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I had the honor of watching a Standing Room Only theatrical production of The Wizard of Oz today, in Yelm, and thought to myself, if ever there was a production worthy of your review this would be it.
Now, I have to be honest and say that I am probably too critical to be a critic, since my expectation–as my students know, is for everyone to strive for perfection. I am also going to admit to being partial to a number of the performers since they belong to what is known as "Team Simpson." However, this community theater production has a lot of heart, some serious brains, and a dash of courage, but did stray a bit too far from home.
Directed by the Drew Harvey Theater alumnus, Nancy Tribush Hillman, the show was not just an unpackaging of the 1939 Movie classic, since it includes musical numbers from Wicked and The Wiz to showcase the singing talents of the witches and the wizard. The alternate numbers were deftly included in the show in a way that they didn't distract, but did take some courage to roll the dice and include them in the production since many in the audience could have easily sung along with the actors for much of the show. The brains included in the show were evident in the minimalist staging, stark backdrops, and clever makeup effects by Taylor Simpson. The children in the audience, and many adults around me were amazed at the transition made through makeup to the principals–Lion, Tin Man, Scarecrow, and the Wicked Witch. It was also evident that some of the casting was brilliant–the Wicked Witch, Scarecrow, and Dorothy seemed born to play these roles, and some of the parts were played by actors making their theatrical debuts, including many of the Munchkins–local elementary school aged kids and younger, the doorman of Oz, played by Nicholas Byers a magician by trade who did yeoman work in his role, and another, the Tin Man was portrayed by community theater veteran Alexandria Longshore who took over the role in typical Wizard of Oz fashion for the ill Kieran Keeslar, in the days before opening night.
The principals–Jan Van Hess as the Wizard/Professor Marvel, Shelby Gebb as Glinda, Rae Simpson as the Wicked Witch/Miss Gulch, James Page as the Lion/Zeke, Guy Simpson, III as the Scarecrow/Hunk, Alex Longshore as the Tin Man/Hickory, and Kate Simpson as Dorothy–really carried the show with their renditions of the classics. Watching the opening left little doubt that Dorothy was in the house, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," was sung beautifully. A few older women in front of me said, "That's how it's supposed to be sung," and "she's amazing," and they were both right. However, I was left feeling offended that the child playing Toto, took it upon herself to bark during the song, and actually howled during the closing line of the song… Completely disrespectful for the actress singing her heart out, and for the message of the classic song. The set change during the tornado actually got a round of applause, and the seventeen plus Munchkins did their parents proud as they fumbled and bumbled through the scene without too many errors. The appearance of the Wicked Witch brought the audience to the edge of their seats, as Rae Simpson owned the role. As Dorothy began her journey to the Emerald City the rest of the principals began to emerge. The Scarecrow, takes over the stage as the lanky 6'9″ actor nimbly does pratfalls and tumbles in a Ray Bolger/Jim Carrey hybrid. I had seen an advance showing of his "If I Only Had a Brain," number with Dorothy when they appeared at a Triad Theater benefit a week ago, so I knew the audience was in for a treat. However, today, the child in the role of Toto was never where she needed to be, making the Scarecrow look less animated than the rusty Tin Man as he tried to avoid stepping on her, and waited for her to get in place for the choreographed dance. All of the audience was robbed of the opportunity to see the comic genius and rubbery moves of the Scarecrow. Alex Longshore did her best as the Tin Man and was in a tough spot playing a masculine role with less than a week to rehearse, she did not disappoint, though she did go a bit high when she first started her song. James Page, playing the role of the Cowardly Lion, like Dorothy, the Wicked Witch, and the Scarecrow, had the perfect voice inflection for his character as it was first portrayed in the Technicolor classic 74 years ago. He was very believable in his role, though he too had difficulty with the child actor portraying Toto, at one point he actually stepped on her as she laid on the stage. The inclusion of "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News," from The Wiz gave the opportunity for the multi-talented Rae Simpson to sing as the Wicked Witch, and made many in the audience say she was a "stunning witch." The Scarecrow, Lion, and the Wicked Witch did a lot of interaction with the crowd getting lots of little kids to cheer, yell, and shriek. One mother said after the show that her daughter, who has only said a few words, pulled out her pacifier and said "Dorothy!" during the performance.
The chemistry of the leads was evident after the Wizard had floated away in his balloon, leaving Dorothy to find her own way back to Kansas via her ruby slippers. As she turns and says good-bye to each of her friends, she hugged the Tin Man and tears began to well in her eyes, making the Lion and the Scarecrow join her in the emotional moment as they took their turns hugging her. After delivering the classic, "I'll miss you most of all," with red glistening eyes Dorothy returned to center stage and began to tap her heels together and repeat those five famous words, "There's no place like home." I would recommend this show for people of all ages, and especially for those who have never seen a live theatrical performance so that they can see the magic of live theater. The only thing keeping this from getting a full five-star rating was the annoyance caused by the child Toto. The director missed the boat on this one, letting a child have card blanche, and do anything she wants was the only real flaw in this show. When she was talking during "If I Only Had a Brain," telling the Scarecrow where his hat was, etc., or missing all of her choreography and messing up her fellow cast mates, or barking and yapping during songs or key pieces of dialogue, or especially when she howled during the signature song of the show I kept thinking that it might have been better if Miss Gulch had given Toto to the Sheriff to put the dog down. I kind of felt like if the director truly wanted to cast a more interactive/human-like Toto, she should have gone the Scooby-Doo route, or even cast the dog in a canine version of Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat, with a vest and pocket watch once he arrived in Oz, but instead the dog is portrayed as a honey badger, without the comedic narration. The Wizard of Oz is an American classic, it is not the Odd Adventures of Toto, the dog is not meant to be the star, and in fact might have been better cast being a stuffed toy like Sylvester the cat. Toto is important to the story, but the dog really isn't anything more than a device to advance the plot. This is a good show, not a re-tread of the movie, and the efforts put forward by the cast and crew of this production raised the bar because it was live and interactive, and many of the individual performances were outstanding.
If you want to see it, you are in for a treat. There are four more performances–Sunday, December 15th at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM, and Wednesday, December 18th at 7:00 PM, and Thursday, December 19th at 7:00 PM. For more information see the link below to the Facebook Event page:
SRO Presents: The Wizard of Oz
Play Description
Orphan Dorothy Gale lives a simple life in Kansas with Aunt Em, Uncle Henry and three colorful farm hands, lunk-headed Hunk, blustery-but-timid Zeke, and seemingly cold-hearted Hickory. One day the stern neighbor Miss Almira Gulch is bitten by Dorothy's dog, Toto. Dorothy senses that Miss Gulch will try to do something dreadful, but her aunt and uncle, as well as the farmhands, are too busy with their work to listen. Dorothy yearns for a better place in the song Over the Rainbow. Miss Gulch shows up and takes Toto away to be destroyed, by order of the sheriff, over the impassioned protests of Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. Toto escapes and returns to Dorothy, who is momentarily elated but soon realizes Miss Gulch will return. She decides to take Toto and run away.
On their journey Dorothy encounters Professor Marvel, a lovable but fake fortune-teller who, out of concern for Dorothy, tricks her into believing Aunt Em is ill so Dorothy will not run away from home. Dorothy rushes back to the farm but is knocked unconscious, inside the house, by a sudden tornado that has already forced her family into the storm cellar behind the house. A confused Dorothy awakens to discover the house has been caught up in the twister. Through the bedroom window, she sees a parade of people fly by. Then she sees Miss Gulch, also caught in the tornado, and pedaling her bicycle in midair, transform into a witch. Moments later the twister drops the house, Dorothy and Toto over the rainbow and into Oz.
Stepping into full three-strip Technicolor, Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, arrives and informs Dorothy they are in Munchkinland. She tells Dorothy she has killed the ruby-slippered Wicked Witch of the East by "dropping a house" on her. Encouraged by Glinda, the timid Munchkins come out of hiding and celebrate the demise of the witch singing "Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead" among other cheerful songs until her sister, the Wicked Witch of the West, appears to claim the powerful ruby slippers. Glinda magically transports the slippers onto Dorothy's feet and reminds the witch her power is ineffectual in Munchkinland. The witch vows revenge on Dorothy and leaves the same way she arrived, in a blaze of fire and smoke. Glinda tells Dorothy, who is anxious to return home, that the only way to get back to Kansas is to ask the mysterious Wizard of Oz in the Emerald City for help. Glinda advises Dorothy to never take off the slippers and "follow the yellow brick road" to reach the Emerald City. On her way Dorothy befriends a Scarecrow with no brain, a Tin Man with no heart, and a Cowardly Lion. The three decide to accompany Dorothy to the Wizard in hopes of obtaining their desires (a brain, a heart and courage respectively). Along the way the group confronts a forest of angry apple trees and several failed attempts by the witch to stop them, notably the Deadly Poppy Fields which lull Dorothy, Toto and the Lion to sleep. When they arrive at the Emerald City, the populace is threatened by the Wicked Witch, who skywrites a demand for the city to "Surrender Dorothy." The group talks to the Wizard of Oz–a disembodied and imposing head with a booming voice–who says that he will consider granting their wishes if they can bring him the broom of the Wicked Witch.
The group then departs for the witch's castle. On their way to the witch's castle, they are attacked by flying monkeys, who carry Dorothy and Toto away and deliver her to the witch, who demands the ruby slippers. When Dorothy refuses, the witch tries to remove them but is prevented by a shower of sparks. She realizes the shoes cannot be removed as long as Dorothy is alive and plots on how to destroy her without damaging the shoes' spell. As the Witch is considering on how to kill Dorothy, Toto takes the opportunity to take escape from the Witch's grasp with Dorothy crying, "Run, Toto, run!" Outraged, the Witch screams at her monkey second-in-command Nikko, "Catch him, you fool!" but Toto manages to escape, much to Dorothy's relief. The Witch, furious, snarls to Dorothy, "Which is more than you will do," and runs over to a large hourglass filled with blood-red sand and turns it over, gleefully telling Dorothy "That's how much longer you`ve got to be alive." She puts the hourglass down and runs out of the chamber, locking Dorothy inside. Sobbing, Dorothy calls for Aunt Em, saying she is frightened. Aunt Em appears, and Dorothy tries to tell her that she is trying to get home. The witch appears, mocking and laughing at Dorothy. Meanwhile, Toto manages to find the lion, the scarecrow, and the Tin Man and lead them to the castle where Dorothy is awaiting her demise. Once inside they are barely able to free Dorothy and attempt an escape. The witch and her Winkie soldiers corner the group on a parapet, where the witch sets the Scarecrow on fire. To douse the flames, Dorothy throws water on them, and accidentally splashes water on the horrified witch, causing her to melt. To the group's surprise, the soldiers are delighted. Their captain gives Dorothy the broomstick to thank her for their liberation from the witch.
Upon their return, the wizard tells Dorothy and her companions, "Go away and come back tomorrow." Thanks to Toto, though, they discover the wizard is not really a wizard at all, just a man behind a curtain. They are outraged at the deception, but the wizard solves their wishes through common sense and a little double talk rather than magic–even telling them that they had what they were searching for all along. The wizard explains that he too was born in Kansas and his presence in Oz was the result of an escaped hot air balloon. He promises to take Dorothy home in the same balloon after leaving the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and Lion in charge of Emerald City. Just before take off, Toto jumps out of the balloon's basket after a cat. Dorothy jumps out to catch Toto and the wizard, unable to control the balloon, leaves without her. She is sadly resigned to spend the rest of her life in Oz until Glinda appears and tells her she can use the ruby slippers to return home with Toto. Glinda explains she did not tell Dorothy at first because she needed to learn "if you can't find your heart's desire in your own backyard, then you never really lost it to begin with." Dorothy and Toto say goodbye to their friends, and Dorothy follows Glinda's instructions to "tap your heels together and repeat the words, 'There's no place like home'."
Back in sepia tone she awakens in her bedroom in Kansas surrounded by family and friends and tells them of her journey. Everyone laughs and tells her it was all a bad dream, except Uncle Henry. A happy Dorothy, still convinced the journey was real, hugs Toto and says, "There's no place like home."
When Dorothy wakes up from her trip to Oz, the issue with Toto and Miss Gulch appears unresolved and left to the audience to interpret, Miss Gulch may be intended to have died in the tornado, possibly in conjunction with the deaths of the Wicked Witches of Oz.


