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|Episode 13 – Season 1
Isn't it such a joy that we get so many J. Michael Straczynski episodes early on in this series? The combination of Charles Dickens 'The Christmas Carol' and the Ghostbusters is fantastic! I have always loved that story and now come to know that Straczynski also did. He gives a brief introduction to the episode on the DVD collection, which you MUST own if you're a fan. I certainly liked this one and hope you will too as I go over it.
|The past can haunt, even on Xmas.
The Ghostbusters are returning from an upstate call on Xmas eve through a terrible snowstorm in the middle of nowhere. Sounds like a wonderful way to spend the holiday doesn't it? Egon showed a bit of displeasure about something Ray did on that call. Ray goes on to mention, "I told her to keep the cat out of my way." Poor Ray, at least it's not dead based on what he says. Winston is bummed out about working on Xmas eve but Peter claims otherwise, "It doesn't bother me, Christmas is just another day." It would seem Peter has some underlying issue about this holiday let's be aware. They come up to a fork in the road that none of them remembers so they pick the left route. It turns out that they are in for a longer night than they might have expected. Ecto-1 dies so they have to go out on foot. In this weather that's the last thing they wanted to do. Peter gets sour over the holiday talk and walks ahead. It's now learned that his father wasn't around for this holiday much and it hurt him more than he'd like to show. Don't you love character development? I do, particularly of Peter and these early episodes.
|Busting the 3 ghosts of Xmas!
As they push on they get caught in a wild whirlwind of snow that sends them sprawling everywhere. When they emerge from the snow they see an old town in the distance. Questions abound as to why it's here but Peter just races down the hillside assuming they have a phone. Remember the late 1980's when a cell phone sounded so alien? They walk into the town and see a ghost in chains darting away into the sky from a home. Egon pulls out the PKE meter and gets strong readings as three more ghosts speed into the upper floor of the building. Are you noticing anything at all about this yet? The theme music kicks in and they race upstairs to face the ghosts! An old man is frightened on the bed and screams for help. They immediately fire upon the three ghosts capturing them quite easily and without a fight. The old man becomes extremely happy and then puts up a fight about paying for the ghost capture. He sounds a bit greedy wouldn't you say? Ray threatens to release the ghosts without payment but the old man finally gives in and tosses a single coin from 1837 to them!
The old man heads to the window with high confidence upon the ghosts being taken away. He reveals himself to be Scrooge! He vows then to fight Christmas with all he has. The guys decide to leave town since no phone could be found I assume. That crazy whirlwind of snow befalls them again and they find ecto-1. Ray tries to start it and it works this time so they head home. Egon has a moment of thought that he gets throughout the series where you know he's onto something but he shrugs it off for the time being.
|If you can't make bail...
Back at the old firehouse Egon heads to put the ghosts into the containment unit as the others go to pick up a Christmas tree. You guys don't have one yet? Why did you wait until now to get one? I thought they loved Christmas so much! They were posing! Janine and Slimer show no interest at all in Christmas which makes Egon wonder. I tell you he's onto something! Meanwhile Ray, Winston and Peter put together the pieces of why Christmas is suddenly non-existent. I love how Scrooge has become so popular and even has a bestselling book on the streets. It's apparent he took all the credit for defeating the three Christmas ghosts and has invoked his hatred for the holiday into the lives of all mankind. That's quite a feat to accomplish; he's even more dreadful than I'd ever imagined him before. Since Egon is about to put the three ghosts away they rush back to stop him. Peter wonders what the big deal is though. He hasn't come around yet.
|Sandman and 'negative energy' form ghost
Egon has already cleaned the trap when the others meet back with him. They go upstairs to view the containment unit through a scope as Egon questions what is going on. Peter asks if there is a way to release just those three ghosts but that's not possible. It is possible to travel back in time and capture them though! I'm not bashing its just funny but that's what makes it great! The sorrow sets in that Christmas is forever gone. The scene cuts and when we return they are in their jumpsuits. This isn't the time to be changing we must save Christmas! They develop a plan to get the ghosts back where they belong which includes Egon going inside the containment unit! How cool is that? Well Peter checks Egon's wrist when he suggests it and says, "Pulse seems normal. Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" He thinks Egon has lost his mind, great stuff.
|Samhain lurking
Ray, Peter and Winston head back to the time warp area while Egon heads inside the containment unit. Egon asks for Janine's help which she is always willing to do but not for Christmas. Whenever Egon says Christmas she blurts out 'Bah Humbug' which he finds 'fascinating.' So Peter dresses in drag to try and convince Scrooge that Christmas isn't all that bad. It's a bit funny but it's not quite my taste as far as how the episode has come along to this point. I do like the part in which Scrooge explained that in his childhood all he needed were his books. Peter doesn't agree claiming he needed more than just books. He's most likely referring to his father's presence. I really enjoyed Egon searching for the ghosts in the containment unit though. He rigs up a device that opens a hairline incision that he can pass through. He changes his molecular density so as to fit inside as well. It's explained in a way that makes it sound believable enough.
Egon finds the three ghosts and makes it out just as his rigged up device explodes. Everything seems to be getting cut close as he makes his way back to the other Ghostbusters. Eventually the original spirits get things set right and Peter learns to appreciate Christmas for more than just some bad memories in his past. If it wasn't for his character development in this one I'm not sure I would have liked it so much. It has a feel good aura to it that I just enjoy we'll say. In the end you can hear Santa's voice and wouldn't it be awesome if they busted him too? Here's to Christmas in July!
I loved to see all those ghosts from the previous 12 episodes that I'd like to share them here before I wrap up this review. The containment unit always interests me to no end due to it's environment and appearance. How did it get to look like it does? It's creepy because the space seems infinite. They really captured how dreary it would be with all these evil spirits wandering around. I was surprised to see so many familiar ghosts from the series so far so without further delay here they are.
This bottom image is spectacular as it has the winged puma, Killerwatt, Samhain, What, Sandman, the sleepy ghost from 'Take Two' and so many more! I was excited to see Sandman and Samhain again as I really enjoyed their featured episodes so far. It's too bad we don't see anymore of most of these guys.
Next Up: Knock, Knock - Episode 14
Previous: Janine's Genie - Episode 12


text: The Father Lopez girls' cross-country team finished second to Winter Park on Saturday in the 20th running of the Seabreeze Invitational, one of the oldest high school invitationals in the state. The Lopez girls finished with 79 points behind Winter Park's 32. Despite finishing ahead of 17 other teams, Green Wave Coach Scott Edwards was not pleased with Lopez's performance. ''We ran very poorly. I'm not saying we could have beaten Winter Park, but our times were atrocious,'' Edwards said. Other Volusia County teams probably would have been more than satisfied with Lopez's times. DeLand finished ninth overall with 268; New Smyrna Beach was 10th with 272; Seabreeze came in 16th with 377; and Mainland and Spruce Creek were last in the 19-team field with 412 and 444 points, respectively. In the boys competition, Titusville took top honors with 69 points. Spruce Creek was first among Volusia County schools but only was 12th overall with 377 points. New Smyrna Beach followed at 14th with 390; Mainland was 15th with 396; and Seabreeze was 17th with 425. Individually, Marjorie Hawk led Lopez's scoring, finishing fourth overall in 12:15.5. Laura Bouchard of Lopez was eighth in 12:41; Stacey Dolly of New Smryrna Beach was 11th in 12:51; Eileen Spalding of Seabreeze was 12th in 12:51; and Melanie Dunn of Lopez was 13th in 12:52.

subset: commoncrawl


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You are hereHome › Commentary › When to worry ›
When to worry
Submitted by Edgar on Wed, 08/09/2017 - 3:27pm
By Richard P. Holm MD
When should one worry that he or she might be having a heart problem?
Sometimes there are no indications for trouble until very late in the game. On top of this, classic heart-problem symptoms can just as easily be due to something not heart-related, like an esophageal spasm or musculoskeletal strain. That said, there are clues for heart trouble that help us know when to seek help.
To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition https://www.etypeservices.com/Timber%20Lake%20TopicID443/
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Becoming a Leader
Its now 4 years ago that I graduated from university with a degree in Entertainment Technology from Portsmouth, finishing with a 2:1, although I was agonisingly close to a 1st (69.7 was my final grade).
I was immensely fortunate, that upon graduating I got the very first job that I applied for, as a trainee SEO at Vertical Leap, and on the 1st August, I will celebrating 4 years working in the industry.
In the time that I have worked at Vertical Leap, I've been fortunate to work with a number of amazing people to learn SEO from (as well as learning many lessons on life) and seen a tremendous amount of growth in the company. In the time I've been here we've outgrown2 office already and seem to be swiftly filling up our new one too (though there is still plenty of room for us to grow further).
When we first moved in to these offices, we almost had enough space for a kick about with a football, whereas now we are getting to a stage where we need to think carefully about how to use that space.
In those 4 years, staff have come and gone, as they do, and I have looked to step up to the plate every time it was necessary for me to take on responsibility.
From starting as a trainee SEO, with no real knowledge of the subject (although my degree did supply me with a host of related skills), I have worked hard, kept my head down, retained as many of my clients as possible and done what I can to grow as a person into a bigger role in the company.
Around 18 months to 2 years ago, I was made Team Leader of the growing SEO department at Vertical Leap.
In my previous post, I alluded to this being a bit rubbish title, which was meant to be a joke, although with the pain I felt inside when writing that post, I don't think that was particularly clear.
A title isn't really very important in my opinion. I think mine at the moment is somewhat wordy "SEO Team Leader – Campaign Delivery Manager". Suffice to say, I don't use that in my email signature!
As I say, a title isn't very important – what is important is how you fulfil that role.
As Vertical Leap has grown & we employ more staff in the SEO department, the more my role has grown too.
When I first started at Vertical Leap, I was entrusted with a small number of clients, and as my confidence and ability grew, I took on more responsibilities, more campaigns and helped the company generate more revenue.
We launched a blog on the site, and I am one of the more regular writers on the VL search marketing blog (I'm not THE most regular writer, though I do write more than many).
I now have to spend not inconsiderable amounts of time with new staff – teaching them the "Vertical Leap" way, showing them how we utilise our campaign management tool Apollo and ensuring that we treat our clients consistently well and do everything you can to keep them happy – understanding their goals for a campaign.
At first, these extra responsibilities did not come easily, but over the last year in particular I have done my best to do right by my team and help the, to help themselves in their own development – just like I was helped by those that came before me.
Around a year ago, I was also challenged to become better known in the industry – as I'd been doing all this great work for my clients and concentrating on getting things done.
At first I wasn't sure how to achieve this – and I was left scratching my head about it for some time.
I decided first to start talking to the rest of the SEO community on Twitter – a great place to exchange ideas and techniques , whilst also a platform for some fun exchanges with some other interesting people, and believe to a certain extent I have achieved this goal (although I'm not going to rest on my laurels just yet).
I've also looked to put myself about a bit more at industry events – initially with the local Brighton SEO events, but hopefully extending myself a bit further around the country if suitable opportunities present themselves.
Doing all of these things takes hard work and determination – just working the 9-5 hours aren't sufficient for me to achieve the goals that have been set for me, and buy me.
Clearly, as can be seen from my last post – things in life can affect the course you are trying to take – and there are going to be bumps in the road.
But nothing worth having in life is ever easy – so I will continue to work hard to achieve my goals in life and be more of the person those close to me, need me to be.


