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5 Things You Didn't Know: Starbucks
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They are largely responsible for turning a diner's 50-cent cup of joe into a travesty, or at the very least, a pedestrian pursuit. Their "stores" seem to be everywhere, and they're populated by coffee snobs on both sides of the counter. They appear either indifferent to, or beyond the reach of, fluctuating economies. They are accused of everything from the annoying (market saturation) to the serious (anti-competition), yet Starbucks — the world's biggest coffee peddler — keeps on peddling.
There may be no better example of the company's imperialist domination — and the scorn they sometimes inspire — than the shocking installation of a Starbucks store in Beijing's Forbidden City in 2000. You can't blame Starbucks for salivating over the real estate; almost 9 million people visited the former home to 24 different Chinese emperors in 2006. Nonetheless, it took seven years of protesting, 500,000 signatures and a refusal on Starbucks' part to sell other brands to finally drive them out in 2007.
Love 'em or hate 'em, here are five things you may not know about Starbucks, your friendly, ubiquitous coffee house.
1- On average, two new Starbucks have opened every day since 1987
Starbucks has been around since 1971, but it wasn't aggressive about expansion until 1987, when the company came under the ownership of its current chairman, Howard Schulz. At that time, there were only nine Starbucks stores.Today, there are about 14,396 (give or take a few). Divide that number by 20 years, or 7,300 days and, after rounding up, you get an average of 2 stores per day opening every day for the last 20 years. Naturally, this figure does not include the few stores that, for whatever reason, were shut down.
2- Its name comes from Moby Dick
Confirmed by the company's current fact sheet, Starbucks was named for the first mate of the Pequod in Melville's Moby Dick. The question is, why? After all, the company seems more like Captain Ahab than Starbuck. In the famous novel, Starbuck and Ahab are at opposite ends of the philosophical spectrum: the first mate is superstitious and conservative, Ahab is narcissistic and monomaniacal. Starbuck is practical, opposing Ahab's desire to commit the Pequod to circling the world's oceans in search of the white whale in favor of a commitment to harpooning whales they can sell on the Nantucket Market. Ahab is single-minded, bent on not only killing the white whale, but also on relieving mankind of the source of its evil. Swap out a few of the right words above with terms like "market domination" and "its competition," and you have Ahab's, the world's biggest coffee peddler.The only ostensible Starbuck-like thing about Starbucks is the conservative evolution of its logo. It used to feature a bare-breasted mermaid but has, over time, developed a degree of modesty that would please the Pequod's first mate: Initially, her hair covered her breasts, then they were cut out of the frame altogether.
3- Its founders sold Starbucks in 1987 to build Peet's Coffee & Tea
Here's the condensed company time line:- 1966: Alfred Peet opens Peet's Coffee & Tea in Berkeley, California.
- 1971: Jerry Baldwin and two other friends of Alfred Peet open the first Starbucks in Seattle.
- 1982: Howard Schultz joins Starbucks.
- 1984: Baldwin et al buy out Peet's.
- 1987: Baldwin et al sell Starbucks to Schultz to focus on building Peet's.


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It says the current tension halts the ongoing efforts to end the war in Gaza
Screens went blank at 2 p.m. (0500 GMT), the state-run Korea Information Security Agency said, and more than seven hours later some systems were still down.
Police and South Korean officials couldn't immediately determine responsibility and North Korea's state media made no immediate comments on the shutdown. But some experts suspected a cyberattack orchestrated by Pyongyang. The rivals have exchanged threats amid joint U.S.-South Korean military drills and in the wake of UN sanctions meant to punish North Korea over its nuclear test last month.
The network paralysis took place just days after North Korea accused South Korea and the US of staging a cyberattack that shut down its websites for two days last week. Loxley Pacific, the Thailand-based Internet service provider, confirmed the North Korean outage but did not say what caused it.
The South Korean shutdown did not affect government agencies or potential targets such as power plants or transportation systems, and there were no immediate reports that bank customers' records were compromised, but the disruption froze part of the country's commerce.
Some customers were unable to use the debit or credit cards that many rely on more than cash. At one Starbucks in downtown Seoul, customers were asked to pay for their coffee in cash, and lines formed outside disabled bank machines.