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Opponents of the state's new billboard law prepared a complaint and temporary restraining order request Feb. 29, 2012, in Wake County Superior Court. The legal action by Scenic NC, Inc., is aimed at keeping the N.C. Department of Transportation from permitting vegetation removal – primarily trees – in front of billboards and other outdoor advertising under new temporary rules set to take effect March 1.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Disney has announced it will be closing its very popular "Soarin'" attraction on January 4 for an extensive renovation.
Construction had already been ongoing to enlarge the attraction which has had severely long wait times since it's opening in 2005. In addition to increasing the capacity, this renovation will also make way for the new film which will have visitors hang gliding over locations all over the world – not just in California (which was really weird and lazy for a park in Florida to have a ride set in California, amiright? They should have filmed another one years ago).
A version of the attraction will also be opening in Shanghai Disney called 'Soarin' over the Horizon" and that was probably the deciding factor for finally filming a new update for the ride.
Ride will reopen in the summer of 2016. I guess expect the "Test Track" lines to get longer during that period as a result.
Corey Jenkins
Latest posts by Corey Jenkins (see all)
- Final Rogue One Trailer Looks Amazing - October 13, 2016
- "Luke Cage" Slated for September 30th Release on Netflix - August 9, 2016
- Poster Confirms "Injustice 2" Video Game – UPDATED - June 7, 2016


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Strasburg, N.D.: Melvina (Grismer) Lesmeister, 82, died Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013, at the Strasburg Care Center.
Mass of Christian burial will be 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 14, 2013, at St. Augustine's Catholic Church in Bowdle, with Father Doug Binsfeld, celebrant.
Funeral Home visitation begins 2 p.m. Sunday, with a 7 p.m. wake service.
To read the full obituary or to view the tribute video, visit millerlienfh.com.
Lien Funeral Home of Bowdle is in charge of arrangements.


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The Baggies stunned the Red Devils courtesy of an opportunistic second half goal from striker Jay Rodriguez, thus confirming Manchester City's status as Premier League champions. City had previously won an FA Cup, two league Cups, FA Community Shield, and two Premier League titles since the take-over of the influential and affluent United Arab Group in 2008.
City, however, now sit on 87, and would reach 102 points if they were to win each of their remaining five games, thus becoming the first to ever crack 100 in the English top flightin the process.
A serial victor as a manager with Barcelona and Bayern, Guardiola ended his first year in England at City without silverware - his only failure to win a trophy since his managerial career started back in 2007.
Mourinho claimed the result and subsequent celebrations affected his players' performances in a woeful display against bottom-of-the-league West Brom.
Paul Pogba, in particular, was a major disappointment following his two-goal performance in the derby.
The relationship between Pogba and Mourinho has certainly been over-analyzed and over-saturated with coverage this season.
You could see the attitudes of some players, masters of complication.
"Unbelievable season for us", said midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, perhaps City's standout player over the past eight months. There was no fluidity in our football.
'I don't think we deserved to lose but not to win this match, we deserved that punishment for sure. "Paul's game was complicated like many others, always one more touch".
'Come on, ' he added.
"I'll tell you what I told him after the match", Mourinho told multiple national newspapers.
Pep Guardiola's chargs needed one more win to secure the title following their 3-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, but United's loss to West Brom means they have now mathematically clinched the title.
"I think United will win".
It's not fair, for them.
"The Champions League is seven knockout games". I'm not going to come here with excuses. I was unfortunate enough to play against that quality United side that dominated in the '90s, but this side would have beaten them - that's how good they are.
There were wins for Crystal Palace and Huddersfield Town in their bids to avoid relegation, while Burnley continued their charge to a Europa League place with victory over Leicester City.


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Volkswagen conducted an annual results conference on Tuesday. The Chief Executive Officer, Matthias Mueller said in a statement at the conference that he is still considering a merger to take place with Fiat Chrysler.
Reuters said that this statement represents a significant change of mind of the CEO, Matthias Mueller as in the previous week during the auto show at Geneva he said that the company is not ready to reveal anything at the moment. He had also said that the company was making attempts to overcome the crisis of the scandals caused by emissions and thus had written off any potential collaboration.
The Chief Executive Officer of FCA, Sergio Marchionne has declared openly that if the automakers wish to maximize their profits and work on a technology that benefits them then they should try and get into a merger so that they can share the technologies, resources, and insights and help each other to invent much cleaner technologies that are safe for the environment and this collaboration will also assist them in cutting their costs and expenditures.
In Detroit on Friday, the German automaker pleaded guilty and was accused of creating conspiracies and providing obstruction to justice in the results of the emissions scandal that had been a long-winding one and made Volkswagen undergo a great deal of challenges. After this, the automaker consented to a scheme to get the regulations and rules pertaining to pollution in the United States and checked for the safety parameters and threshold limits of about 500,000 diesel vehicles.
In addition to this, the automaker has agreed to pay a sum of 4.3 billion as compensation and penalty. Along with this sum of money, the automaker has to pay around 21 billion dollars, which is inclusive of the pledge taken by the company to repair and buy back the diesel it had acquired by wrongful means.
After Volkswagen completes one of its buybacks, it will be transporting the vehicle from the concerned dealership to the storage facilities (for example, Pontiac Silverdome in the city of Metro Detroit). After the completion of the storage process, Volkswagen will be maintaining all the vehicles regularly according to the parameters defined in the modifications of the approved emissions. Volkswagen has assured that all the vehicles that fail to meet the requirements specified in the modifications of approved vehicles will be sent for the recycling process.
However, a spokesperson from Volkswagen declined to reveal the number of vehicles at the Silverdome during late January.