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Kucinich 'We must not attack Iran'
Congressman Dennis Kucinich is on the show to talk about everything from his primary loss to another Democrat, to Iran, Syria, Holder's speech, and Bradley Manning. Then, a whistleblower complaint has just been unsealed alleging that Bank of America defrauded homeowners and the government, so should we really trust them to carry out their responsibilities in the latest foreclosure fraud settlement? Also the Internet has gone crazy over the documentary by Invisible Children to stop Joseph Kony, leader of the LRA. But, there are a few things you should know before throwing your money into this campaign. And then don't miss happy hour.


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Justin Bieber's Team Wanted Lil Za Kicked Out Before Arrest
Justin's team had been warning him for months about his friendship with Lil Za, but the singer didn't listen. In fact, he continued to let the rapper live in his LA mansion, according to a new report.
Justin Bieber is most likely being told "I told you so," by his manager, Scooter Braun. The 19-year-old is in the middle of a felony investigation, after his next door neighbor told police that Justin egged his house, causing $20,000 in damages. But the arrest of Justin's good buddy, Lil Za, during the Jan. 14 raid of Justin's house, comes as no surprise to Justin's team, according to RadarOnline.com.
Justin Bieber's Team Wanted Lil Za Kicked Out Of His House
When police raided Justin's LA mansion on Jan. 14, they found several of Justin's friends in the home, including Lil Za. Police then soon discovered that Lil Za was in possession of drugs and was immediately arrested.
"People close to Justin had wanted Lil Za out of the picture," an insider told RadarOnline.com. "But obviously Justin makes his own decisions."
This incident happened just a few months after Scooter and the rest of Justin's team had reportedly "had it" with the trouble-causing teen.
Justin Tried To 'Be Cool' In Front Of House During Raid
"Lil Twist and Lil Za were ordered by Scooter to vacate Justin's house," a source said. "He wanted them out last September and they were even set up with their own apartments. But it never happened. Scooter desperately wanted to clean house."
Lil Za Arrested Again For Allegedly Vandalizing Phone In Jail
Lil Za, was about to be released on a $20,000 bail, when he reportedly ripped a phone, located in the holding cell, out of the wall.
He was on the phone "when he apparently got angry and started yelling," E! News reported. "He started banging the receiver against the wall—and then ripped the phone off the wall entirely."
HollywoodLifers, do you think Justin should cut off ties with Lil Za?
— Chloe Melas


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Some good news, potentially, from BT about nuisance calls. Many of my customers continue to be plagued by theses rogue callers, offering PPI claims, insurance claims and the like. http://www.computing.co.uk/…/bt-plans-new-service-to-cut-of…
Unfortunately, I think there will still be a problem with"WITHHELD" numbers; GP surgeries, hospitals, and ex-directory customers frequently withhold their numbers for privacy reasons. However, the new BT Call Protect service is surely a step in the right direction.
I had a call yesterday from a withheld number, which turned out to be a UK company, offering to "manage my Google business listing". How kind of them, I thought, until they told me it would be £250 + VAT for a year!! Watch out.
Continue reading Tackling nuisance calls?


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AROUND WASHINGTON SQUARE: An Illustrated Historyof Greenwich Village
By Luther S. Harris
Johns Hopkins University Press
($39.95, hardcover)
One could hardly guess from the multilane truck route Houston Street has become that it was once a narrow residential street. Back in the early 1800's, Houston was the most northern in a progression of east-west streets built north of Canal Street according to the pre-1811 50-foot standard.
Its namesake was William Houstoun, Georgia's delegate to the Continental Congress and the son-in-law of Nicholas Bayard III, through whose farm the street ran. (The second u was inexplicably dropped from the street name sometime after 1811, and the first syllable is pronounced like house, never like the city in Texas.)
Houston Street first became attractive to developers when St. Thomas's Church and the Reformed Dutch Church bought lots there in the 1820's. Then, in 1832, with the northern stretches of the urban frontier nearing 14th Street, Houston Street became the southern boundary of the new 15th Ward. By the time the Third Presbyterian Church was built on the southwest corner of Thompson and Houston Streets a year later, the street was lined with many elegant homes.
One early resident, who lived at 26 West Houston Street on the northwest corner of Mercer Street, was Charles King, president of Columbia University from 1849 to 1864. His father was Rufus King, a member of the Continental Congress from Massachusetts in 1786, and afterward an ambassador to Britain and a U.S. senator from New York.Continue reading the main story
Charles's older brother John became governor of New York, and his younger brother James was a partner in Sam Ward's banking firm. In 1808 Charles had joined the shipping firm of Archibald Gracie, a leading merchant who was a close associate of his father and Alexander Hamilton. (Today, the summer place Gracie erected on the East River is the official residence of the city's mayors.)
THE IMPOSSIBLE MUSICAL: The 'Man of La Mancha' Story
By Dale Wasserman
Applause Books
($25.95, hardcover)
Misfortune was due to have one more whack at us. On Nov. 9, 1965, on the occasion of our first dress rehearsal, at about 5 o'clock in the evening, all the lights in the theater went out. We waited. And waited. Everyone was warned to stand still, where they were. Then we learned, via a crew member's transistor radio, that the blackout had targeted not merely our theater but all of New York.
A bit later we learned it was more than merely New York; somewhere in Canada a switch box had failed, plunging the entire Eastern seaboard into darkness. There was no hint as to how long it would last. There was no precedent by which to measure it.
When it became evident we'd have no dress rehearsal, we organized carpools to return the cast and crew to their homes, as all public transportation had come to a halt. I rode shotgun with Mitch Leigh in his green Rolls-Royce as we delivered actors without personal transportation to their homes.
It was an eerie experience. New York was a city bewitched ... dark, strangely silent, and of course without streetlights or traffic signals. The only illumination came from automobile headlights, of which there were fewer and fewer as evening darkened into night.
Pedestrians desperate for transportation stood in the streets, trying to wave us down, to get a ride or commandeer the car. We kept the doors locked against possible attack.
AS TOLD AT THE EXPLORERS CLUB: More Than Fifty Gripping Talesof Adventure
Edited and With an Introduction by George Plimpton
The Lyons Press
($24.95, hardcover)
A word about the club itself and its ''Long Table'': On May 28, 1904, 50 men well-known in exploration circles met at a dinner at the Aldine Association and decided to organize a club with its object to unite explorers in the bonds of good fellowship and to promote the work of exploration. The initiation fee to join this worthy cause was $10, $5 for nonresidents, and the annual dues were $20 for residents and just $5 for nonresidents.
Despite these come-hitherly low sums, the membership was small, meetings irregular and sparsely attended, largely because the club did not have its own quarters. This was rectified in 1912 when the club took over an empty loft at 345 Amsterdam Avenue.
Here the social activity increased to such a degree that in 1922 the club purchased a town house at 47 West 76th. In 1928, both solvent and popular, the club leased an eight-story building, hoping to payoff the investment by renting out five stories of bedrooms. The membership turned out to be better explorers than landlords; the lease was terminated, and the club moved twice more, finally settling into a building at 10 West 72nd opposite the Dakota House.
The club there has been described as having a distinctive smell one detected on coming through the front door -- ''a savour of carpets and camels and musk .. a beguiling pungent aroma, not too pervading.''Continue reading the main story


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Chocolate Chip Cookies from Baked – I know that there are countless recipes out there for chocolate chip cookies and some are not so different from others. Some use melted butter instead of room temperature butter, some use bread flour instead of all-purpose, whatever the method, though, I'm a fan. The simplicity and familiarity of chocolate chip cookies gets me every time. I'm a firm believer that no person can have too many recipes to turn to, especially for cookies.
I bookmarked several (SEVERAL) recipes from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking after I got it for Christmas. I even added this to my "To-Read" list on GoodReads. Who doesn't like to read cookbooks in their spare time? 😉 This is probably one of the most traditional recipes in this particular cookbook. (I also bookmarked a root beer cake and a malted chocolate cake!)
These cookies are just as perfect as so many other cookies. They are soft in the middle but still a little crunchy around the outside. Do note that the dough needs to chill for 6 hours but I let it go overnight. The smell of freshly baked cookies right after breakfast is definitely something special.
Chocolate Chip Cookies from Baked
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda |
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but still cool
- 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 ⅔ cups (16 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until smooth creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix until well incorporated. Add in the vanilla and mix briefly.
3. Add half of the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated and then add the remaining flour. Do not over-mix. Stir in the chocolate chips.
4. Cover the bowl tightly and transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 6 hours (or up to overnight).
5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Scoop out cookie dough by the tablespoon onto prepared cookie sheets placing dough balls about 1-inch apart. Bake for 11-14 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.
7. Remove pan from oven and cool pan on wire rack for 5 minutes before removing cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.
Chocolate Chip Cookies from Baked