Shinhan Bank, a major South Korean lender, reported a two-hour system shutdown, including online banking and automated teller machines. It said networks later came back online and that banking was back to normal. Shinhan said no customer records or accounts were compromised.
Another big bank, Nonghyup, said its system eventually came back online. Officials didn't answer a call seeking details on the safety of customer records. Jeju Bank said some of its branches also reported network shutdowns.
Broadcasters KBS and MBC said their computers went down at 2 p.m., but that the shutdown did not affect TV broadcasts. Computers were still down about seven hours after the shutdown began, according to the state-run Korea Communications Commission, South Korea's telecom regulator.
The YTN cable news channel also said the company's internal computer network was paralyzed. Footage showed workers staring at blank computer screens.
KBS employees said they watched helplessly as files stored on their computers began disappearing.
Last year, North Korea threatened to attack several news companies, including KBC and MBC, over their reports critical of children's' festivals in the North.
'It's got to be a hacking attack,' said Lim Jong-in, dean of Korea University's Graduate School of Information Security. 'Such simultaneous shutdowns cannot be caused by technical glitches.'
The Korea Information Security Agency had reported that an image of skulls and a hacking claim had popped up on some of the computers that shut down, but later said those who reported the skulls did not work for the five companies whose computers suffered massive outages. KISA was investigating the skull images as well.
'If it plays out that this was a state-sponsored attack, that's pretty bald faced and definitely an escalation in the tensions between the two countries,' said James Barnett, former chief of public safety and homeland security for the US Federal Communications Commission.
An ominous question is what other businesses, in South Korea or elsewhere, may also be in the sights of the attacker, said Barnett, who heads the cybersecurity practice at Washington law firm Venable.
'This needs to be a wake-up call,' he said. 'This can happen anywhere.'
An official at the Korea Communications Commission said investigators speculate that malicious code was spread from company servers that send automatic updates of security software and virus patches.
LG Uplus Corp., which provides network services for the companies that suffered outages, saw no signs of a cyberattack on its networks, company spokesman Lee Jung-hwan said.
The South Korean military raised its cyberattack readiness level but saw no signs of cyberattacks on its networks, the Defense Ministry said.
No government computers were affected, officials said. President Park Geun-hye called for quick efforts to get systems back online, according to her spokeswoman, Kim Haing.
The shutdown raised worries about the overall vulnerability to attacks in South Korea, a world leader in broadband and mobile Internet access. Previous hacking attacks at private companies compromised millions of people's personal data. Past malware attacks also disabled access to government agency websites and destroyed files in personal computers.
Seoul believes North Korea runs an Internet warfare unit aimed at hacking US and South Korean government and military networks to gather information and disrupt service.
Seoul blames North Korean hackers for several cyberattacks in recent years. Pyongyang has either denied or ignored those charges. Hackers operating from IP addresses in China have also been blamed.
In 2011, computer security software maker McAfee Inc. said North Korea or its sympathizers likely were responsible for a cyberattack against South Korean government and banking websites earlier that year. The analysis also said North Korea appeared to be linked to a 2009 massive computer-based attack that brought down US government Internet sites. Pyongyang denied involvement.
'North Korea has almost certainly done similar attacks before,' said Tim Junio, a cybersecurity fellow at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation. 'Part of why this wasn't more consequential is probably because South Korea took the first major incident seriously and deployed a bunch of organizational and technical innovations to reduce response time during future North Korea attacks.'
South Korea has created a National Cybersecurity Center, a national monitoring sector and a Cyber Command modeled after the US Cyber Command. Junio said South Korea's major antivirus firms also play a large role in stopping hacking attacks.
'These companies have security monitoring centres getting fed info from all over Korea to help detect incidents quickly and push technical solutions,' he said. 'They also have formal relationships with the government and sectors within their companies dedicated to national security work, including North Korean malware.'
The shutdown comes amid rising rhetoric and threats of attack from Pyongyang over the UN sanctions. Washington also expanded sanctions against North Korea this month in a bid to cripple the government's ability to develop its nuclear program.