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REDUCED! 1988 Redman "New Moon" 16×70 with Finished Arizona Room $14,900
Tucson Arizona
- Size: 1120
- Bedrooms: 3
- Bathrooms: 2
- Date Available: at closing
- Total Rooms: 7
- Patio
- Floors: 1
- Year Built: 1988
Lot 40
Get that "warm and fuzzy feelin'" when you enter this home! It's a 1988 16'x70' Redmond "New Moon" with an attached 8'x 20'6" finished Arizona room. The Arizona room has heating and air conditioning, 2 entrance doors, 2 windows, all finished with painted drywall. This home is a (3) bedroom (2) bath 1120sq.ft. beauty.
Here are a few of the many features this home offers:
- Carpeting in living and bedrooms that is 2 years old
- Gas pack heating and air conditioning that is 3 years old
- Membrane & metal roof
- New ceiling fan in living room with remote
- Built in china hutch
- New high rise toilets
- Water softener
- Beautifully landscaped yard
- Washer and dryer that are 2 years old
- Gas stove is 2 years old
- Dishwasher is 3 years old
- …and more
If interested in seeing this fine home, just give me a call. I live here in the park and can be reached at (520) 591-9511. Or email me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Features2 car side by side concrete carportA/CAdult (55+)Built-in China hutchBuilt-in DiswasherCarportCathedral CeilingsClubhouseCovered CarportCovered DeckFitness centerGas HeatGate GuardHeated PoolHot TubPets AllowedPoolScreened DeckShedWasher - DryerWater softner / filter systemWindow Treatments
8401 S. Kolb Rd. #40
Tucson Arizona
Agent(s) for this listing
Kent Lash
Office: 520-591-9511
Other listings
Mark Allen, Broker
Mark Allen, Broker
Office: 520-977-4584
Fax: 520-622-4976
Other listings


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Top 25 South Park moments
From Rolling Stone magazine, the Top 25 Moments From South Park. First place was the scene where Eric Cartman finally gets the better of Scott Tennerman with his infamous chili.
It's too bad they didn't wait before they compiled their list as this scene from this week's episode would have certainly made it.
That didn't last long - video yanked already. It will be a little hard to find, but it's well worth the search.
From Uber, ten great moments from Borat and the Muppets.


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.Jeremy's One Man Show has been moved to
.What, origami is a performance art? Not traditionally, but
Jeremy's origami is anything but traditional. Imagine apiece of paper folded into nail clippers that really work,or a Swiss Army knife that actually opens, or a surfer ona wave that crashes when the surfer is slid forward.These are just a few of Jeremy's many spectacular andoriginal origami models that he performs with.
.Just the act of showing hisorigami is a big act in itself thatgrabs people's attention. Butthat's not all... Jeremy also hashighly transforming models heuses as magic tricks and forstorytelling. In addition he has
lots of surprisingly simple modelsthat he can teach to large crowds..
.Jeremy has performed hisorigami on TV talk shows, andat parties, festivals, schools,museums, libraries, andtradeshow booths. He has beeninvited as guest of honor toorigami conventions in sevendifferent countries.
Promotional Brochure. Click to view larger.
Piano Playing Pop-up Card
Origami Demo
Creteil, FranceApril 1999
"Flasher Big Bang"Riobamba, EcuadorDecember 1999
"Dromenon Labyrinth Walker"Riobamba, EcuadorDecember 1999


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The Australian Greyhound Review magazine has been designed to ensure that no matter what part of the industry you are aligned to, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
From our in-depth profile stories on some of the biggest names in the sport (and we kick off with an exclusive story on champion trainer Darren McDonald) as well as those people who don't make headlines; feature race reviews of every Group1, Group 2 and Group 3 race held in Australia; as well as insightful breeding information from David Brash.
If that's not enough to wet your appetite, there will be our regular and revolving columns including:
Australian Greyhound Review will be released every quarter. You can pick up a copy at newsagents, and selected race clubs & TAB's.
Visit www.australiangreyhoundreview.com.au for further information!


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Twin Oaks Tavern Wines win in two California competitions: 2019 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition/January 2019 - Twin Oaks Tavern Chardonnay 2017 - GOLD - Twin Oaks Tavern Petit Mensang…
Top of the Mountain to You
Enjoying a glass of wine at Twin Oaks Tavern Winery is a peak experience. Located on top of Blue Ridge Mountain, our hillside vineyard overlooking the Shenandoah Valley has the ideal altitude and mineral-rich soil to cultivate grapes that produce distinctive wines.
Winter, spring, summer, fall – our tasting room and wine decks are just an hour's drive from the city and a world away for the day! In cool the weather you can enjoy the stone fireplace in our tasting room, and in warm weather, the wine decks are shady and breezy.
Bring your friends, kids, dogs and picnic… and discover the beauty of our top of the world setting.
Try our luscious frozen drinks!
Join us for LIVE MUSIC!
Every weekend at Twin Oaks!
Open Mic Sundays!
Join us for open mic opportunities, Bring your guitar or Play our square grand piano. Trying out new songs – try them out here!
Lady's Day at Twin Oaks!
Every Thursday – Glasses of wine are $5 each for Ladies & Club Members!
Award Winning Wine
Twin Oaks Tavern Winery is honored to receive from the Virginia Wine Lovers 2016 Wine Classic:
Gold Medal – Twin Oaks Tavern Chardonnay 2014
Gold Medal – Twin Oaks Tavern Vidal Blanc 2014
Silver Medal – Twin Oaks Tavern Norton 2014
Women in Wine: Booming VA. industry sees more women at the helm
WTOP.com - by Rachel Nania September 14, 2017 The wine industry is changing in Europe, California and now Virginia.....A growing number of women are rising to leadership roles in…
Let's Hear it for Norton, the All-American Wine
The Georgetowner, by Donna Evers When Thomas Jefferson, America's best known wine connoisseur, was Ambassador to France after the American Revolution he traveled extensively in France, Germany and Italy, visiting…
Modern Luxury DC, by Michael McCarthy
Real estate mogul Donna Evers' interests continue to grow, along with the selection of exceptional wines at her vineyard. Donna Evers admits her wine story sounds like a Bob Dylan…
All Aboard, We're Heading to the Mountains
The Georgetowner, by Donna Evers, September-October 2015 The railroad was the only way to travel distances in 1900, when the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad ran all the way from…
Bottling Day at Twin Oaks Tavern Winery 2017 !!
Welcome to a "slideshow" of our wonderful 2017 adventure during bottling day at the winery. So many friends (and agents of Evers & Co. Real Estate who are friends as…
Plan Your Visit
18035 Raven Rocks Road, Bluemont, VA 20135


text: We look to improve the welfare of dogs in the local area and the lives of the people who use our service. We do this by operating an affordable but quality dog walking service while providing opportunities for people to improve their social skills, physical health and mental wellbeing by supporting them to walk dogs. Barks & Recreation specialises in the support of people who have a learning disability or are on the autistic spectrum.


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Dinner was really good last night, and we had a great time at the game even though the guys sitting in front of us were idiots. At one point they said that if their friend didn't come back by the end of the fourth period they were going to leave him there. One of them also told Firefly on his way to get a beer that if we scored three goals she should throw some hat that he had that was apparently "queer anyway." Firefly said it couldn't have been that queer, because she'd never be caught dead in it–and she's got a lot of hats. Not to mention that three goals is not, in and of itself, a hat trick. After it was over we went to Bennder and girlfriend-who-does-not-have-a-nickname-yet's house and hung out for a bit, then headed home for some cards. We were up pretty late, but we had fun.
This afternoon I went to try and take my math exam. I stood in line for almost an hour before they came out and told everyone waiting that they weren't going to be able to get everyone in, and if they did we'd only have until closing to finish our exams. It was going to be at least another half hour just to get seated and that would have left me with about half an hour to take mine if I was lucky, which just isn't enough time for a math exam. They gave me a form saying I was there and was turned away that they'll send to my professor, but I'm really glad now that he extended the deadline to Tuesday night. I'll have to go on Monday after work and hope it's not nearly as crazy as today.
Firefly was supposed to go yesterday to get her proge.sterone level checked but didn't, which I just realized. Of course the diagnostics lab is closed today and I'm not sure if there's anywhere else we can go to have it done, and she's already a day late. Frustrating.


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Sometimes, you just really need a simple recipe that doesn't take that much time and energy but really delivers on flavor. I've found all kinds of roasted-til-crunchy foods really appeal to Sparky: it's the only way I can get him to eat kale or beets. While we have no trouble eating chickpeas in our household, I love the recipes we've seen floating around the internet for them as a crunchy snack food.
However, they are kind of bland on their own, and missing the flavors of lemon and tahini that we often associate with chickpeas (the main ingredients in hummus) I recently stumbled into a discussion of za'atar bread, and realized this was the seasoning I was searching for! This Middle Eastern spice paste usually contains at minimum sumac, thyme and sesame seeds - but unfortunately, I can say with a fair amount of certainty that sumac is not available in the food desert (it's barely available in grocery stores.) I looked up substitution suggestions and found...lemon pepper! While it isn't exactly the same, it will give those lemony notes that sumac brings to the party -so, my recipe for food desert za'atar follows:
1 tablespoon each of:
Dried thyme
Lemon pepper seasoning (check and see if yours has salt)
Sesame Seeds
1 can of chickpeas
Olive oil to coat
Salt to taste (depending on your seasoning)
Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a nonstick pan for just a moment, then dump all the ingredients in a blender, and blend until everything is finely ground (it will be a bit clumpy because of the oil in the sesame seeds)
For the roasted chickpeas, drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, and drizzle with EVOO (I do this while they're still in the can.) Pour onto a cookie sheet and sprinkle with a thick layer of za'atar. Salt to taste (remembering that your lemon pepper may have salt) Roast at 450 for 15 minutes or until the chickpeas are crunchy and brown.
Eat as a snack, or add to salads. Nutritional Information
Filed under: Pantry cooking, Recipe


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Transcript: Finally we come to problem resolution.
Transcript: This is the last stage but in real life it often triggers the new information collection step.
Transcript: Note: Hooksware is software that does direct code patching or call interception using standard Windows message hooking mechanisms to add some value.
- Dmitry Vostokov @ Citrix Blogs –
Follow me on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn.


text: All people got expectations of experiencing a luxury desire home and also great although using minimal cash as well as restricted property, will always be complicated to achieve this dream of property. Nevertheless, will not get worried mainly because nowadays there are several Moroccan Style Living Room Decor that will create the house along with uncomplicated household style in to the house seem to be luxurious however low number of great. Yet this time around Moroccan Style Living Room Decor can be a great deal of interest because as well as its simple, the retail price you will need to make a family house will also be certainly not too big. Regarding their own Moroccan Style Living Room Decor is indeed uncomplicated, but rather appear unsightly as a result of basic house display is always attractive to look at.


