one question I asked most when reading through pitches as a judge/slush reader. Your character has to kill the wizard to save the world? Cool. But why? A lot of writers forget this part. Tell us what the character needs to do but don't forget the WHY!?
Make us care!
One of the basics of a good pitch is to tell us the stakes. What happens if your character fails in his task? Make sure you include that, but I'm going to take that a step further-- why should we care? Often the "stakes" are OR THE WORLD WILL END. Unfortunately, that's just not that compelling. Instead, try for something more intimate. Get personal. We can't fully connect to the world as a whole (and lets face it, how many stories have we heard that saves the world?) but we can connect to characters. People.
So, yeah, maybe your character will save the world/city/bus full of kids, but what makes his journey personal on top of that? Will the love of his life hate him forever? Will he lose his opportunity to go back in time to save his brother? Extra credit points if this personal stake conflicts with the more generic stake. He has to choose between his lover hating him and letting people die. That's compelling!
Do you have a pitch that tells your story perfectly, but you're just not sure *sparkles*? Just a word or two could make your simple pitch POP. Try to master the tone/voice of your story and find a way to show that off in your pitch. Tell the story the way your character would tell it. Use words they would use. Don't be afraid to get cute... just so long as you still explain the story in a way people can understand.
Still struggling?
Stop and start over. Try a bunch of different ways of telling this pitch. There are often a few ways you can pitch a story by focusing on different aspects. Write out 5 or 6 different pitches and then narrow them down, or even combine some of them.
Pull out your query and chop it up. Take the most important lines and cut out all the rest. You might find a new way to pitch your story this way. It's a great way to start if you're stuck!
Get another opinion! Get others to look over your pitch and see what they say. Do they understand it? Which version do they like better and why? How do they think you can improve it? (strangers are best for this because it's hard for people who know you well to tell you if they don't like something. You need blunt here)
Some novels are easier to pitch than others, so don't worry if you can't perfect your pitch. If you think yours is impossible to explain in a short way, do your absolute best and focus on the first page being A-MAZE-ING.
Free Manuscript critique!
Want a shot at winning a critique from me? After Pitch Madness I'm going to run a quick giveaway for the folks who didn't make the agent round. The winner will get a Quickie manuscript critique from me (check out the Mentorship tab for information on what that includes.) So check back here after the agent round reveal to enter!
Extra Credit!
Anyone who tweets this post and includes @trombolii (me), I'll give them an extra entry into the give away (if you're picked for the agent round you can give away this extra entry to someone you know. Just tweet me who you want to give it to)
Have any questions? Leave them in the comments or shoot me an email SPTrombley88 at aol dot com.


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LONDON (CBSNewYork/AP) — Royal officials say Britain's new prince has been named George Alexander Louis.
Kensington Palace said the royals are "delighted to announce" their son's name, adding that the 2-day-old baby and third-in-line to the throne will be known as "His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge."
Six previous British kings have been named George and the name was a favorite of British bookmakers in the run-up to Wednesday's announcement.
Web Extras: Royal Baby Makes First Public Appearance | New Yorkers React To Baby News
Earlier in the day, the baby met his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II. His parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton, then brought him to Kate's parents in their village near London.
The young family made their first public appearance together on Tuesday, when William and Kate presented the world with its first glimpse of the newborn prince.
The baby slept through his first photo-op outside London's St. Mary's Hospital, while his parents beamed as they chatted easily with reporters. For a royal family that has had a fraught relationship with the media, it was a positive sign.
"He's got a good pair of lungs on him, that's for sure," Prince William said. "He's a big boy. He's quite heavy."
After leaving the hospital, the couple introduced their son to his uncle, Prince Harry.
Now that Kate and William have chosen a name, they are expected to soon choose a photographer for the baby's first official portrait.
Check Out These Other Stories From CBSNewYork.com:
- Police: Syracuse Men's Basketball Coach Jim Boeheim Hits, Kills Man Walking On I-690
- 'Empire' Actor Jussie Smollett Accused Of Staging Attack In 'Publicity Stunt' Over Salary
- Serious Injuries Reported After Possible Carbon Monoxide Incident In Melville
- HUD Official Heads Back To Washington, Expected To Return To NYCHA Friday
(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)