North Korea has threatened revenge for the sanctions and for ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills, which the allies describe as routine but which Pyongyang says are rehearsals for invasion.
On Wednesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected military drills in which drone planes hit targets and rockets shot down mock enemy cruise missiles. Kim told officers the North should 'destroy the enemies without mercy so that not a single man can survive to sign a document of surrender when a battle starts,' according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
Last week, North Korea's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea warned South Korea's 'reptile media' that the North was prepared to conduct a 'sophisticated strike' on Seoul.
North Korea also has claimed cyberattacks by the US and South Korea. The North's official Korean Central News Agency accused the countries of expanding an aggressive stance against Pyongyang into cyberspace with 'intensive and persistent virus attacks.'
South Korea denied the allegation and the US military declined to comment.
Lim said he believes hackers in China were likely culprits in the outage in Pyongyang, but that North Korea was probably responsible for Wednesday's attack.
'Hackers attack media companies usually because of a political desire to cause confusion in society,' he said. 'Political attacks on South Korea come from North Koreans.'
Orchestrating the mass shutdown of the networks of major companies would have taken at least one to six months of planning and coordination, said Kwon Seok-chul, chief executive officer of Seoul-based cybersecurity firm Cuvepia Inc.
Kwon, who analyzed personal computers at one of the three broadcasters shut down Wednesday, said he hasn't yet seen signs that the malware was distributed by North Korea.
'But hackers left indications in computer files that mean this could be the first of many attacks,' he said.
Lim said tracking the source of the outage would take months.
It says the current tension halts the ongoing efforts to end the war in Gaza
Inspired by her mother's storytelling through food, the Emirati chef treats audiences on culinary shows to a blend of tradition and creativity
Anti-tourism activists have staged protests across Spain, saying visitors drive up housing costs and lead to residents being unable to afford to live in city centres
Communication blackout made it scarier, say students
The group says it targeted northern Israel's Dafna area with Katyusha rockets
The project will be rolled out in three phases to integrate biometric authentication systems across all security and operations touchpoints
Increased cost serves as a deterrent, encouraging consumers to make healthier choice
13 one-horned rhinos drown at Kaziranga National Park


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BEIJING — Sun Dawu, one of China's best-known rural entrepreneurs, was handed an 18-year prison sentence on Wednesday amid broader efforts by authorities in China to rein in powerful businessmen and limit the influence of private enterprise.
The billionaire pig farmer was found guilty of eight charges by the Gaobeidian District People's Court in Hebei province. The charges included gathering crowds to attack state agencies, illegal fundraising and "provoking trouble."
Nineteen of Sun's relatives and employees were given shorter sentences, ranging from 15 months to 12 years. Sun's Dawu Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Group conglomerate was fined $480,000.
Sun's legal team declined to comment on the case, saying it was too politically sensitive. One lawyer spoke of the fear of losing the license to practice law if interviewed by NPR.
Sun's case stemmed from a minor property dispute with a neighboring state farm that turned violent last summer. Dawu Group employees tried to petition local regulators for help in resolving the dispute. But in November, authorities detained more than two dozen of Sun's relatives and employees, holding them in a type of secret house arrest for more than five months until they were formally charged.
They described brutal conditions. "There were no windows in the designated residential surveillance area and the lights were on 24 hours a day, making it impossible to distinguish between day and night," said Jin Fengyu, Dawu Group's deputy director, according to notes provided by Sun's defense team. "A camera watched me and because of the lack of privacy, I never once could bathe."
It has not been a good year for private businesses in China. The country's most valuable technology companies are facing a raft of new regulations severely restricting their scope of business. Meanwhile, thousands of owners of small and midsize private businesses have been nabbed in a three-year anti-corruption campaign that legal experts said has ensnared many innocent firms.
Sun, a 67-year-old social justice advocate and staunch defender of rural development, had once enjoyed a kind political celebrity. Prestigious Chinese universities invited him to deliver lectures on rural land reform and entrepreneurship. Intellectuals and political activists frequently stopped by his company headquarters. Top political leaders sought his advice on raising rural incomes. Over the years, he also covered legal costs for prominent human rights lawyers.