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Sundowns duo Sibusiso Vilakazi and Khama Billiat have been nominated for strikes against Platinum Stars on January 20.
Get the latest Sundowns news sent to your phone!
Vilakazi went on a marauding run before curling the ball past goalkeeper Dino Visser from outside the box in a 3-0 victory over Dikwena at Loftus Versfeld.
Billiat hit a brace in the match via fine free-kicks, with one his efforts putting him up for honours.
City pair Rodney Ramagalela and Walter Musona were nominated for goals against Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs on January 6 and 13 respectively.
Golden Boot frontrunner Ramagalela blasted home in a 3-2 loss to the Brazilians, while Musona beat Bafana Bafana number one Itumeleng Khune with a thunderous free-kick from range.
Chiefs striker Leonardo Castro, Ajax Cape Town's Tashreeq Morris, Orlando Pirates' Luvuyo Memela, Bloemfontein Celtic's Ndumiso Mabena, Bidvest Wits' Daylon Claasen and Chippa United's Linda Mntambo are also in the running for the accolade.
Downs skipper Hlompho Kekana scooped the gong for November with a stunning strike from inside his own half against Pirates.
Fans can vote for the winner on the PSL's website.


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Paul Bliss
Boca Raton High
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So not 2 days after I told all how much I love the Edinburgh Farmers Market they have been named as one of the top 3 markets in the country. Just a quick post to wish them a heart felt well done. 🙂
Month: November 2012
The Burger Kings of Edinburgh
I love a burger I really do, for the longest time they were the fussy eaters get out of jail card on every restaurant menu. Cooked to the potion of cremation with some plastic cheese they just were not getting the the love they deserve.
Roll on 2012 and in our fair city we have an abundance of bars and restaurants that actually only serve burgers and others who take great pride in them being a headline act on their menu.
With gastro pubs like the Fountain on funnily enough Fountainbridge, burgers are enjoying now being given the care and the attention they deserve. I still get a flutter of excitement every time I am asked whether I would like my burger medium to rare.
As the foodie evolution continues I think this just shows how demanding the diner in our fair city now is, go to the Cambridge Bar just off Charlotte Square and they have more than 15 topping choices than can go with either a beef, chicken or bean burger. Fair to say a burger alone won't leave you hungry and with guest burgers and now a venison option as well this is one example of a bar where the burger is King.
Another bastion of the burger is the New York Steam Packet, in what must be one of Edinburghs longest running restaurants after 40 years of continual service they offer an American diner experience. The burgers are big, cooked to just off medium and served with their best friend chips. In the year that was 2012 I don't think any food blog on burgers in this city could be complete without paying homage to Burgher Burger. This pop up restaurant enterprise enlisted some of the cities best chefs to conjure up their own burgher creations at a secret location on Leith for the pleasure of some lucky diners, the best concept in my opinion came from head chef of he Plummed Horse, Tony Borthwick. He combined Veal, spring truffle and fois gras for what sounded like an incredible burgher moment.
So now that you obviously need to go and eat a burger check out my top5 recommended burger joints in our city :).
Burgers = JD Recommended
The Farmers Are Coming
So logically in a recession you would think people would spend less money on luxury items and be economical, at first thought that would them mean the likes of farmers markets should be under threat. Well that's what I thought anyway.
Edinburgh is now served every weekend by two great markets, on a Saturday at Castle Terrace and on a Sunday in Stockbridge. As a lover of all things food my weekend invariably means visiting one if not both of them. In the last four years these markets have gone from being one a month, twice a month to where they are now as weekly bustling events.
So the secret of their success and the secret many people have still to catch onto……..locally sourced produce direct from farmers is better and cheaper than anything you will get in a supermarket. Take lamb shanks for example, in Tesco they are £7 for 2. At either of the markets you could have better quality meat at 2 shanks for £5 or even a rack of lamb for £7.
The other real secret is the wonderful producers, their knowledge and passion is there for anyone to see. They gleefully talk to customers, give them recipe ideas and pass on their enthusiasm for the whole process. Stand outs for me personally would be Peelham Farm, Puddledub Pork & Buffalo, Arran Cheese, Creelers, the fish and game stall at Stockbridge who's name I can't remember :)!
So if you are looking to try a grouse, pigeon, duck, lobster get to the markets and get talking to these gret producers!
JD Recommended
Great Food at a Great Price
So it's really one day 1 of my blog and I have had my first request for an article by the lovely Jorji. Where can you get Michelin quality food without having to get out the credit card and close your eyes when the bill comes.
Edinburgh has a wealth of bistros who delivery fantastic taste without the need to break the bank. My favourite such place would have to be Iris on Thistle Street. Described as modern Scottish they use great local produce and create some great dishes.
The chefs signature dish is duck with raspberry and drambuie sauce. I love this dish, it's beautiful. Great colour, style and importantly taste.
You will also find a blend of European dishes and British classics all given the Iris makeover. Take steak for example, great cuts – cooked well that are visually brilliant.
Iris has another ace in the sleeve, that is the service. The staff are so friendly and very knowledgable about the menu. They are all well drilled on the wine list which is also excellent and more than able to suggest a nice bottle to have with you meal. Top JD recommended option.
To have Michelin styled food then sushi restaurants are a great option, the visual beauty is always there and to get the taste as well I would suggest Kanpai on Grindlay Street. With a wide selection they cover not just sushi but all aspects of Japanese cuisine. Personal favourites for me are the miso seared tuna, the soft shell crab and the sashimi platter below.
The service matches the gentle Japanese approach you might expect and with an open food prep area you are able to admire as the chefs prepare the food
Kanpai is a leading light in the growing Edinburgh sushi scene and with all palates catered for this is a gat restaurant for sushi lovers and novices alike.
JD recommended! 🙂
Edinburghs next Michelin Star in the Making
There are always going to be mixed opinions when it comes to restaurants as well we all have our own tastes as so naturally our own opinions, few places are more universally adored by foodies I know than Mark Greenaways restaurant. Over the last 2 years at 12 Picardy Place he has carved out a name as one the cities hottest placed to eat. As he grows in fame via his food and tv appearances on the Great British Menu I was excited to hear he will soon be taking up residence in a larger establishment.
So what makes it so good you ask? Well first of all it's the staff, from the receptionist, to the hostess, the waiting staff and the sommelier the service is 1st class. In terms of value for value his market menu, 3 courses for £20 before 7pm has to be one of he best value meals in the city.
With wine flight options carefully selected by Loic the sommelier it's a great dining experience. Go more than once and this young sommelier will even go to extent of considering what he served you previously to ensure you are given something new to wash down your meal with.
Having eaten from the a la carte as well as the tasting menu what really strikes you is the use of modern and classic techniques intertwined to deliver the biggest flavours.
The above dish was a stunning rework of a Scottish breakfast, hot smoked salmon, black pudding Bellini and fois gras with a foam. Light starter with bags of flavour and visually stunning.
Meat, mushrooms….truffle…in what world was I not going to love this dish 🙂
Deconstructed banoffee, so many flavours, so many textures…… Delicious.
So for me Mark has really set a new standard for the new comers to the Edinburgh restaurant scene and done it in style. I love his food and his restaurant and look forward to much more in the future. By 2014 I will be amazed if he has joined ten elite Michelin star club.
Hugely JD Recommended.
Sunday Roast Kyloe Style
Last Sunday Steph and I both awoke with throbbing heads but safe in the knowledge that Jenny L, the Edinburgh Community manager for Yelp had organised a great deal for us at Kyloe. The emergence of steak restaurants in Edinburgh has heightened competition in the city with Kyloe and Steak Edinburgh being the big dogs to date.
Kyloe has launched a fantastic Sunday roast option, 4 people, roast joint of your choosing, all the trimmings, a desert and a bottle of wine for £100. You do have to preorder, no last minute decisions unfortunately but it is a great idea.
The joint is brought to the table and carved in front of you, served with a large Yorkshire pudding. Cooked to medium the meat is of fantastic quality. The portions are huge and you need four very hungry mouths to get near to finishing the lot.
Deserts are homemade classics, on our visit it was apple crumble served with cream, we asked for ice cream additionally and this was no issue. I need my vanilla ice cream when having crumble, surely it's a law somewhere?
In any case the meal was superb and a visit come highly Jd Reommended!
Edinburghs newest Thai sensation!
I was gutted when Tony Singh announced he was closing Olorosso, for 10 years it was a beacon of good food in the city. The views, the food and the service made for a great restaurant.
But as cities have a habit of doing we soon move on and in the place has come Chaophraya, they are on Twitter @ChaophrayaEdi.
Steph and I love a walk in town after the farmers market on a Saturday and decided to try this place for lunch. There is something grand about having to get an elevator to a restaurant and then the stunning staircase makes for a beautiful setting.
They have lunch and a la carte menus giving plenty of choice but for our lunch we opted for their house mixed platter. This came with smoked salmon tacos, a chicken curry, papaya salad and Thai ribs. At a very reasonable £10.95 this was perfect. The balance of spice, fragrance and sweetness was well managed and we both left wanting for more.
We will be back and this place comes highly Jd Recommended!