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Blog Archives
The Floating Islands – Review
Title: The Floating Islands
Author: Rachel Neumeier
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Edition: Hardcover
Pages: 388
Originally published: 2011
Genre: Fantasy
The dice landed on: 4
Did I finish?: Yes.
Do I like the cover?: Yes, a lot.
Short summary: Newly orphaned Trei arrives at The Floating Islands and moves in with his mother's family just before a plague breaks out. His cousin Araenè discovers new powers and they both have an important part to play when the islands get attacked by Trei's father's homeland Tolounn. Trei flying his kajuhari wings and Araené using her newly discovered mage powers.
I must confess that the main reason that I picked up The Floating Island is the cover. I love it and want it on a poster!
I quite liked the book itself too. It has a fantasy story with quite a few surprising elements while still keeping to a fairly well known fantasy formula. I like that the book touches on many moral issues without making anyone an out and out villain.
The Floating Islands seems like a nice society, but keeps it's women from any sort of public life. I woman's job is to get married and produce children. Tolounn has more equality, but is hell-bent on conquering all of its neighbouring countries. None of them are perfect and none of them all good.
The story has two storylines, one for each of the cousins. This way the reader get closer to the action as the cousins quite often find themselves in separate places. You also learn more about them and their motivations. Loyalty is an issue for Trei, he is half tolounnese and half islander and has to decide where his loyalty truly lies. Araené doesn't want a traditional island woman's life. Ideally she'd like to be a chef, something that is impossible. However, magic and the mage school came her way, so she pretends to be a boy to be able to stay in school.
There are also some rather nifty dragons, some really cool mages and a nice sky-mad prince.
So, why only a 4?
Despite the great setting of the story and an interesting storyline with good characters I'm a bit disappointed. I find the writing ok, but not more than that, and I never feel that I get to know many of the other characters as well as I'd like. I wish the book was longer so the building up part could have lasted longer, it's all a bit abrupt. The book also has many of the markings of being number one in a series, without there being any hint of a book number two being on the way. There are too many loose ends floating around. I might be happier with it if a book number two is published.
All in all I think it's a good YA book, but not outstanding. It doesn't soar like the islands, the kajuhari and the dragons it contains.
But I still love the cover, nothing's going to change that.
The Night Circus – Review
Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Publisher: Vintage digital
Edition: Kindle
Pages: 400
Originally published: 2011
Genre: Fantasy
The dice landed on: 6
Did I finish?: Yes, oh yes.
Do I like the cover?: Yes I do.
One-sentence summary: We follow the people in and around The Night Circus which is both the most marvellous circus in the world and the venue of an ongoing competition between two powerful magicians.
You know those books that you dread coming to the end of because you want to keep on reading? The books that makes you want to slow down to savour it better while you still want to race ahead to find out what happens? If you are a reader, you know those books. The Night Circus is one of those books.
I'm in love with the story, which is different from any fantasy story I've read before.
I'm in love with the different characters, most of them at least.
But most of all I'm in love with the language. It's dreamy and hypnotical, just perfect in a story about a magic fueled circus (and the people in and around it) that only stays open at night.
My christmas gift book choice of the year.
Erin Morgenstern reads a little from The Night Circus.
Book beginnings on Friday – Snuff
Book Beginnings on Friday is a bookish meme sponsored by Katy at A Few More Pages.
Here's what you do: share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments section . Include the title and author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you are so moved, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and if you liked or did not like that sentence. Link-up each week at Katy's place.
A package arrived in the mail yesterday. It contained the latest novel by Terry Pratchett, Snuff.
The goblin experience of the world is the cult or perhaps religion of Unggue. In short, it is a remarkably complex resurrection-based religion founded on the sanctity of bodily secretions. Its central tenet runs as follows: everything that is expelled from a goblin's body was clearly once part of them and should, therefore, be treated with reverence and stored properly so that it can be entombed with its owner in the fullness of time. In the meantime the material is stored in unggue pots, remarkable creations of which I shall speak later.
Trust Terry Pratchett to want to mess with your brain. I look forward to having my brain messed with, and so far this bok seems to be up to that challenge.
Book beginnings on Friday – The Floating Islands
Book Beginnings on Friday is a bookish meme sponsored by Katy at A Few More Pages.
Here's what you do: share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments section . Include the title and author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you are so moved, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and if you liked or did not like that sentence. Link-up each week at Katy's place.
Earlier today I started reading The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier. Here it is:
Trei was fourteen the first time he saw the Floating Islands. He had made the whole long voyage south from Rounn in a haze of loss and misery, not really noticing the harbors in which the ship sometimes anchored or the sea between. But here, where both sea and sky lay pearl-gray in the dawn, the wonder of the Floating Islands broke at last into that haze.
It was the wonderful cover that first made me interested in reading this book, but now I'm wondering about Trei's background. He has obviously suffered a tremendous loss, and I want to find out what happened. I also want to know what will happen to him on those floating islands.
Un Lun Dun – review
Title: Un Lun Dun
Author: China Miéville
Publisher: Pan Books
Edition: Paperback
Pages: 520 s.
First published: 2007
Genre: Fantasy, YA
The dice landed on: 5
When London got rid of the smog, where did it go?
Strange things are happening to Zanna. Unknown people come over and call her Shwazzy, and a fox greets her. She and her friend Deeba has no idea what's going on. Then, they find themselves in a weird world, in UnLondon, where they meet a half ghost and Curdle, the milk carton and Brokkenbroll, the master of the broken umbrellas (called unbrellas) and a lot of other characters. Then they learn that UnLondon is at war with the smog, and Zanna has to lead the war against it. But is Zanna up to the task, like the prophecy says she will be? And what about Deeba, what part will she play? The amusing sidekick?
This is a YA book, and I think kids will love it, but it also has all the ingredients that makes me as an adult love it. There are interesting characters, play on words, treason, despair, cussedness, courage, black windows and a lot of unbrellas.
I loved this book. I'd recommend it to anyone who might even think they would like a fantasy book, even though there's not a single witch or wizard in sight. Oh, and it passed my Bechdel test with flying colors.
If you want more serious spoilers, you can read one of these reviews.
- Among the unbrellas – Guardian.co.uk
- SF Reviews.net
- www.salon.com
- A Wrung Sponge
- Just Book Reading
The Wise Man's Fear – review
Title: The Wise Man's Fear
Author: Patrick Rothfuss
Publisher: Penguin publishing
Edition: Kindle
Pages: 1008
Published: 2011
Genre: Fantasy
The dice landed on: 4½
When I read The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss a few years ago I liked it quite a lot. Not enough to pick up number two in The Kingkiller Chronicle as soon as it came out, but enough to buy it for my Kindle and put it in the tbr-folder. When I started my new job a few weeks ago, Kvothe and company became my regular company on the bus back and forth to work.
In The Wise Man's Fear Kvothe continues telling his story. The book is set on the second day of the story's "present" and Kvothe tells more of his life as a young man at the university and of the adventures he has during his year away from his studies. During the breaks in the story, short as they are, we get to know that all is not well in the world. Maybe there will still be another story to add to the legend of Kvothe.
I think this is a really interesting way of telling the story of a "hero". As a mature man Kvothe has a unique view of himself and his heroics. He also gives us glimpses of the stories that are being told about him, so we sometimes get the contrast between the "real" story and the legends. Still, it is Kvoth telling. He keeps things from us and we have no way of knowing how reliable a historian of his own life he really is.
This is a really good book, mostly because Rothfuss manages to write well enough to keep me interested during even the duller parts of the story. And he manages to keep me interested during part two of a trilogy, a part with a story that could have been told in rather fewer pages. This is the main reason for the 4½ instead of a 5, it is too long. If this had been one of the series with no end in sight, I would probably have given up by now. But, as it is a trilogy, I'm still here.
I'm looking forward to book number 3, The Doors of Stone, then I can find out what's really going on.
There's a lot of online reviews of this book. SFFnews has mad a blog post linking to a lot of them.
Book beginnings on Friday – Un Lun Dun
Book Beginnings on Friday is a bookish meme sponsored by Katy at A Few More Pages.
Here's what you do: share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments section . Include the title and author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you are so moved, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and if you liked or did not like that sentence. Link-up each week at Katy's place.
My beginning this week is from Un Lun Dun by China Míeville.
In an unremarkable room, in a nondescript building, a man sat working on very non-nondescript theories.
The man was surrounded by bright chemicals in bottles and flasks, charts and gauges, and piles of books like battlements around him. He propped them open on each other. He cross-referred them, seeming to read several at the same time; he pondered, made notes, crossed the notes out, went hunting for facts of history, chemistry and geography.
I think it's a good beginning. I do want to know what the man is working on, and why. Also, I dearly love the cover.