The tycoon's idealism spurred him to fund his own hospital and school system, providing heavily subsidized services to Dawu Group's about 9,000 employees and their families.
Those social services became the basis for one of the charges against him — illegal fundraising. Authorities said Dawu Group had borrowed $104 billion from employees and relatives on a fraudulent basis since 2003. Sun denied the charge.
Dawu Group did not have ready access to credit, highlighting the legal complexities facing rural entrepreneurs. China's ruling Communist Party does not allow the sale of rural land or its use as collateral when obtaining bank loans, forcing rural firms to turn to shadow lending or private wealth.
Last year, the state took over Dawu Group's operations, and most of the group's executives are now in prison.
During Sun's 12-day trial this month, police repeatedly blocked journalists from attending. Few onlookers were allowed access to the courtroom despite previous assurances that relatives and employees could attend.
Locked out of the court, some employees quietly celebrated Sun's birthday, which, according to the lunar calendar, fell on July 15 — the same day his trial began.
Amy Cheng contributed research from Beijing.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Hermle is all about milling and achieving outstanding results. And we are committed to ensuring just this with our architecture, our structure, our work, our approach, our development, our engineering, our assembly and our service. Everything we achieve, change or optimize makes our results better, more precise, available more rapidly– nothing more and nothing less.
"milling at its best" – as the slogan of Hermle AG – sums this up aptly. It stands for a high-performance, highly innovative machining centres that have risen to a leading position nationally and internationally. It stands for a sprawling and closely meshed sales and service network and the presence worldwide of more than 27,000 successfully installed machines.
Ultimately, it stands for the success of our customers who achieve the best results in terms of precision and efficiency using our products.
But what makes "milling at its best" possible? A constant supply of new ideas and the proverbial Hermle precision in manufacturing, process consulting and sound project management. With our approx. 1.200 highly motivated employees, who are responsible for all this, we create the foundation. And we do this in a place which has traditionally been the home of precision mechanics and machine tools. All in all, these are the best possible prerequisites. They are the reasons why we enjoy a leading position today as a partner to numerous key industries. From large complex components to the smallest components in the high-tech area. From medicine to auto racing. We lead the way!


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05 March 2012
Having A Crack At Making Pan Pepato
One of my favourite Christmassy things is panforte and I, also, love Nurnberger lebkuchen. It hails from Siena which is probably my favourite city in Italy. There really is something special about sitting out in the Piazza del Campo, looking across the amphitheatre shape of the cobbled open across to the Palazzo Publico. Perhaps it is all a bit too idyllic and I am lucky never to have seem the Palio with its crowds and thundering horses which would distract from this view. Anyway Siena is the capital of panforte.
While I went on the hunt for a panforte recipe and came across a recipe for 1879 to make a cake, panforte, in honour of a visit by Queen Margharita of Savoy, while others say panforte came first and Sister Berta fiddled with the recipe to make a more wholesome breadcake, pan pepato, when Siena was besieged in 1554.
Pan pepato is a chocolatey and spicy biscuit cake that is more similar in flavour and texture to lebkuchen than anyone seems to indicate. This suggests to me that this style of sweet baked goods was pretty ubiquitous across Europe in the Middle Ages, as there is no raising agent in it as would be found in most modern biscuits. Then in a similar vein to British Christmas items, it is heavy on those grocery items that were really expensive in the past - dried nuts, dried fruits and spices. They also contain chocolate or cocoa, so probably could not have included these flavours before 1585 when the first commercial shipments of chocolate were recorded nor perhaps until the mid 17th century when cocoa became more freely available.
It is pretty easy to make and is a good use of lots of unusual spices, giving the cake a decently warming aftertaste from the black pepper and cubeb pepper while it has the festive flavours of cassia, nutmeg and cloves coming through. I like it but it is definitely an adult treat - our kids were decidedly unimpressed and gave that classic "What is that, Dad?" look after the one mouse-like, little bite.
Note that some recipes suggest that you boil the sugar mix to the soft ball stage, but I did not need that at all, and question whether that is just a modern adjustment to the recipe, e.g Waitrose, but these exclude chocolate and use cocoa instead.