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Time is the most valuable asset we all hold! Neither we can stop it nor is it going to stop for us. Hence, in this fast-paced world, it is very important for us to learn time management. Learning to manage time efficiently is a necessity if you want to achieve your goals competently.
There is a reason why your tasks are never completed on time. Lack of being organized can be one of the reasons for that. Being productive is a matter of doing things efficiently within the given time. There are various ways you can complete the tasks on your to-do list proficiently within time.
It might at times feel like everything you want to do is important. Everything might seem to be a priority and you might end up doing everything at once and finish off doing nothing. These are the few tips which might help you set your priorities and plan your tasks out in an organized manner…
- Write it down
The first step towards planning to complete the tasks is to list them down. List out everything you want to finish off that day or that week (whatever the time period may be). Make sure that you leave nothing out because dropping a single task might hamper with your whole management format.
- Prioritize
After listing the things down it's time to prioritize. It is very important to arrange things in order of their priority. List first things first. Rank the tasks in such a manner so that you won't need to rearrange it later.
- Pin it up
Stick your to-do list on a place visible to you at all times. Be it on the notice board at your office or be it on the desktop of your PC or laptop. Make sure that you are always able to see the list so that you don't forget about it.
- Avoid delay
Start doing your tasks as soon as possible. Don't procrastinate. Time management is very essential and hence you must do every task on time. Postponing a task will act as an obstruction on your road to success.
- Don't panic
Be patient. Don't rush yourself to complete the tasks. You must plan out your tasks in such a manner so that there is enough room for each task to get completed. Rushing will lead you nowhere and you might end up finishing only half the tasks.
- Avoid extra tasks
It is very important to stick to the timetable or plan as made by you for getting effective results. Avoid doing any extra or unwanted tasks to manage the time properly. As stated above, prioritize. Leave the extra and unwanted tasks for the end. Do the important ones first and then get started with the additional ones if you are left with some spare time.
- Don't exhaust yourself
It is very important to take breaks in between tasks to get your mind and body refreshed. Don't wear yourself out and drain out your energy. Take short breaks in between tasks as and when required to avoid getting fatigued.
These were a few tips that are surely going to help you out in organizing your tasks efficiently. Planning and organizing are just a game of time-management. You must set realistic timelines for your tasks in order to complete them effectually. Be a time-management master and avoid yourself from stressing out.


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Selecting a reliable and effective affiliate program for your online website is an important step for any affiliate. Here are some tips to keep in mind when choosing the best affiliate programs to promote, we advise you always compare affiliate offers before you choose them
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Always vet the quality of your affiliate manager before you choose your affiliate program. Having a dedicated manager can make the difference between success and failure as an affiliate and help you maximize your campaigns. Remember being an affiliate should be a two way relationship which benefits both parties involved, both you the affiliate and the network you work with. If your affiliate manager isn't up to scratch don't hesitate to move your affiliate program to another network. It is always important to choose your network wisely.
Make sure the affiliate programs you choose to promote are listed on a reputable affiliate network. All statistics and commission data should be transparent. Having real time reports allows you to monitor the success of your affiliate programs, build trust between you and the network and facilitate you too ramp up the number of campaigns you hold with them.
Find out which network offers the highest payout for the affiliate programs you want to promote. Identifying which programs offer the highest commission can be the difference between success and failure helping you to maximize your online earnings. Often the difference in CPA or revenue share can be significant between networks allowing you to gain a competitive edge over your competitors.
Read testimonials, consult affiliate network owners, check affiliate marketing forums and search the web to get details on all the affiliate programs you want to promote. After knowing all the ins and outs of the programs, you can make a smart decision ensuring you always choose the best affiliate offers to work with.
You need to choose the best affiliate offers which enable your business to grow and flourish. If you take the above tips into consideration when you compare affiliate programs you'll be well on your way to becoming a successful affiliate.


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Or "school", as they call it...
This story really starts on the Friday before Jimmy started full-time at school. Friday morning, around 9am, after taking the above photo, I took Jimmy to school, told him I would pick him up after lunch, made sure that he was suitably engaged in something and left. Naturally, I did leave a few supplies for the "teachers", a change of clothes, a few
Two hours without Jimmy... what was I to do? Meh, some chores. Meanwhile, Jimmy was having a great time "mowing" the lawn.
When I walked in while they were eating lunch, Jimmy didn't notice me. I sat down opposite him and saw his tired little face. Then he looked at me...
"It's Mummy."
No tears of relief, no jumping into my lap. None of that. He kept eating, asked for more food, ate that. He was fairly hungry it seemed. Hungry and tired and happy. He slept for nearly 3 hours when we returned home.
When I sat next to him I noticed that yes, his shoes had been changed. I also remember how small those shoes were getting, which is why we had an adventure the next day.
In addition to that adventure, there was a pillow to make, spare clothes to organise, sunscreen to decant (they didn't need the whole bottle), a packet of pull-up
I mostly made a fuss about the pillow and the fact that it was for his naps, that I was making it especially for him, and that it has a cool feature or two. Don't worry, I think I managed not to overwhelm my little boy.
Jimmy knew something was up on Monday morning. He wasn't sure what to make of all the fuss we were making, trying to get him ready and out the door at the same time as Daddy. When we arrived, all 3 of us, he did his best to follow us out, saying that he wanted to go into the area we had to walk through to leave the building. There were a few tears, but I was told that he settled down after 5-10 minutes. When we picked Jimmy up, he looked over his shoulder and, after being questioned by a teacher, said:
"It's Daddy."
And kept doing what he was doing. Then he saw me.
"It's Mummy."
No fuss. Clearly he had had a good day.
The next morning was the real test. And he didn't want to go through the door. He was not having a bar of it. But Michael and I managed to get him into his room. We managed to say bye-bye without tears and the second Jimmy was distracted, we ran for it.
When I picked him up that afternoon I was met with the same level of cool recognition. Clearly another good day. I think the highlight was painting "dinosaur skin", because Jimmy has never painted before - I take full responsibility for that.
Wednesday? Jimmy woke up and started talking about paint and painting - clearly it was an exciting event. Another thing Jimmy likes is riding Daddy's bike, and he wanted to ride it to school, but Daddy was in a rush, so that didn't happen. From memory the drop off went well. Michael did indeed pick Jimmy up that afternoon and Jimmy did get to ride on Daddy's bike. So far, so good.
Thursday... Well... Daddy was under instructions to have Jimmy in his swimming gear at drop off because they would be playing with water that morning. Well... Jimmy was most put out by this change in routine. Oh man... it was a struggle to get him into his swimmers and out the door, but we did it. And the Jimmy and I arrived and it turned out that they weren't even sure that they would be doing anything with water, especially as it was a cool morning. Well... all that fuss and bother for nothing... I changed Jimmy into normal clothes, including his fruit shorts, which he had been wearing all week, because they are his favourite shorts. And after a few minutes Jimmy was into the swing of it, and he even blew me a kiss and waved bye-bye. Sweet, sweet boy.
Daddy picked him up again. And they had played with water! And Jimmy was so, so tired. He wasn't interested in his dinner. He was keen to vacuum. He was not going to have a bath or a shower, nope, no chance. I managed to brush his teeth and then he was in bed by 8pm, which for summer is unheard of. He was exhausted. And running a little hot...
But on Friday morning Jimmy woke up and was kicking his legs about and asking to watch Gummi Bears. He wasn't sick. Just worn out. Phew... Friday's drop off was rather long... I don't know why, but it was. It might have had a lot to do with me not leaving at exactly the same time as Daddy, or it could have been that Jimmy was just over it. Overtired. Overwhelmed by the week. Over being away from Mummy. Over it. But I managed to leave and he wasn't crying, so that was good.
I told his teachers that I was going to pick him up early, so when I did arrive Jimmy was wearing his backpack and hat and ready to go home - the night before I had decided that if Jimmy wasn't sick, then I would pick him up early, after naptime, and we could watch Gummi Bears and eat popcorn at home. And we did.
Jimmy seemed to enjoy school, and even though he was tired for most of the week, and wasn't happy to see us leave each morning, I think he enjoyed himself. It's now nearly the end of his second week and he seems to be fairly settled into the daycare, which is great, because Jimmy really didn't have much choice but to like it. So, we're good. At least as far as daycare choice.