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It is considered that you are seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence in the UK.In other words his racism is too overt for even a government whose Prime Minister is an honorary patron of the Jewish National Fund. The bad news is that this will be used to suggest that Feiglin's racism is somehow worse than that of the Israeli government, the Israeli state or zionism itself. And of course they'll say that they're being balanced when they ban this or that Palestinian, Arab or Muslim.
"In light of these factors, the Home Secretary is satisfied you should be excluded from the UK on the grounds that your exclusion is conducive to the public good.
Gideon Levy explained the ploy in Ha'aretz back in August last year:
Benjamin Netanyahu has once again demonstrated he is a political virtuoso. One may even start to suspect that he invented Moshe Feiglin. Talk is one thing - "we'll uproot Feiglin" - but the result is something else: The Feiglins helped reinvent the Likud Party leader. Now Netanyahu is portrayed exactly as he wished: as a moderate leader, responsible, enlightened and level-headed, as opposed to all those Feiglins. They are "loony," and he is a statesman; they are extreme, a foreign growth, and he is the next prime minister, who will bestow peace and security on Israel. Netanyahu should be grateful to the man who enabled him to deceive the media and the public.So let's just see how the Brits treat Netanyahu if he ever returns to power.


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Hey everyone! I've just moved into my new place which is 3 minutes away from school, so this week has been quite hectic and exciting. As a student, my budget is small, even smaller now that I've moved out, and I am dealing with the challenge of configuring a small space for two purposes: as a bedroom and as a studio workspace. I am inspired by great workspaces, and I believe a great one is an aid to creativity and productivity. My main considerations in creating my own are:
1. Function – I estimate that most of my work will be done on my laptop, so that will be a central aspect of this room. I will be doing a little bit of drafting and sewing and handwork, but I hope to do most of this at school. The work that I do bring home will all be separated and stored after use in my closet, where it shares space with my clothes and personal storage. I bought the greatest desk from Ikea (pictures later), which meets my functional needs as a designer well.
2. Simplicity – In keeping with my desire to keep things simple and live as minimally as possible both for physical and mental clarity, I aim to keep my workspace flow as simple and uncluttered as possible. I left most of my belongings back at my parents' home, and took only what I needed. Now, I realize that I don't need much to live off of.
3. Aesthetics – Designers love beautiful things, it is no surprise. I feel so much more excited to get to work when I am in a space that I feel inspired in. Increasingly, I am drawn more and more to a minimalist aesthetic, bright and airy, with lots of white space. Although this was my original vision, I soon realized that it is hard to do white well on a budget, because keeping everything the same tone requires a reliance on texture and detail to keep from looking like a hospital room. I also love colour, so I decided to use red and purple as accents, which are great colours to add to creative energy. Decor will be kept to a minimum, and its function is to stimulate me visually and add to creative energy rather than dull it. I don't need as much decoration as I think, because my work in itself is very visual and I always have visual inspiration to use as decoration anyway. Plus, in keeping with my student budget, I prefer to go with the basics now and spend more later on items that will last.
3. Transitional capabilities – I am not sure how long I will living at this residence. I hope to live here at least until I graduate next April. I will bring my furniture along with me when I do move, and will aim to keep things organized and simple enough to move. In terms of transitional capabilities, I am also referring to the physical manifestation of my life transformation over the next year as I work on my graduation collection, develop further skills in my areas of interest, and graduate and get going in the real world.
This has been a great way for me to look at how much stuff I have acquired over the years and what it means to me (not much). I have to take some time out to go home and actually purge, like actually. On the path to living more consciously and simply, I am thinking about the way I organize, the way I accumulate, and the way I consume. I am trying to use technology as my aid so that my work remains as much on the computer as possible and I do not have junk to throw away all the time. I use my library borrowing privileges to gain knowledge and information instead of buying books. Heck, I have even dropped all use of sticky-notes and notepads and favour of my personal notebook that I fill up completely with random thoughts, brainstorming, to-do lists and etc. (although, I have started to get the hang of Google Calendar and am loving it! I just started using the offline capability recently and have almost completely transitioned all to-do lists onto my computer).
Once I have my room all figured out, I will definitely post pictures! Stay tuned.


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If you missed the opportunity to grab an awesome T-shirt from the T-shirt-loving folks at Tshirt Terrorist amidst the wonderful chaos of rAge 2013, we've got you covered.
Pop past the break for more info.
Tshirt Terrorist has kindly brought us an offering of three T-shirts (pictured below), and we'd like to pass them on to one lucky reader. So if you find yourself reading this post with your top-half totally shirtless, here's your chance to rectify that. Unless you're one of those guys, obviously.
All you've got to do to enter is drop a comment in the box below. We'll then randomly select a winner at UNSPECIFIED TIME AND PLACE.
Good luck!


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Tree Planting Matching
The City of Sydney aims to grow its urban forest and green canopy by up to 50 per cent by 2030. And now, with the new tree planting matching grant, you and your neighbours can be a part of the greening. The tree planting grant is part of the Matching Grants program so check out the Matching Grant guidelines before you get started.
More information - http://www.greenvillages.com.au/community/grants/tree-planting-grant/
How do I apply for a tree planting grant?
- Gather a group of neighbours together who want to plant a tree in the front or rear garden of their properties. Matching Grants must be allocated to two or more people, from different households, so you'll need a few of you to apply.
- Think about what type of species you'd like in each of your gardens, evergreen or deciduous? Also think about the space where your tree will live, is there enough space for the tree to mature, is there enough sunlight and is the ground space adequate for root growth? Don't forget to check how close the tree will be to your neighbours!
- Fill out the Green Matching Grants Submission Form and post or drop your application off in person to Project Manager (Local Action Plans), City of Sydney, 456 Kent St, Sydney NSW 2000
- Our Tree Management Coordinator is happy to answer any specific questions you might have. Simply email us or phone on 02 9265 9544.


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|Primary Accession
|Clone Names
|Calculated MW
|64091 Da
|Purified IgG prepared by affinity chromatography on Protein G
|Shelf Life
|18 months from date of despatch.
|Gene ID
|Other Names
|Ricin, Ricin A chain, 18.104.22.168, rRNA N-glycosidase, Linker peptide, Ricin B chain, RICI
|Mouse anti Ricin B Chain antibody, clone RB999 recognizes the B chain of the ricin toxin (RCA60), a 60kDa glycoprotein. It has no cross-reactivity with agglutinin RCA120.The ricin toxin consists of two chains, A and B, covalently linked by a disulfide bond. The A chain acts as a glycosidase that removes an adenine residue from the 28S rRNA. The area from which the adenine is removed is essential for binding of elongation factors, destroying it leaves the ribosome inactive and unable to support protein synthesis. The A chain can inactivate a few thousand ribosomes per minute, much faster than the cell can replace them, meaning that a single ricin A chain can kill a cell.The B chain binds to complex carbohydrates on the cell surface to facilitate entry of the A chain into the cell. Without the B chain, the A chain has very low toxicity. Ricin is easily extracted from the castor bean (Ricinus communis), and the lethal dose for humans is very small. It is toxic when inhaled, ingested or injected and there is no known antidote, although a vaccine has been developed. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive, with long term organ damage likely in survivors. The ease of extraction and distribution makes it a potential candidate for biological warfare although it is less stable than other agents, such as anthrax.
|Preservative & Stabilisers
|0.09% Sodium Azide (NaN3)
|Store at +4℃ or at -20℃ if preferred.
|Anti Ricin B Chain Antibody, clone RB999 is for research use only and not for use in diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
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Pictured above is Tifany Mach with the items she donated to the YMCA-YWCA Fit Kids afterschool program
Tifany Mach is a 9-year-old participant in the Y's Fit Kids afterschool program. After her first week in the program, she was already making plans to give back. "I thought the Fit Kids program needed some books, so I made a video at home asking people to donate and my mom posted it on Facebook."
Several family friends responded with generous donations of books and stuffed animals. Tifany's family pitched in as well, purchasing a new book case and other items for the program.
Tifany said she previously donated socks and undergarments to her school. "It felt really good to give, so I wanted to do it again." Reading is one of Tifany's favorite activities at the Y's Fit Kids program along with playing games and free time.
Program Director Deb Grove said, "Tifany is an outstanding young person, with a very generous heart. Her gift to the afterschool program shows how it can positively impact the children who participate, giving them ownership of the program and allowing them thrive!"
Robby Tobias, who is the Fit Kids Coordinator at the Y, added, "Tifany embodies every core value of the Y. Her donation brings a great value and sense of respect to both the Fit Kid and Summer Day Camp programs. It amazes me that she understands some of our items are getting dated and that she would consider donating new ones."