75g / 2½oz sultanas
25g / ¾oz dried figs, chopped into sultana sized pieces
125g / 3½oz hazelnuts
125g / 3½oz almonds
50g / ¾oz pine nuts, chopped
100g / 3½oz chopped mixed peel
100g / 3½oz plain dark chocolate, chopped into medium sized chunks
200g / 7oz runny honey
2tbsp unsalted butter
80g / 2¾oz plain flour, sifted
1tsp ground black pepper
1tsp ground cassia (or ground cinnamon)
½tsp ground nutmeg
¼tsp ground cloves
¼tsp ground cubeb pepper
1tbsp icing sugar, sifted
1tsp pink peppercorns, crushed (optional)
The method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
Boil the kettle and pour hot water over the sultanas and chopped figs to soak them. Leave to infuse for 15 minutes, then drain. I made a pot of strong black chai tea (you could use any strong black tea), and infuse them in this; it is not traditionally correct, but it worked well, or perhaps you could soak it overnight in a port or sweet white wine, ideally a vin santo.
Put the whole nuts on an ungreased baking tray at 180C/350F and toast for about 5 minutes, which will dry the skins. Roll these in a clean tea towel for a couple of minutes to remove the skins. Place the pine nuts on the baking tray and toast for about 3 minutes until they start to colour. Leave all the nuts to cool down, then chop them roughly.
Turn the oven down to 170C/325F. Lightly grease two baking trays; use the ones that you used earlier but make sure they have cooled down.
Tip the toasted chopped nuts, soaked fruit, mixed peel and ground spices into a mixing bowl. Give them all a good stir to thoroughly mix it all together.
Weigh the runny honey in the saucepan, then add the unsalted butter. Over a medium heat, heat these until the butter has melted. Take off the heat, add the dark chocolate pieces and stir until all the chocolate has melted.
Pour the chocolate sauce into the nut-fruit mixing bowl and stir thoroughly. Add the plain flour and mix everything together until it starts to clump.
Spoon the mix into 8 or 10 scoops, roll into balls then place each onto the greased baking tray. Flatten the top of each of the balls until each is about 2½ cm thick (1 inch).
Bake for 20-25 minutes until firm. Take from the oven and allow them to cool completely before removing them.
Dust the tops very generously with icing sugar. Sprinkle with the crushed pink peppercorns if using them.
They will keep for many weeks and make good Christmas gifts.


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Having just ported his original Quake II map Grunt No More to Quetoo, I asked Panjoo how it felt to remake one of his own maps, versus the 8 Quake II deathmatch levels he has already remade. He offered some fantastic insight:
The title of this blog post says it all—Quetoo has been Greenlit on Steam!
Currently, we're still aiming for a release in late spring or early summer, but if you're itching to pwn some nubs, you can try out the current beta versions over on the downloads page for the latest installer (Which requires Java 8) to download and play.
Stay tuned for more information and development progress as this project continues to mature and stabilize with the help of the team that has been laboring on this project to bring it to fruition.
Once again, we couldn't be happier to bring you this exciting news! Our beloved Quake II homage, Quetoo, is now on Steam Greenlight!
Go on and vote for it, you know you want to:
Huge thanks go to the entire Quetoo team and all the contributors who have been working on this decade-old project with dedication for this game and have been pushing forward hard in development to make this game a better and more enjoyable experience.
Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor :)
It's with great excitement and sincere gratitude that I share all of this news. 2016 has been an incredibly productive year for this decade-old project, and I couldn't be happier to still be working on Quetoo with this team.
Panjoo, the creator of all of our beautiful Quake II classic remakes, our logo, and many of the models and skins you see in Quetoo, has been officially handed the creative reigns, and the title of Creative Lead. Pan's excruciating love for Quake2 bleeds through every piece of artwork he touches, and over the past four years, he's shaped Quetoo's aesthetic into a fitting tribute to our beloved classic. So thank you, Pan, from the bottom of my heart, and congrats!