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This shot here was made last winter when I was waiting for this wonderful white stuff he he he :-) And how could it be otherwise … this year the same story :-( No sign of snow despite that is is really cold! Well, this will be my last post for this year and I wanted to wish everybody Merry Christmas and of course a wonderful and happy New Year. Take care everybody and let's see what next year will bring us ;-)
WaitingforwinterSwissAlpsAppenzellAlpsteinSwitzerlandcloudscloudyrainyeveningsunsetsnowicemountainsrocksstonesgrassmountain slopetreesforestwoodsdramadarkness


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Yesterday was one of those days where everything that could go wrong did. It was the 100th day of kindergarten at my oldest son's school. I woke up really late, proceeded to run around like a mad woman tossing clothes at people as I tried to get myself dressed, and finally got my son to wake up and start getting dressed himself. And as we were coloring on his fake mustache, I remembered that the glasses he was so excited about had been broken by his younger brother and we'd have to stop and get him another pair or else I'd be the worst mom ever.
So I managed to get us both out of the door, stopping at least twice because he apparently doesn't like the socks he was wearing so he kept taking off his shoes to fix them and then I'd have to put them back on because he doesn't know how untie and tie shoes yet. We finally get to the store and he's OF COURSE taken off his shoe again so I scramble to put it back on, vowing to throw these socks out the second he gets home. We make our way to the reading glasses and I can get one pair for $9.99 or three for $15.99. Of course I grab the three pack because I'm sure we will need these again some day (although I'll probably lose them before that time comes) and we grab some Nutrigrain bars at his request and go check out.
Back in the car, I toss him a Nutrigrain bar as he gets buckled back in to his seat and of course now he doesn't want it. So I give him a juice and hope he doesn't starve before his ridiculously early lunch and then open up the glasses. The glasses that cost way more than the pair I'd gotten him days earlier at Dollar General. I start trying to pop out the lenses but apparently $5 reading glasses don't come apart as easily as $1 glasses. I sit there for five minutes trying to get these damn lenses out, look at the clock, and we are officially late to school. So I curse and back out and drive the couple of blocks to school where the parking lot is now barren because we are now ten minutes past the bell. Pull up to the curb, have him put on his glasses for a picture while making him promise to take them off during school because I'm worried I'm going to destroy his eyesight for good if he tries to actually do anything with these on, and then we stand there in the cold to get a photo. Some lady who I can only hope had just dropped off her own kid embarrassingly late so mine wouldn't be the only one walked by, exclaiming how cute he was, and I smiled and snapped my pictures, feeling a little less frazzled because at least I hadn't failed at turning him in to a 100 year old man for his 100th day of school.
I get back home and for a little while it feels like this might be a relatively calm day after all. Kid number one is at school, kid number two is quietly playing a video game while I get some stuff done, and kid number three is playing in his jumper, laughing and being cute. Then suddenly, kid number two comes downstairs. Covered in blue stuff.
"What's that?" I ask.
"It's makeup, mommy," he replies, proudly. But I don't own any blue makeup. Do I? So I go upstairs to see what I'm dealing with. And that's when I see it. The blue and yellow squiggles all over the wall and the TV stand. I had left the Halloween makeup I used to draw a fake 'stache on my oldest just sitting there. Right there for the toddler to play with. I laugh it off because it's my own fault and tell him next time he wants to color to come talk to me first and then I go try to get some work done while he plays with something else. It's calm again and I get quite a bit done, stopping occasionally to play with the kids or give the baby a bottle and then around 1:00 I stop to make lunch before we have to go pick up kid number one from school. Preheating the oven so I can make the pizza I bought the day before, I go back upstairs to feed the baby a bottle and put him down for a nap and I come downstairs to smoke.
"What the f***?!" I run in to the kitchen and open the windows and back door before opening the oven and getting enveloped in smoke and after coughing and fanning the smoke away while pushing the vent button on the microwave, I look and see one of my glass baking dishes filled with what smells like my scented oils and what looks like sugar mixed in.
"Mommy, there fire?"
"No Oliver, there's no fire. But what's this?"
"I baking, mommy." I grabbed an oven mitt and carefully extracted whatever disgusting concoction he had made and set it outside the back door and put the pizza back in the fridge because obviously that wasn't happening now. We had a serious, yet brief, conversation about how he's not supposed to put things in the oven without me (which I would love to say this was a first, but unfortunately it was not) and then I got him and the baby dressed and in their carseats because I needed sustenance and to get away from the stench in my house. So we left the house to air out and I went and treated myself with Starbucks since I had money on my gold card. The toddler passed out, apparently exhausted from the mischief he'd gotten into, and the baby fell asleep soon after so I went and parked in front of the school and waited for my son in blissful silence.
The bell rang and I sat up and put up my sign and out comes my five year old with his teacher. Carrying a bag of snack mix. That I was supposed to send Cheerios for. And completely forgot about because we woke up late for school. He climbed in the car and buckled himself in, and we went home to my still smelly house. The rest of the day was uneventful (mostly due to the toddler catching up on sleep since he stayed up late on Superbowl Sunday). We went and ate dinner with my parents which was nice because who doesn't like eating dinner that you don't have to cook. We left, the kids were all sleepy, I needed gas, so we went to the gas station before going home so I could drive in circles and hopefully knock them out for the night. Get to the gas station and start pumping gas but the freaking gas pump won't stay on. For some reason it keeps clicking off after a couple seconds. It did this about a week ago too but I figured it was just an issue with the pump. Try to pump gas again and again and it keeps doing it so finally I angrily close my gas cover and head to a different gas station. Try to pump gas there and it does the same. Damn. Thing.
At this point I'm tired and beyond frustrated. So I did what anyone would do. I embarrassed myself in the middle of the Seven Eleven parking lot by yelling at an inanimate object asking it why it wouldn't work. And then I kicked my tire and climbed back in and drove home, realizing everyone at Seven Eleven now thinks I'm a raging lunatic and I'll never be able to quench my slurpee pregnancy craving at that location ever again.
So there's my day. The moral of this story is always remember to put up your Halloween makeup, check the oven before you turn it on, put a reminded to bring school stuff in your phone, and don't yell at gas pumps and your car at your local gas station. And remember that you aren't alone when you have days that make you want to bang your head into the wall.


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They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself. - Andy Warhol, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol - US artist (1928 - 1987)
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tulips for your lips update
These photos are an update of the tulip bulbs I am forcing. As you can see, they are coming along beautifully. Enjoy.
5 comments:
- Uncle Gerry said...
- January 30, 2008 at 10:28 AM
- The Balunky Journals said...
nice work mr green thumb!
- January 30, 2008 at 3:54 PM
Gorgeous blooms indeed! I only recently learned that the bulb from tulips can be cooked and has a flavor similar to a cross between garlic and onions. Enjoy the blooms and then make pasta sauce!!
- January 30, 2008 at 7:07 PM
- Dantallion said...
Wow - beautiful!
- January 31, 2008 at 5:15 AM
- K said...
Those are really pretty....quite a green thumb eh?
- February 2, 2008 at 9:00 AM
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Notes and contact.
The notes have been pouring in. POURING IN!
Permission slip for swimming carnival. Notes which layout the allocated days for library/ news/ sport/ gross motor.
Welcome notes from teachers.
iPad info for Mr 8.
Volunteer opportunities.
Planned pick up arrangements for Mr Kindy.
Oh the notes...so many to read.
However, my 5 year old had one that asked me to overview a basic family tree, interests and likes etc... to help the teacher get to know the students.
I chose to focus on the positives here and talk about his love of reading, playing card games and imaginative play.
It may have been less acceptable to admit he likes to negotiate a lot, sometimes run away if he isn't happy and we are working on the occasional nose picking. I'm sure most of these will be discovered without my help ;)
The question on this seemingly rather innocent survey was when they asked about the parents job titles and likes/ hobbies etc...
I refrained from writing domestic goddess and put stay at home mum. Which was fine.
But then when I read the question about likes/ hobbies I suddenly paused. It began an 'slight' internal existential crisis which I was not prepared for amidst feeding pasta to the baby and reciting spring words to my 8 year old. I put it aside and thought I'd tackle that later.
After clock off time (bed time) I sat with my dinner and thus blasted survey with one question unanswered that was starring at me and judging me.
Hobbies. Hobbies??!?
I don't have time for hobbies. Sure there are things I enjoy but they barely constitute hobbies.
Why did this seem to bother me? Was it because it made me confront the fact I feel like I don't have a life sometimes. Or maybe because I'm knee deep in the busiest season of motherhood and if I get to the end of the day with the kids fed, a clean kitchen, a candle lit, dinner with hubby and most of my sanity in tact I feel like I've scored!
I would love to write something glamorous or romantic in this blank space. Like hiking, aerial yoga, painting landscapes whilst in my country house, pruning my bonsai collection or polishing my collection of pre-modernist french antique teaspoons. Pfffft!
I would love to write something glamorous or romantic in this blank space. Like hiking, aerial yoga, painting landscapes whilst in my country house, pruning my bonsai collection or polishing my collection of pre-modernist french antique teaspoons. Pfffft!
I started writing something down - 'cooking'. Yes, that will slide.
I was going to follow it up with sewing. Although I like to play on my machine, I didn't want to be asked to sew costumes or puppets for the end of year concert. The vaguely related 'crafting' would have to do.
Ok, that's it I thought. If I spend any longer on this form, I'll rip it up in a fit of note rage.
Please enlighten me as to what hobbies you have. Maybe you might inspire me. Even if your hobby is reading junk mail. No judgement I promise ;)
Lauren x