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With the release of her debut novel, award-winning author Janice Lynn has achieved a life long dream — to see a book she wrote on a bookstore shelf. Southern born and bred, Janice lives in Tennessee with her four children, their various and ever expanding number of pets, and a lot of unnamed dust bunnies that have moved in since she started pursuing her writing career.
Janice is currently working on future releases.
If you are a bookseller, reviewer, or reader's group and need bookmarks or other materials, please contact Janice at email@example.com
Online articles about Janice
Local Author, The Saturday Independent, 2/26/06
Renowned Author, Southern Standard, 1/20/06
Dream Come True, The Tennessee Magazine, 11/2005, available on The Knight Agency Blog, 11/28/05 entry
Romance Janice, Sidelines, 1/31/05
Reviews for Jane Millionaire
Ms. Lynn's Jane Millionaire is a very funny and witty romance. The characters were creatively written and the plot cleverly designed to put a smile on your face. With so many reality shows today, you can actually see this happening but Jane Millionaire would be a lot more entertaining. The dialogue is refreshing as it shows the characters' flaws and other character traits. The sex scenes were extremely hot and steamy. No doubt about it, this is a great book.
—Coffee Time Romance, 5 cups
I have no doubt that Janice Lynn is a name that will soon become a household name within the romance genre.
—Fallen Angels reviews, 5 Angels
Jane Millionaire is a book you won't regret picking up. Fans of reality TV, fans of romance, and fans of engaging stories with endearing protagonists will enjoy this story. After reading Jane Millionaire, you'll want to keep Janice Lynn on your authors to watch radar.
—The Romance Studio, 4 hearts
Reading Jane Millionaire is a sheer delight. A fantasy story you will love, two super romances and snappy dialogue makes for a wild and fun reality show with gorgeous bachelors, a beautiful princess in a castle, and a producer to die for. Two twin sisters switch places and all hell breaks loose as things get more complicated by the minute as the show gets into filming ass the real princess gets into the act. Don't miss this fabulous book. Janice Lynn is definitely an author to watch!
—Suzanne Coleburn, Reader To Reader Reviews/The Belles & Beaux of Romance
Jane Millionaire is delightful, funny and oh so romantic. Like any good book you're right there going through all the ups and downs while reading the book and hoping for that happily ever after ending. These are the kind of characters you want to revisit just to see how things are going so I'm holding onto hope for a sequel to this book that will feature Jill's sister Jessie. If it were possible to give a rating higher than 5, I would. Janice Lynn is definitely going to be the new must read author on your list.
—Romance Junkies, Blue Ribbon Rating 5
Writing Awards
Playboy Surgeon, Top-Notch Dad — 2010 Holt Medallion Award of Merit Winner
The Nurse's Baby Miracle — 2010 Write Touch Readers' Award 2nd place
The Heart Surgeon's Secret Son – 2009 Golden Quill Winner, 2009 Book Buyers Best finalist
The Doctor's Pregnancy Bombshell – 2007 National Readers Choice Award WINNER, 2007 Award of Excellence finalist, 2007 More than Magic finalist
Jane Millionaire — 2004 Touch of Magic HM, 2004 WisFab Five HM, 2004 Golden Pen Contemporary 1st Place Winner, 2004 American Title WINNER;
Published contests: Winner of the 2007 Golden Quill for best first book, Finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.
Minimum Requirements — 2003 Golden Heart Short Contemporary Finalist, 2003 Laurie Short Contemporary Third Place, 2003 Great Beginnings Second Place
Maximum Advantage–TRW's 2003 Golden Opportunity Third Place Winner, 2003 Gateway to the Rest Second Place
Chasing Adrienne — 2003 Magic Moments Second Place Winner, 2003 Southern Heat Third Place Winner, 2003 Hold Me Thrill Me First Place Winner
Gone Country — 2003 Golden Rose Second Place Winner, 2003 Emily Third Place
Privileges Granted — 2002 Gateway to the Rest Finalist, 2003 Golden Gateway Short Contemporary Third Place Winner, 2003 Where the Magic Begins Second Place, 2003 Hot Prospects Contemporary Third Place Winner, 2003 Great Expectations Finalist, 2004 OVRWA Enchanted Quill Third Place, 2005 Laurie Short Contemporary Third Place
Her Mr. Right Now — 2004 Golden Gateway Erotica/Steamy Second Place Winner, 2004 Stepping Stone First Place
Damsel in Denim — 2004 Laurie Long Contemporary Third Place, 2004 Golden Gateway Short Contemporary First Place Winner
Bump In The Night — 2005 Winter Rose Third Place
King of Diamonds — 2003 Happy Endings Second Place
She-Cat Seduction — Hold Me Thrill Me First Place Winner 2005
Other Writing Awards won — 2006 WINNER SMRW SS & S Contest- Spicy category, 2006 Third Place SMRW S,S, & Spicy Contest — Spicy Category, Winner 2005 Winter Rose First Place, 2004 Southern Heat Third Place, 2004 SFA-RWA Heart-to-Heart Third Place, 2004 Romancing the Novel Third Place, 2004 Gateway to the Rest 1st place, 2005 Laurie single title Third Place


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T H E U N S E E N collaborated with the luxury fashion brand Tom Ford to design and develop a set of bespoke performance art garments that would respond to body temperatures and change colour during a ballet performance. During the 2-week project T H E U N S E E N created a colour change ink formula that was individual to each ballet dancer that could be applied to a skin tight leotard mesh to reveal 3 different colours.
We also developed and executed an innovative method of screen-printing to ensure that the garments changed colour to reveal a hidden image underneath as part of the overall performance narrative. A total of 4 formulas were developed to create the movement of colour throughout the performance.
"Together we have taken a creative leap, this is just the beginning"
DAVID BAMBER | Head of Design | Tom Ford


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A lot of people say they don't use soap on their face now. I think I know why this is. In the soap industry the glycerin is removed during the soapmaking process so that it can be sold for use in creams etc. I'm guessing that that's why soap is making people's faces dry. Also people are using liquid soap a lot, so we had the idea of making liquid soap to offer for refilling soap dipensers.
This fits in well with the time of year, it being too cold to make bars of soap, and with our desire to use local rapaseed oil, which makes a very soft bar.
Previously Nick and I have been making bars of soap in the usual way using oils and caustic soda. When people first made soap, they were using wood ash and water, that had been concentrated. We'd call that caustic potash. ( the generic term for both caustic potash and soda is lye) This makes a softer soap as potash is deliquescent, (please say ooooh!) that is, it absorbs moisture from the air. Thus the liquid soap is made by a similar process but using a potash lye and a different quantity of oils. What was good for us was that you can do the whole lot in a slow cooker, which makes things lovely and tidy.
later on I'm going to run a few classes on soapmaking and natural cosmetics and remedies at the cafe in Albert St. Ventnor. Apart from teaching the basics of soapmaking, I will be encouraging discussion and sharing of knowledge and experiences of the group. Please let me know if you are interested by replying to this post or call Wendy on 07532372519


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Warm Up Sketch
A video of a quick warm up sketch, with commentary.
inspiring. thanks.
love the way you keep evolving the piece as you go along ,and not being pushy to make it look cool , rather try and learn from the process:) inspiring :)
I love those. Keep posting them when you have the time. Really inspiring! =)
Man this is cool, thanks for sharing this!
nice video marco
thanks Brian - your YouTube vids are partially responsible for getting me back into making them
Thanks for sharing, I definately got a lot out of this.
As always.. THANKS MARCO! Always helpful man.
inspiring and useful, like all your videos; thank you!
Wow Marco!.. Last time I saw your artwork I didn't see what I see now.. you have turned to a drawing machine! you are a monster now!.. congratulations for all your professional illustrations!..
so amazing!
i am going to do this more this summer, now that the term is over.
Fantastic video tutorial Marco , this is one of your best work , that i´ve seen.
.Congratulations for your high level!
Thanks Jose! I'm glad you think so...personally I already hate this painting. haha
Thanks for posting such great stuff. I really enjoy your work!
love it Marco, and you ARE one of the best:)


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Solid, consolidated sleep is so important for any growing child. You will learn the essential sleep habits to help you create healthy children, happy parents, and harmonious homes. We will discuss the developmental challenges, sleep expectations and common pitfalls of children from birth until 6 years of age.
This free class is taught by pediatric sleep consultant, Irene Gouge, owner of Loving Lessons Sleep Solutions. It is a free workshop for all to attend and also serves as the pre requisite to her upcoming pediatric sleep workshops Right Start Sleep and
and Support (birth-6.5months) and Gentle Sleep Plan and Support (6.5 months and older). In these paid workshops Irene will work one on one over a four week series to develop and execute a sleep plan. Please contact Grow, here to get more information about this upcoming workshop. http://www.growthefamilyboutique.com/contact
Irene, with Loving Lessons-Gentle Sleep Solutions will also be offering a Gentle Sleep Solutions workshop beginning on April 24th.
This workshop provides a comfortable environment where a group of parents can get together and learn how to gently solve their child's sleep problems.
You will hear stories from other parents who are facing some of the same challenges as you, learn some gentle strategies you can use to help your child overcome these challenges and have the opportunity to develop a personalized sleep plan that you can start using the same night!
Here's what you will learn in the 2 Gentle Sleep Plan and Support Series:
- Upon registration you will have access to the client resource area where you'll find all you need get started and complete your sleep history form and email back to email@example.com at least 5 days prior to the workshop.
- You will have access to the private facebook support page.
- Personalized review of your family's Client History form
- Sleep 101 – the general "must knows" about sleep from a scientific and behavioral perspective
- The "secrets" to sleep coaching success
- Common sleep problems related to bedtime and naptime and how to fix them
- Create your individualized Gentle Sleep Plan for your child
- Possible pitfalls you might encounter and how to successfully deal with them
- Three- 1 hour Q and A sessionsl to review your sleep logs, answer questions about your personal sleep plan, and help support you while you're implementing your sleep plan
The fee for this series is $175. Please visit http://loving-lessons.com/sgentle-sleep-success-workshop/ and contact a Grow, staff member to register.
The dates for this course are:
-April 24- 3:30-6:30
-May 2- 2:00-3:00
-May 9- 2:00-3:00
May 16- 2:00-3:00