This next update.. I have to laugh, at least just a little. He posted a wonderful Facebook update to the Quetoo page (several, actually), but didn't mention the massive news that he, Jonathan 'Paril' Barkley has joined our team as a core contributor, and has been absolutely crushing it for the last two months. Canadians are just too humble..
Paril has saved our Windows build from the brink of utter neglect, porting the project to Visual Studio and fixing over a dozen Windows-related bugs along the way. He also took on a massive refactoring effort to make Quetoo's renderer OpenGL 2.0 compliant, resulting in higher framerates across the board. On top of that, he's fixed several long-standing player movement bugs that I had basically given up on. Suffice to say, I am extremely grateful to have Paril on the team.
He's not the only new contributor, either! Since our outreach in September, we've picked up sound designer Anthony Webb, man of mystery and jack of all trades who goes by the IRC handle KaadmY, intrepid developer Coşku Baş and Spanish translator Eduardo 'mitomon' Pecina. Their combined efforts have been transformative for the project, and the stats speak for themselves.
I'll post another update with general progress, but for now, I just wanted to express my excitement and thanks to the Quetoo team. Hobby projects like ours are hard. Many have vanished over the years. They consume nights and weekends, and can wear you down. 10 years into this thing, there have certainly been times when I've wondered why I keep at this. But when I consider the friendships made, and the beautiful, twitchy, gritty game that we've forged together, I see no reason to ever stop creating and learning with Quake.
In an effort to improve our own brand and not tread on id Software's Quake II trademark, our project is now known as Quetoo. Folks have often wondered why our project's IRC channel on Freenode is named #quetoo. The name dates back to 2005, and was the title of a Quake II-compatible engine I produced for GNU / Linux for about 2 years. Focused purely on performance, Quetoo sought to make Quake II playable on the weakest of GPUs that were unfortunately popular in low-end systems of the day.
Eventually, I grew restless in keeping compatibility with Quake II, and so the Quake2World project was born. Indeed, Quake2World started as a branch of Quetoo, but with a much larger mission: to build an entire game. And as development of Quake2World gained momentum, the little Quake II engine it came from fell by the wayside and all but disappeared from the Internet. Except for one place..
A small but dedicated community had formed around Quetoo, and we called #quetoo on irc.freenode.net home. And altho short-lived attempts to migrate the team to #quake2world were tried, they never stuck. And so here we are, 10 years later, still Quetoo. I guess we've come full circle: Quetoo is Quake2World is Quetoo again.
So please: update your bookmarks, stop by the IRC channel and say hello, and keep your eyes out for new Quetoo builds and patches to GtkRadiant.
As we enter our 8th year of development, Quake2World continues to evolve and improve. Here's a quick video showing off some of our new lighting and shadow effects, as well as a subset of the new level remakes by Pan. This is a first look at The Pits and Lost Hallways, as well as an update on The Frag Pipe. Not featured in this video, but well underway, are Pan's reworks of Lava Tomb, Tokay's Towers, and The Warehouse.
We're still actively recruiting model and texture artists to revamp or replace our weapon, item and world objects. Programmers, level designers, and sound artists are all encouraged to inquire about contributing, too! Contact us in #quetoo on irc.freenode.net, or post on our Facebook page.
It's been 18 months since our BETA made an ironic splash on April 1st 2012. We figured it's time to communicate what our goals are for a 1.0 general release.
But first, a quick recap of what our team has accomplished in the last year and a half:
(ZIP) archives. This brought our game data down in size from 500M to 200M. Our BSP compiler, Q2WMap, has been updated to automatically create .pk3
archives from your custom maps, too.Our highest priority for the 1.0 general release is to provide quality remakes of the classic Quake II deathmatch levels. Panjoo has started us off on the right foot with his superb rework of The Edge, and TRaK, before retiring from the project, gave us an excellent head-start with initial cuts of The Frag Pipe and The Warehouse featuring his own original textures.
We are seeking new mappers to pick up the torch and see these maps through to completion, and to port the remaining Quake II deathmatch levels as well. And to that end, we've upped our game by providing the very best tools and support we've offered to date.