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Two candidates who are running in next month's Iraqi parliamentary elections survived assassination attempts yesterday.
"A car bomb planted next to the road exploded when the motorcade of the Kirkuk Provincial Council member candidate for the Iraqi Turkmen Front, Ammar Kahya, passed through the entrance of the exhibition street, south of the city of Kirkuk," Kirkuk police Captain, Hamed Al-Obeidi, said.
"Kahya survived the assassination attempt and was unhurt, but a civilian was killed and ten others were wounded, including a driver and a bodyguard," Al-Obeidi told the Anadolu Agency.
In Baghdad, Captain Ahmed Khalaf said: "Unknown gunmen riding in a civilian car shot at the convoy of MP Abdul Karim Abtan with pistols equipped with silencers, in the Dora area south of Baghdad."
Read: 245,000 civil servants to supervise Iraq elections
Khalaf said: "MP Abtan was coming from an electoral rally for his list during an attempt to assassinate him, but he and his bodyguards were not hurt, and only a number of the vehicles were damaged."
Abtan is a deputy in the current parliament and a candidate for the upcoming elections for the National Coalition bloc led by former prime minister Iyad Allawi.


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Is RGV a Rowdy?
February 01 2016 at 3:57 218 RGV Satires Controversial Mahatma Gandhi Veerappan Killing Veerappan Kidnap AP CM Vangaveeti Ranga
Sometime back Ram Gopal Varma came with a film titled Rowdy casting Collection King Mohan Babu on silver screen. Now many are wondering whether Ram Gopal Varma is a Rowdy in real life.
RGV after tasting success with Killing Veerappan announced a film titled Vangaveeti and decided to highlight the faction war in Vijayawada with a biopic on Vangaveeti Ranga.
This triggered huge controversy and Vangaveeti Ranga's son Vangaveeti Radha issued strong warning. Anyone would have been rattled with that warning in which Radha said he is not responsible for any consequences from his fans.
However Ram Gopal Varma came with strong counter coming down to the level of a Rowdy in real life. Here are his strong tweets.
Vangaveeti Ranga gurinchi,koduku Radha kanna naakekkuva thelusu .Kaani thanaki theliyali thana pedanaana asalu vishayalu naaku thelusu
Yendukante ivvalati Radha appudu pillodu ..cheppudu maatalu nammadu...Kaani Nenappudu Spot lo vunna
Yeppudoo spotlo leni vaallu kevalam spotlu pettinavaallaki puttinantha maathrana vaalle Spotlanukunte adhi vaalla pillathanam
Ranga thanayudaina Ivvalti Radhaki alanaati Radha value lo 1 % ardhamayyithe thanu kooda maatala Radha kakunda Chethala Radha ayyevaadu
Nenu naa cinema thedaga theeste Ranga gaari fans voorukoru ani warning ichchina Radha ki na counter warning, mundhu flashback ardham chesuko
Ivvalti Radha kanna aanaati Radha, Rangalatho nenekkuva samayam gadipanu..ivvalati Radha ni pillodigaa background lo aadukovadam choosanu
Ranga gaari abhimaanulandarini nenu gauravisthanu,kaani Ranga gari gurinchi Nehrugaariki thelisinantha kooda theliyani Raadha ni nenu...
Naaku caste feeling ledhu kaani,kaapu ayyundi kooda kaapulenakala daakkune kamma manasthathwamunna vaadini 1st time choosthunnanu


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Well, I got my Logic exam done Monday, but that grade hasn't come back yet... And I got both of my Omnibus exams done yesterday. For my Primary one (which i thought i would fail), i got a 98%!!! i'm so happy!!! but whats even better, is for my Secondary one, i got a 100%!!!!!! i think thats the only 100 i've gotten in that class, which is awesome too. :-D Now i just have lots of reading, but that won't be too bad. i am going to PA next week, then in 3 or 4 weeks i'm going on a Mission trip to an indian tribe in Cherokee NC, which will be fun. Anyway, i think i'm gonna have a hot summer, probably go to the beach some, go to a few movies (i hope) and finish up some other school. i hope everyone else out there has a great summer too!
Why the name "bLog in Your Own Eye"?
Matthew 7:3 - 5
"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."
We should all endeavor to think rightly about ourselves and graciously about one another. We all have specks and logs in our eyes.
We should all endeavor to think rightly about ourselves and graciously about one another. We all have specks and logs in our eyes.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
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Professor Pabitra Sarkar, Academic President,
4th International Congress of Bengal Studies
Pabitra Sarkar (1937) a renowned linguist, has taught in Jadavpur University and University of Minnesota. He also served as the Vice Chancellor of Rabindrabharati University, and as the Vice-Chairman, West Bengal State Council for Higher Education. He was a Fulbright Scholar, completing M.A. and Ph. D. in linguistics at the University of Chicago (1975). He was President of Bangiya Sahitya Parishad, Natya Shodh Sansthan, Bhartiya Bhasha Parishad, and the Indian Advisory Board, American Institute of Indian Studies. He was the Project Director, Dictionary Project, Asiatic Society, Kolkata. This project resulted in multi-volume dictionaries for the non-Bengali learners. Apart from scholarly works on almost every area of Bengali literature and Bengali Linguistics, his major contributions include new initiative for the standardization of Bengali grammar, and the standardization of Bengali spelling. Presently he is the President of the International Society of Dravidian Linguistics. Children's litterateur and Rabindra Sangeet singer, Prof. Sarkar has received Vidyasagar Award for prose writings; Satyen Dutta and Titli Awards for Childrens' Literature; and Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration. The Government of Bangladesh has bestowed upon him the Friend of the Bangladesh Liberation War Honor.


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It's the perfect season for billowy fabrics that lay lightly on the skin, showing just enough through to entice the imagination. Soon, it will time for dancing in the autumn breezes whilst our toes crunch the ground. Such an odd combination.
But does anyone know where to buy a quality peasant blouse that can be machine washed? I am scared to machine wash this jewel, for fear of the machine ripping it into tiny shreds. And handwashing can be such a pain. Do you know where to find a durable peasant blouse? I would be willing to pay a decent penny for a quality piece. Until then, I wash soak this one gently and rub it softly with a ritual fit for a timid puppy.


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Join a new Canadian citizen on a journey to find the heart of Canada in Ottawa, the country's beautiful and captivating capital city.
A story for summer
Every summer, I start thinking about the cottage. Each type of summer weather brings back a distinct memory of what that particular type of day was like at the cottage.
A taste of India in Canada
Food, festivals, films: My top recommendations for enjoying a taste of India in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, Canada.
Everything you need to know to visit Canada
Visas, insurance, food, snow and more: A resource for everything you need to visit Canada from India, including the Super Visa for parents and grandparents.
Discovering the sacred spirit of Whistler
A weekend at Whistler, Canada's famous ski and recreation resort, and a visit to a First Nations cultural centre, left me with a new way of seeing this ancient land.
Staying at Canada's castle hotels
The Fairmont Hotels rise like castles above Canada's cities & tourist areas. They are the most iconic hotels in Canada and a "must do" experience when visiting this country.


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Job Offer: Nephrologists in Sweden
We are looking for specialists in nephrology in public hospitals in Sweden.
The vacancies are usually in medium size hospitals and the nephrology department, with the dialysis and the CAPD units being a part of the internal medicine clinic.
The positions are mainly for double specialists with specialist titles both in nephrology and internal medicine.
The hospitals offer permanent contracts. Before starting the employment you and your family will benefit from a free intensive language course to learn Swedish.
We offer:
- Permanent contract after obtaining the Swedish License to practice as a specialist doctor
- Attractive salary. Duties, if there will be, will be paid apart
- Training courses within working hours
- Help to find: Apartment, school
- Invitation to study tour to Sweden after a first interview, to learn more about the region and the work environment
- Assistance with removal and relocation costs
- Intensive Swedish course, also for the family
- Remuneration during the language course of €800 monthly net, free apartment, and travel costs for the family.ily
- Specialist title in nephrology recognised in the EU
- Specialist title in internal medicine is an advantage
- Professional experience
- Experience in both outpatient and inpatient care
- Availability to complete the Swedish intensive course
All the services of MediCarrera are free of charge for the candidates.
Please remember that to apply for our open positions in Scandinavia, you must:
- be a specialist doctor, dentist or Bsc nurse
- be an EU citizen OR have long-term residency in any of the EU member countries.
If you are not an EU citizen and/or your degree and title are not from EU countries, you must:
- have your medical degree AND specialist title recognised in any of the EU member countries
- have worked at least 3 years in any of the EU member countries AFTER your degree and title had been recognized.