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from Wikipedia
Many are the testimonies written and verbal by ex-members and their relatives[64] which can be found on public domain.[65][66] They come from different continents and span over four decades.[67] Those stories are unique as everyone's reasons for joining differ as much as anyone's journey, spiritual or otherwise. Ex-members generally look back at their involvement as having had very positive aspects. Most think fondly, lovingly of their friends and relatives still members but grieve not been able to maintain a meaningfull contact if any at all with them. Very strict rules of contact between members and non members dictate so.[68] These very personal accounts also carry a strong critique which can be articulated around the following recurring themes.
High level of control in all facets of a member's life: information, lifestyle, travels, functions, finances, relationships with others outside including family, marriage, child rearing, viewpoints on the world, history, news. This control includes also micromanagement through fears and guilt complexes of the members' sense of self, inner worth which leads to shaping their entire reality and their relationship with God and others.[69][70]
Top leadership's cult of personality towards Yoneq (aka Gene Spriggs): although very veiled, very real. Members tell of even the slightest doubt over the doctrine, interpretations or traditions from Yoneq on the part of the members are seen by top leadership as rebellion or treason. People find themselves easily disfellowshiped or even shuned or expulsed. A zero toleration policy for even the slightest deviation from Yoneq's views on anything is the order of the day[71]. Members speak of oppression, inflexibility, unfairness, lack of regard for their person. Many say that what they really desired, to be close to their creator and their fellow human beings was hijacked by Yoneq's ambitions.[72] And their spirituality was reduced to an exercise of blind obedience. So true spirituality couldn't flourish in an ego-ridden environment. Many feel cheated, used and abused.[73][74]
Very deficient education of children: The older they are when they leave the group the more ill prepared for adult life they are. Children who come out as teenagers have extra hurdles than the common child in our society and grieve for the lack of proper education they received and for having being denied a proper childhood.[75][76][77][78]
Medical negligence/incompetency: Gene Spriggs and his wife HaEmeq (aka Marsha Duval) views on health management are "faith based"[79] and take on a trust in nature approach. This has had good consequences but also insidious, sometimes disastrous or even fatal ones. Existing money is not made available for check ups, dental work and for health in general. Reliance on God comes down to doing nothing,[80] more often than not as well as stopping members from getting the help they could have got from outside the group. Some members say they have been denied being able to ensure the health of their children. Generally the decision for taking someone to the doctor or hospital lies in the leaders and members are greatly discouraged from initiating anything. Couple that with the fact that the group might count 1 or 2 qualified doctors or nurses worldwide. Many ex-members speak of a higher than average incidence of still births and deaths of infants [81]very likely the result of a lack of competency on the part of those put in charge of prenatal care and of course of supervising and aiding the labour of mother and child.[82][83][84]
Child abuse: much transpires through the accounts, specially from ex-members parents and second generation ex-members. According to Spriggs, children that are born in or enter when their parents join have all but one destiny, to be an integral part of the group and bring about the vision of the group.[85][86][86] Every necessary step to achieve this vision is a goal in itself, according to Yoneq the most necessary step is the bending of the children's nature into absolute obedience to God, which is, to Yoneq and the top leadership. So children really have no choice and if they fail to believe as is expected of them they will have to leave the group according to Yoneq's word when they reach their teenage years. By not fully subordinating themselves, they have everything to loose. Most children in the Twelve Tribes endure years of continuous, sometimes daily and prolonged beatings. These beatings start between 6 months and 1 year and continue sometimes up to the early teens. The damage revealed is extensive. Children are beaten for the most gratituous of reasons and live in constant fear of doing something wrong.[87][88][89][90][91][92]


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You are here
4 Jordanian entrepreneurs reach global innovation semifinals
By JT - Feb 08,2018 - Last updated at Feb 08,2018
AMMAN — Four Jordanian entrepreneurs reached the semifinals of the 2018 Global Innovation through Science and Technology Competition (GIST Tech-I), the Jordan Competitiveness Programme (JCP) said on Thursday.
The JCP urged Jordanians to vote for the entrepreneurs who were shortlisted, according to a statement posted on the programme's official Facebook page on Thursday.
One entrepreneur is Shahd Douglas who has submitted a mobile application idea for TechTeb, which would enable patients to book home medical appointments instead of in-clinics through geographical location. The app would allow patients to choose healthcare providers from different medical specialties, which would increase efficiency and secure patients' privacy, according to the website of the competition.
Abdalla Odat is another Jordanian entrepreneur participating in the competition with a startup idea titled "Sadeed Artificial Intelligence Automates Social Media Customer Service".
Rasha Al Khateeb is competing with a project called "Escherichia Thunder Fall". The project is concerned with generating electricity from waste using E-coli bacteria, which is both anaerobic and electrochemically active.
Jafar Albadarneh is participating in the competition with "ARtour", a platform that enables museums and tourist sites to deliver a "brand-new" visiting experience using Augmented Reality Technology. The platform aims to "take the tourism industry to a new level and meet visitors' expectations while still preserving sites cultural heritage and value".
The GIST Tech-I Competition is an annual competition for science and technology entrepreneurs from emerging economies worldwide.
Aspiring innovators submit their ideas online which are then reviewed by experts and voted on by the global voting public in order to determine the finalists. US Department of State is inviting all former GIST Tech-I finalists to participate in the program to recruit and mentor the next generation of science and tech entrepreneurs.
This year, innovators from more than 80 emerging economies pitched their ideas and startups to GIST Tech-I The Alumni Mentors are narrowing down the number of competitors.
To vote for the entrepreneurs, visit http://www.gistnetwork.org/content/vote.
Related Articles
Microsoft Jordan signed an agreement this week with the United States Agency for International Development Jordan Competitiveness Programme (USAID JCP) to launch joint initiatives that enhance ...
AMMAN — The Youth Entrepreneurship Training Programme organised by the USAID Jordan Competitiveness Program (USAID JCP) and the King Abdulla
The Queen Rania Centre for Entrepreneurship (QRCE) has announced the conclusion of the semi-final phase of its 2013 contest.
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Starting something new is both exciting and daunting. As a runner, I've found the hardest part of most runs is just getting out the door. I can relate to Newton's First Law of Motion (aka "the law of inertia"): objects at rest like to stay at rest. When you're standing still at the beginning of something it's hard to know how to get going; where to even begin. Inertia—it's an every day struggle.
Newton's First Law of Motion also says that objects in motion tend to stay in motion. Fortunately, I can relate to this too. Once I start a run, it's typically easy to keep going. Once I start writing, blank pages miraculously fill with words. Once I start editing photos, a final product takes shape in my mind and I am eager to push on. Inertia—it's also momentum…forward and onward!
This isn't my first blog, but I felt the need to start fresh. In the time between the last post on my old blog and now, I have accumulated a lot of photos, started a couple of projects, and dreamed up plenty of ideas to pursue further down the road. I'm excited about all of this—but it's been hard to know where to start…
So I've decided to just start—to push past this state of rest and put things in motion. I'm hoping that by getting this first blog post over with inertia will, once again, be on my side (pushing me forward… and onward).
In sticking with the theme of fresh starts, here are photos of some fresh snow which fell over our Christmas holiday in Winthrop, Washington.
Here we go!


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This is currently one of Jackson's favorite things to do....ride Moose
He loves these guys...feeding them treats and getting them dinner
Last night Moose disappeared. I let him out around 9 or so and he went wandering...he does this often.
Usually he comes home but not last night. Of course not. Ryan is gone and I really can't be running all over the neighborhood in the pouring rain looking for him. So I left the garage door open and went to bed. I woke about about 4 and went downstairs hoping that he had returned. Nope.
I called the police about 7...letting them know that he was missing. Low and behold...a police cruiser was in my driveway about 15 min later....Moose had spent the night with them.
Good thing Jackson has his playmate back.


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I have the Henna (Yemen) for Gray Hair Medium brunette Kit by Ancient Sunrise from Mehendi, and I have a few questions on how to use. I have medium to dark brown hair 3c/4a (natural no chemicals) with gray strands througout, but not salt & pepper, more brown than gray. I have used semi perm hair color and Surya Cream Henna, but not in the last 6 months. My goal is to cover my gray, get the conditioning benefits from the henna treatment and hopefully it will also loosen my curl pattern.
The instructions say after mixing the indigo with the henna, leave it in for 2 hours. Is the 2 hours long enough to get the benefits of the henna treatment, if I leave the mix in longer than 2 hours, will my hair turn black, which I don't want?
Also, how long does it take for this type of henna (Yeman) to release color? The instructions say over night or 12 hours, is there a faster way? I have some green tea to mix with the henna, using purified water, is that OK or should I use some type of fruit juice like apple or both tea and juice?
Finally, I also purchased 100g of Celebration Henna and 100g of Indigo, I was undecided on which Henna would work the best. I have been reading that Celebration has a really fast color release and covers gray really well. My biggest concern is not turning my gray to a loud red or orange or some weird color. This is my first time using henna in powder format and I have never worked with indigo. What is the best and easiest approach, using the Kit ingredients or using the Celebration and the indigo if needed?
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated....I am planning to do it this weekend.


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Consultancy Services
Manufacturers often face problems when applying foreign Codes and Standards. Below you will find some examples of how we can help you with such specific problems.
- Unfamiliar with the laws, rules and regulations at the place of operation?
No matter where, we assist in complying with the local requirements.
We help you obtain state specials from the authorities at the place of operation.
- Could a Code Case help?
Applying for a Code Case is an option to make your specific equipment comply with the ASME Code. Should you need to use a material not listed in Section II Part D, a Code Case could be the answer to gain a competitive edge.
- Unsure about how to understand the Code? Ask for an ASME Interpretation!
By asking for an official ASME Code Interpretation, we can help you apply the ASME Code correctly and efficiently.
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It pays to become am ASME certified Manufacturer. Turn to us to make sure you can benefit from your investment right from the beginning.
Click how to become certified by ASME to get an overview of the certification procedure.
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Send email


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Safe Patient Handling Newsletter Autumn 2017 edition - out now!
We are pleased to publish the latest Safe Patient Handling newsletter. In this issue we discuss our three brand new product videos on the Invacare Robin® Ceiling Hoist and Aquatec Ocean® Shower Chair Commodes, introduce the brand new Aquatec Pure Bidet electronic toilet seat and also preview our attendance at this year's OT show.
Download your copy here:


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Measurement and Control are essential to any strong manufacturing process. It's essential to know that the plants Instrumentation is reading the correct values and that the equipment is operating within the pre-defined tolerances. P J Bonner has been working with manufacturers across Ireland, learning about various processes and adapting to the needs of manufacturing facilities since 1978. Our knowledge of how instrumentation interacts with each system enables us to advise customers on the best approach for plant calibrations and the relevant documentation requirements.
Manufacturing Experience
Manufacturing facilities typically have a number of processes in operation, manufacturing a variety of products. P J Bonner can calibrate a wide variety of Instrumentation and Weighing equipment and we can work with custom built and/or manufactured designed systems. We liaise closely with the manufacturing or production managers to schedule our work and this clear communications enables us to calibrate efficiently and to minimise downtime.
- Our technicians are all fully qualified to work in a manufacturing environment
- We work with Managers and Directors to ensure the calibration schedule minimises down-time
- Our experience in this area is extensive and our technicians fully understand the need for a quality service.
Expert Calibration Services
Large and small-scale manufacturing facilities trust us as their leading calibration supplier and they have total confidence in our robust, proven service. We calibrate all instrumentation on site including Temperature, Pressure, Humidity, Flow and we also calibrate all Weighing Equipment including Analytical Balances, Floor or Bench Scales, Platform Scales, Piece or Counting . All calibrations are delivered in accordance with our own highest standards of service. We;
- Calibrate all Instrumentation and Weighing On-Site
- Return Items to our Instrument Workshop for Calibrations, where required
- Ensure all Technicians are Qualified and use Certified and Traceable Test Instruments
Any new facility using Instrumentation must have confidence in the equipment being used on a new build. We can provide clients with Bench Calibration, Loop Checking and Final Calibration as part of the overall project management of a new build and we liaise closely with the main stake holders of the project, to secure the best result.
PJBonner work with manufacturers in Dublin, Cork, Limerick , Galway and all the major towns on the Island of Ireland. Contact us today for a competitive quote and to learn more about our expertise in this area.


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Terms and conditions
- The auction takes place voluntarily and publicly against payment in Swiss Francs against invoice, credit cards, PayPal and for USA and CANADA bank checks accepted.
- The legal Swiss VAT will not be applicable to any lots purchased at auction.
- WALTER FUERST PHILATELY has the right to withdraw, regroup or refuse to knock down any lot. In the event of identical bids, the one first received takes precedence. In the event of misunderstanding, the lot is reoffered.
- The starting price is the minimum price in CHF (Swiss Francs)
- Lots are awarded to the highest bidder by knock-down which creates an obligation to take delivery. A commission of 12% is added to the purchase price. Additionally we add shipping fees.
- Written bids which are higher than the best bid of a online-bidder will be considered carefully and in the bidder's interest but without prejudice. In case of two or more identical bids, the first bid will be deemed to the successful bid.
- Upon the fall of the Auctioneer's hammer, a sales contract is entered into between the Auctioneer and the bidder. The buyer is obligated to accept the goods. The risk passes to the buyer with the fall of the hammer. Title of ownership however passes to the buyer only after full payment of the total amount due.
- Payment of lots is due within ten days after each auction. Postal or Commission bidders are obligated to transfer the amount due immediately on receipt of invoice. The handing over of lots can only be claimed after payment in full. The lots sold to Postal or Commission Bidders will be forwarded by mail or by other means of transport at the Bidder's wish, risk and expense.
All extensions must be cleared within 10 days after receipt or shipment of the items. Extensions for expert opinion will normally only be considered for reasons of genuineness or classification. Extension of an item is not possible, if
- the item has an attestation or any expertise
- all faults, defects etc. are visible in the auction catalogue or are described
- the buyer changed parts of the lot or the entire lot
- lots content 3 or more stamps, items, covers, cards etc.
- Signatures of experts are not considered as change of an item.
- Claims for genuineness or repairs at a stamp must be proved by an expert with attestation within 6 month after receipt of the item and to the buyer's costs.
- Offers are accepted by FAX, email, bidding sheet or internet means.


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Yet, one is sure; there's a flared revival everywhere and here some inspiring articles to see more about this come back:
Have you already made posts with flared pants and outfits? You can share the link of your blog post here until March 15th. Just click on the bottom "Add your link" and copy / paste your blog post link in the new dialogue page. Feel free to visit, comment and share the links of others!!!


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Hi Everyone!
- Cardmadfairys Ribbons & Bows
- Card MakingMamas Something Old (SU Stamp)
- Charisma Cardz Clean & Simple
- Poodles Parlour Valentines
- Stamping with the Dragon Anything Goes
- Wags & Wiskers Valentines/Love
This is totally adorable! What a cute image!
this image is sooooooooooooo sweet really really love this cutie, and love your style.
Hi Marjo,
What an adorable card ! Magnificent paper. Nice stamp. Bravo ! It's successsful !
Thanks for joining us at Charisma Cardz this week.
Hugs from France.
what a lovely card hun,thanks for joining our ribbons and bows challenge at cardmadfairy's digi days and good luck in the challenge
hugs sandra dt for cmfdd
Adorable card.
Thanks for sharing it with us at Charisma this week.
Good luck.
Debs xx
Fab card! :) Thank you for joining us at Charisma this week :) Emma x
Too cute, thanks for playing along with CMM!
wonderful card, thanks for joining the Stamping with the Dragon Challenge xxx
Great card. I am sure whatever troop gets this they will appreciate it.
Thank you for joining as at Stamping with Dragon
beautiful card! thanks for joining in at the Digi Days challenge this fortnight! Gemma :)


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4224 California Street Suite 203
San Francisco, CA 94118
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 12:30 PM to 7:00 PM
By appointment only. Emergency care by appointment only.
"A month of neck pain and years of shoulder pain gone."
"Dr. Camp, thanks for fixing my back, see ya on the H2O."
"Dr. Camp the strongest Chiropractor I've ever seen and I've seen many."
"Dr. Camp is by far the best I've seen and I've seen many Chiropractors in my 30+ years as an athlete. He is also very personable with a great bedside manner… and integrity."
"I LOVE golf and my shoulder was so bad I was thinking of quitting. One visit with Dr. Camp and my shoulder was sixty percent better.Macke's Pick, Best Health Investment: a visit with Dr. Camp!"
"When I come through San Francisco on tour, I see Dr. Camp at least a few times. I hit my record drive after he worked on me."
"Dr. Camp is the greatest guy in the world. Thanks for all your help and support."
"I suffered from severe chronic low back pain for ten years. After two months of treatment with Dr. Camp I am totally pain free. Take it from me, try the Posture Correction program, it works!"
"In the 2004 King of the Bay competition I injured my foot, Dr. Camp taped me up and I went on to win it for the third straight year. Thanks Dr. C"
"I was literally disabled for two months, I tried everything, two visits with Dr. Camp and I was back on the job with minimal pain."


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Subcategory Of Furniture-Manufacturers
List of Furniture Manufacturers in India: Furniture Manufacturers needs get fulfilled at Myinfoline Business Directory in India. Furniture Manufacturers Yellow Pages contains the names of thousands of Furniture Manufacturers Business with address of offices and shops in India. Find list of Furniture Manufacturers in India along with their complete business profile and products & services offered. For the ease of the buyers, the Furniture Manufacturers Directory provides easy and instant access to the desired Furniture Manufacturers products & services offers in India. There is systematic categorization of thousands of Furniture Manufacturers products & services with a brief description. Furniture Manufacturers Yellow Pages in India give a platform to the sellers from all over the world to add their business to invite interested buyers to buy their products. Sellers can list their offered products within the appropriate product categories and can receive uncounted business enquiries from best buyers. The section of Furniture Manufacturers trade leads is designed here where buyers can post online trade leads for their desired product and services. Sellers can invite buyers to buy their offered services and products via trade leads in India. Find your local needs of Furniture Manufacturers in India search information of Furniture Manufacturers offered products & services, address of shops offices & factory. Find phone numbers of Furniture Manufacturers in India, addresses of Furniture Manufacturers in India, map of Furniture Manufacturers in India, email id of Furniture Manufacturers in India, my offers of Furniture Manufacturers in India, see ratings & reviews of Furniture Manufacturers in India, for best search of Furniture Manufacturers in India. Submit your enquiries and get price quotes and deals to instantly! Post Free Classifieds in India Classifieds
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40 'C' Street Hains Road Cleveland Town ,Frazer Town,
Contact: Reception
Call: 9972310805
Views - 1017
82/4-D, Erode New Bus Stand Road, Mettur Road,
Contact: Reception
Call: 0432211937
Views - 986
No. 86, West T. V. Samy Road, R. S. Puram,
Contact: Reception
Call: 1111111111
Views - 607
115, Ratanmani Complex, 7/1,New Palasia, Opp. Corporation Bank
Contact: Reception
Call: 7415638940
Views - 1128
5, S.R. Compound, Lasudia Mori, Dewas Naka
Contact: Reception
Call: 9329489995
Views - 1358
"Zuari House" 41, Montieth Road, Chennai-600 008.
Contact: Reception
Call: 4428528731
Views - 685
Karmsheel Building, B-9/18 , Sec- K, Aliganj, Ali Ganj, Lucknow,
Contact: Reception
Call: 9935044555
Views - 987
Shop No. 1, No. 1-60/30, Bolaram Road, J.P. Nagar Circle, Miyapur, Hyderabad - 500049
Contact: Reception
Call: 8712842001
Views - 844
No. 12-10-336/10, Seethafalmandi, Secunderabad, Hyderabad - 500061
Contact: Reception
Call: 9440370908
Views - 839
No. 12-10-590/27/7, Warasiguda, Hyderabad - 500061
Contact: Reception
Call: 9177390063
Views - 745
Loading Next Set of Listing.