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Cheap Insurance Rates In Texas Online - Compare and Find the Cheapest Rate
There are a few specific things that one should look for when trying to find out the Cheap Insurance Rates In Texas on the Web. One of them is that you must decide firsthand how much premium it is that you are able to afford per month. This will help you determine whether what you are actually being offered is to the higher or lower side and whether to go for it or not.
Cheap Insurance Rates In Texas vary greatly depending on the company that is issuing them, bearing in mind that these companies are out to maximize on profits. This is why you find that premiums vary greatly from one place to another, yet the policy being covered is the same. Shopping for insurance policies has such become a tricky affair for many people, but it needs not be.
As much as insuring a car may be expensive, there could be no better reason as to why you have hesitated to take the step when you can easily get an Affordable Car Insurance Texas anytime. Many governments require that for your car to be on the road, it has to have insurance.
Insuring your car will therefore help you avoid unnecessary battles with the law and it will also give protection to your car in case of an accident. Anything affordable is attractive to everyone so don't feel ashamed to go for something you are comfortable with.
Considering the economic situation currently where everyone is complaining about higher costs of living, it would only make sense if you found an Affordable Car Insurance Texas for your car. This means that you would not need to spend more than is necessary on your car when you have lots of bills to pay too at the end of the month.
Apart from the car model, the age of the car and its condition will bring a difference in the rates of insurance given. So make sure the age of your car is within the required one and it is in good condition too because you may be given a discount for this thus lowering the rate.
Some companies will let you know that if you have no bad road record such as over speeding or reckless driving, they might consider reducing your insurance rate and you will be paying less than a required one and this also translates to Texas Cheapest Car Insurance.
Texas Cheapest Car Insurance is something that everyone wants to find and have. You realize that you cannot afford to drive a car on the road without insurance, at least not without asking for trouble, but keeping car insurance as affordable as possible, especially with consumers tightening their belts to the breaking point these days, can be a challenge.
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When it comes to cheap auto insurance, there are many different aspects of the business that come into play. There are ads for Cheapest Auto Insurance In Texas for new drivers, cheap auto insurance quotes, cheap auto insurance rates, cheap no fault auto insurance, cheap full coverage auto insurance... and that is to name only a few of the things mentioned in these ads.


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Founded in 1880 as California's 29th bonded winery, Geyser Peak has been at the forefront of quality wine production since its earliest days. Located in Dry Creek Valley, Geyser Peak's winemakers are carrying the winery's rich history forward and staking an exciting claim on the future. Specializing in aromatic whites and rich reds, wines are crafted in small lots and fermented separately, then blended together to achieve full expression, balance and character. Each wine captures the essence of Sonoma and the appellation's unique terroir, offering sophistication and ease, elevation and approachability, and taking us from casual days to connoisseur nights.
The winery is open to the public daily, offering tastings, charcuterie boards and a beautiful veranda where you can relax and enjoy the wines or settle in with a picnic!
Premier Tasting*
$10.00 per person
Select four (4) wines
Reserve Tasting*
$15.00 per person
Five (5) wines
Charcuterie Board, $30.00 per board
*No reservations required for groups up to 10 people


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Francis Merinyi produces biogas and organic fertiliser from the wild plant saving his family from high cost of fuel
A battle between villagers and cacti plantations that have covered swathes of land in Laikipia County has raged on for decades.
Over the years, few residents have known what to do with the invasive plant.
But things are changing as the thorny weed is now being turned into beverages, cosmetic and energy products.
Francis Merinyi, a programmes officer at the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, says the need to conserve the environment has seen him convert the plant into biogas, green energy.
His farm in Maikuran village in Laikipia North stands out as an innovation hub where fellow villagers have been flocking to learn on how to use the plant to make biogas for cooking.
"Since I started in May, I have received many residents willing to adopt this technique to save their animals from cactus," he says, noting the use of the plant also helps to reduce the demand for wood fuel and charcoal burning in areas heavily invaded by the variety of cactus known as Oppuntia stricta.
He uses the plant to produce biogas rich in lignocellulose, the main raw material for the production of biofuels and biochemical.
The process involves anaerobic fermentation of cacti biomass where the entire plant is crushed using the ordinary chaff-cutter until it becomes a thick paste. The process is repeated three to four times to achieve desired results.
The paste is then diluted with water to make it less viscous before it is poured into a 250 litres tank to ferment. "After three weeks to a month, methane and other gases begin to form in a thermophilic process," he explains, adding that it works best at a temperature of 370C.
The gas produced is a combination of methane, water vapour and sulphur, which is then collected and stored in a biogas tank.
"Before the gas gets into the kitchen for use, I have it has to pass through a desulphuriser unit for purification."
A wheelbarrow of cacti produces approximately 20kg of paste that he uses to make biogas that lasts for three to four hours of cooking.
"The gas produced is efficient and burns just like the normal cooking gas. It has no smoke or smell," he explains, noting he spent Sh120,000 on the system. The making of the gas has helped him reduce the cost of using charcoal and firewood for cooking at his home.
Besides the biogas, he also produces liquid organic fertiliser from the fermented waste.
The project is opening doors for Merinyi since it has been picked by the Climate Innovation Cenre as a start-up business venture under their incubation programme with a potential funding and scale-up.
His idea is among 15 innovations participating in global Climate Launchpad programme.
Three of those that qualify at the national level will go to Scotland in November for the international competition.
Merinyi says the biogas system can utilise any other form of biomass including cow dung, kitchen waste and even hay.
"For now, my focus is to put into use the problematic cacti, the Omputia stricta that claims the lives of livestock. After that, I will focus on other species of cactus."
National Environment and Management Authority (Nema) Laikipia director Fanuel Mosago says the agency supports the biogas system because it protects the environment and helps the pastoralists whose grazing land has been colonised by the cacti get clean energy.


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Vinegar has a strong smell that can stick to your dog's coat for days. Mostly it is only added to dog shampoo to lower the PH levels of a detergent. You can make shampoo without it by buying a detergent that already contains the required PH levels.
Pour two cups of water into a mixing bowl
Add two tablespoons of liquid detergent and aloe vera into a mixing bowl.
Combine the ingredients by mixing it gently with a wooden spoon. Do not mix the ingredients too roughly, otherwise it will bubble up and become difficult to handle.
Items you will need
- Mixing bowl
- Woodenspoon
- 2 tbsp. dish detergent with a PH of 7 to 8
- 2 tbsp. aloe vera
- 2 c. water
- Keep the mixture in an airtight container.
- Fixing the pH in an Aquarium
- Calcium Hydroxide to Raise pH in an Aquarium
- How to Raise pH Levels in Aquarium Water
- Recipe for Dog Shampoo Using Glycerine
- Ingredients in a Shampoo Bottle for Dogs
- How to Make a Poodle's Coat Shiny & Healthy
- Differences Between Dog Shampoos & Human Shampoos
- What Is an Aquarium Calcium Reactor For?


text: This second half of a two-part course on Chinese Philosophical Traditions focuses on Early Modern Chinese Philosophy. This module focuses on the changes in the Confucian tradition between the late Tang through the Qing. We cover the main figures in Neo-Confucianism, and examine in detail the philosophies of Zhu Xi (1130-1200) and Wang Yangming (1472-1529). We close with a discussion of the philological turn in the Qing dynasty. We treat these thinkers and their ideas in their proper historical contexts and evaluate their philosophies critically. We also address and assess the relevance of these ideas to contemporary philosophical debates.


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GoSec is an annual convention which brings together several experts in the IT security field, from both the private and public sector, and offers a variety of seminars on various themes and topics related to IT security. In addition to being a great networking opportunity, this event allows participants to learn about new industry trends.
The 14th edition GoSec2018 will be hosted at the Montreal Convention Centre on August 29th and 30th 2018.
About fifteen sponsors will be present to exchange with the 400 participants expected for the occasion.
GoSec attendees are a mix of security professionals and vendors, programmers, students, network administrators and IT executives. Preference will be given to speakers who can present new and innovative content to a broad audience. Of course, all presentations are expected to challenge the brightest and quickest of attendees.
If you believe you have a significant discovery or new research that the security community would value, or enjoy hearing about, we invite you to submit your presentation topic.
To be included in the speaker selection, your proposal submissions must be submitted before June 1, 2018.
Proposals should consist of the following information in the body of an email:
- Name of candidate and contact info (Address, e-mail address, phone number).
- Employer and/or affiliations.
- Brief biography, 300 words.
- Topic synopsis, Proposed paper title, and half of a page description.
- Reason why this material is innovative or significant and/or how you think attendees will be able to apply the knowledge.
- Optional: List of publications, papers or other speaking engagements. Give us an idea of your qualifications.
- Optional: Samples of prepared material or outlines ready.
- Optional: Let us know if you plan a whitepaper, tool release with the talk or live demo.
- Please list any other publications or conferences where this material has been or will be published/submitted.
Please identify which track you believe your submission best fits:
- Cybersecurity Operations
- Ethical Hacking, TTPs and Reverse Engineering
- Governance and Audit
- Other, please specify
Please include the plain text version of this information in your email as well as any file, PDF or HTML attachments.
If applicable, transportation and accommodation can be covered.
Please forward the above information to email@example.com