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Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Miles from reception
16 comments:
Amazing post, love your photos!ReplyDelete
Fashionhypnotised girlReplies
Awee glad you liked it so much, thank you so much Laura!! <3Delete
Love your skirt .ReplyDelete
xx , LowesReplies
Thank you so much, dear!! <3Delete
Very Nice pictures!!! Love your outfit!ReplyDelete
Really glad you like them, thank you so much dear!Delete
I'll visit your blog now too!! <3
Such a cool post! All the photos are edited so well X3ReplyDelete
I wish Id have thought to take some while we were there.
Also I can't wait til next time we go camping! It is so fun! >:DReplies
Awee thank you Jenna!! <3 Heehee I love editing them waaay too much D:Delete
At least Matt took some, I guess?!
And yeah! Omg too bad we can't take photos floating Barton to Carver. Unless we get a waterproof container thingy!
- Replies
Awee thank you so much as always, Fenny!! <333Delete
I am obsessed with that skirt! You look lovely!ReplyDelete
It's sooo cute, I got it years and years ago when I worked at forever 21. I can't ever seem to get enough of it XDDelete
Beautiful pictures, looks like you guys had lots of fun!ReplyDelete
greetings from www.lifeisacutechaos.blogspot.comReplies
Thank you so much for the comment and the compliment! Glad you like the photos!! <3 I'll visit your blog now too!!Delete
Very cute! love the skirt a lot, and the top!ReplyDelete
- Josie, 8bitgrayscaleReplies
Awee, thank you so much Josie! Super glad you like everything!!Delete


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Frequently Asked Questions
- Does the 1930 Model A use a positive ground? Thank you.
- My 1931 Model A would not start. The sound was the engine trying to turn over and than no sound at a
- When hooking up the battery disconnect switch with the bracket that mounts on the starter, is the or


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Microblogging site Twitter has emerged as one of the most popular social media websites on the internet. In its short lifespan, Twitter has managed to acquire over 200 million registered users. This and the general popularity of social media websites has made Twitter a prime take-over target. Companies like Google and Facebook have shown more than a passing interest in acquiring Twitter and reports suggest that the price they are willing to pay gives Twitter a valuation in the region of $8-10 billion.
A $10 billion valuation for a loss-making company with only $45 million in revenues reminds one of the dotcom bubble in the late nineties which was characterized by a frenzy to acquire loss-making and low turnover internet companies at illogical and absurd valuations.
The tech bubble has now turned into a social media bubble. A recent $1.5 billion investment in Facebook valued the company at $50 billion as compared to a $10 billion valuation in mid-2009. Similarly, deal of the day website Groupon Inc. recently refused a $6 billion take-over offer by Google and has instead decided to tap the capital market with a public offering.
Both Facebook and Google are keen on buying Twitter and have maintained communication with the Twitter management in this regard. On its part, Twitter is trying hard into converting its huge 200 million strong subscriber base into a business opportunity. Twitter introduced advertising last year. It also recently came out with three new advertising plans, viz. Promoted Trends, Promoted Tweets and Promoted Accounts. Twitter has also expanded the head count to 350 employees up from only 100 in early 2010. Sources close to the company suggest that Twitter executives are confident of turning Twitter into a $100 billion company.
Twitter is also in the process of constituting an executive team to oversee growth. The company appointed former Google employee Dick Costolo as CEO last year. The company also appointed Adam Bain as the president of global sales in August this year. Bain is a former president of Fox Interactive Media.
The current frenzy for social networking websites can be easily read from the fact that large companies like Facebook and Google are ready to buy a relatively small company like Twitter for an exorbitant $10 billion. Twitter's long-term valuation will be decided by its ability to convert its 200 million strong subscriber base into a dependable income stream.


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After weeks of feeling completely helpless when it comes to secondhand shopping in LA, Jonathan and I found out about the Fairfax/Melrose Flea Market. I was weary that everything would be grossly over priced, seeing as it's in Hollywood, and was pleasantly surprised to see totally reasonable prices for most stuff... bargains, even. The weather was perfect, and we spent half the day wandering around from booth to booth. We scored an antique latter for our garden, some great vinyl, and I got a vintage white cotton top that for whatever reason reminds me of Marjorie Rawlings. Here are some highlights:
1. Disney Graffiti on an old door, and some Bambi paraphernalia. I love vintage Disney stuff.
2. A Victoria Secret nightgown from the VS era when everything was classy as opposed to hot pink. Remember when you could buy your mom gifts there? Also, charm necklaces for $5 a pop. I found a TX charm.
3. Cool prints and collections of Coral
4. 2 cute boys at a booth with 4 records for a dollar.
5. Stylin' ladies lookin' for vintage clothes.
6. Collections of old photos and hemmed 80's and 90's sundresses.


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The past few weeks have seen several developments that have the very real potential to be quite beneficial for investors in Norway's Equinor (EQNR). This is a company that has looked rather undervalued for quite some time now, particularly when compared to its big oil peers in the United States. This is likely due both to the company not being included in any of the major American indices such as the S&P 500 (SPY) that American investors typically hold passively as well as many of them feeling somewhat uncomfortable at the Norwegian government having a two-thirds stake in the business. However, as I explained in a recent article, Equinor is truly a great company that deserves a place in the portfolio of every energy investor. In this article, we will discuss a few of the developments that are likely to benefit investors going forward.
On Tuesday, July 3, 2018, Equinor submitted a plan to develop the massive gas fields located in the Western portion of the Troll field offshore Norway. According to the plan, the company would invest a total of NOK 7.8 billion ($936 million) to develop the gas field, which would provide enough gas to meet the needs of fifty million European households for the next thirty years. As the development of the field would cost less than $1 billion and Equinor would have total production costs of under $10 per barrel of oil equivalent, we can expect the 2.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent that the company will ultimately extract from the field to yield significant profits. Indeed, as Equinor vice president Margareth Oevrum stated, "This is probably one of the most profitable and robust projects in the company's history."
The Troll oil and natural gas field is one of the largest fields known in the North Sea, holding approximately 40% of Norway's gas reserves.
Source: RigZone
As shown above, the field is located approximately 65 kilometers west of Bergen. The field itself consists of two structures, Troll East and Troll West, with most of the gas lying in the already producing East structure. The plan that Equinor just submitted is for the Troll West structure so it is clearly intended to boost the total production from the field. Due to the potential economic impact, it seems unlikely that the Norwegian authorities will reject the plan. Assuming that is indeed the case, the Troll West field would likely come online sometime early next decade so would begin contributing positively to the company's results around that time.
On Thursday, July 5, 2018, Equinor announced that it gained approval from the Norwegian authorities to proceed with its Snorre expansion project. This $2.39 billion project involves the construction of a comprehensive subsea development, upgrading of the Snorre A installation, increasing gas injection into the reservoir, and setting up a gas import system to obtain this gas. The goal here is to extend the productive life of the aging Snorre field past 2040 and obtain another 200 million barrels of oil from it before the field is ultimately exhausted. Naturally, this will increase the amount of oil that Equinor can ultimately pull out of the field and sell.
The Snorre field is an oil and gas field located in the southern part of the Norwegian Sea. The field itself is located at the bottom of approximately 300 to 350 meters of water.
Source: RigZone
The Snorre field was originally developed by Saga Petroleum (now part of Equinor) and started producing oil in 1992. It has been producing oil and gas continually since that time, although Equinor has had to make some capital improvements at the site to keep the field productive. Thus far, Equinor has enjoyed success with these programs as the field was originally projected to reach the end of its productive life in 2011 but it is now projected to be exhausted around 2040. The goal of the newest project that was just approved is to extend its life beyond that date.
The Snorre field is one of the largest ever discovered, originally estimated to contain 1.4 billion barrels of oil, 6 billion cubic meters of natural gas, and 6 million tonnes of natural gas liquids.
Finally, on Friday, July 6, Equinor announced that it is purchasing Danish trading firm Danske Commodities for €400 million ($470 million). According to Irene Rummelhoff, executive vice president for new energy solutions at Equinor, the purpose of the deal is to strengthen the company's position in power generation from renewable energy.
Danske itself trades in natural gas and electricity futures, so this appears to be a move by Equinor to improve its ability to hedge its exposure to electricity rates as it continues to expand into renewable power generation technologies. Numerous energy companies operate trading desks as a way to reduce the impact that rapid commodity price swings have on their revenues. Equinor is merely joining the crowd here by purchasing an already existing operation instead of starting one from scratch.
The profitability of trading operations can be quite difficult to judge in advance. Personally, I somewhat doubt that the purchase of this commodity trading operation will have a huge impact on Equinor's profitability. What it may help to do though is smooth out the company's profitability over the business cycle, which itself has a certain benefit for shareholders, particularly those that are buy and hold types.
Despite these positive developments, Equinor remains undervalued relative to its big oil peers. With that said though, analysts recently revised downward the forward earnings growth expectations of Equinor which makes it look somewhat more expensive than it did a few weeks ago despite its stock price being almost flat over the period. One way that we can compare the valuations of different oil companies is by looking that the price-to-earnings growth ration, which is a way of adjusting the price-to-earnings growth ratio to account for forward earnings growth. According to Zacks Investment Research, Equinor will grow its earnings at an 11.68% rate over the next three to five years. At the current stock price of $26.97, that gives it a price to earnings growth ratio of 1.18. Interestingly, two weeks ago, the same analysts projected a 3-5 year earnings growth rate of 19.89%. Thus, analysts expect that the developments discussed above will slow the company's growth. I expect the opposite, although admittedly I am looking over much longer than a three to five year horizon.
Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.
I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Additional disclosure: I intend to initiate a long position in EQNR at some point in the near future but it will not be within 72 hours of publication.


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33+ DIY Patriotic Crafts for Americans
The 4th of July, additionally accepted as Independence Day, is a amusing anniversary for Americans. It is additionally a abundant time of the year to adorn your home with all red, white and dejected and added affectionate affair decorations.
Here we accept so abounding admirable 4th of July decorations, which can accord to a blithe atmosphere and blaze for this holiday. From affectionate lollipop centerpiece or popsicle stick flags to yarn cord lights , there are abounding things that can accomplish your home attending blithe for a affectionate holiday.