Since Quake2World's inception, the NetRadiant editor has been our tool of choice for level editing. Unfortunately, NetRadiant seems all but unmaintained these days, and several long-standing issues with it led us to seek an alternative. While we may eventually support NetRadiant again in the future, it was time to make a change..
By joining up with TTimo's GtkRadiant maintenance effort, we have fixed several long-standing issues for mappers on the Windows platform. Namely, GtkRadiant 1.6.4 now supports per-user game data directories, so mappers no longer have to navigate the perils of placing their custom assets in the official game directory (where Quake2World's Update process will delete) them just to make them visible to Radiant.
Additionally, Q2WMap now integrates with GtkRadiant, allowing BSP process monitoring through the in-editor BSP compilation menu. This allows Q2WMap to send realtime feedback directly to the Radiant user interface, and select malformed brushes, point the user to leaks, etc. Moreover, all of the compiler's output gets logged right in the Radiant console -- no more console window popping up and then disappearing before you can read the results.
For the first time ever, users of Mac OS X will be able to create levels using GtkRadiant, too. As a Mac user myself, it was imperative for me to have a working editor, and so I'll now be providing packaged OS X builds of GtkRadiant for users running Lion and Mountain Lion. Snow Leopard users will be able to compile their own copy by following my build instructions. Look for the OS X builds of GtkRadiant 1.6.4 to appear on the project site soon.
Finally, the Quake2World entities definitions file for GtkRadiant has been completely rewritten to be more accurate and readable. Frankly, it's at least as good as Quake III: Arena's, which should make mapping for Quake2World less confusing and more productive than ever.
While client binaries for GNU / Linux have proven difficult to provide in any distro-agnostic way, we are committed to providing dedicated server builds for i686 and x86_64 Linux, complete with an rsync-based update channel. Expect to see this in Q4 of 2013.
As we march towards these primary goals, many smaller fixes and enhancements will continue to flow into the project: revamped weapon models, weapon spin-up times, new player models, expanded gameplay modes and more general polishing are sure to come. In fact, you can keep tabs on the items we're tackling for 1.0 by watching these milestones on Github:
I'd also like to mention that, "post-1.0," we'll be taking on more major challenges such as AI and bots, upgrading to SDL 2.0, and providing more user-friendly in-game menus. But for right now, we're focused on our 1.0 goals and..
Sounds like a lot of work, doesn't it? That's why we need your help. Contribute or spread the word! If you have a skill set like mapping, texturing or programming, or if you know someone who does, please get in touch on our forums or IRC (#quetoo on irc.freenode.net). Want to help beta test? That's cool, too -- post a thread or say hello on IRC. All levels of contribution and participation are welcome.
Thanks for taking the time to read this,
Jay (jdolan)
It appears that, literally overnight, DynDNS decided to cancel my free-tier account which I've had since 2000. Apparently, they changed their SLA 30 days ago, requiring that all free-tier account holders must login to their admin panel once per month or face cancellation of services. Unfortunately, the email address I had on file with Dyn is a Yahoo! account I rarely check.. bummer.
I'm very happy to share that GtkRadiant will support Quake2World and Quake II on 3 major platforms starting in version 1.6.4, which is already in testing.


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TGI by SEAT combines petrol with natural gas for lower costs and emissions. After all, ecology and economy aren't so different.
It's good to connect. To share. My SEAT App and Full Link do all that and more. Easy. Intuitive. Ready today, for tomorrow.
BeatsAudio™. Shazam. Technologies for a future that's not only green, but also fun. Starting today.


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Book Title: Cut Wide Open (A Bleeding Scars MC)
Author: Abby McCarthy
Release Date: March 20, 2017
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
Then you were gone.
At sixteen, I lost the only love I'd ever known. Thrown back into the foster system, pregnant and alone, I prayed that you'd come for me and save me from life's cruelties. Only the next time I saw you, it was too late.
Doing what I needed to do to provide for my son, we were finally brought face to face. It should have been the best day of my life, but it was far from it. It was the worst.
That day a monster took me and held me captive.
I begged for my life. I prayed for my son. I dreamt of you, the memories keeping me alive.
You finally came for me. You were my heart. My Salvation.
But sometimes the heart is too damaged, too broken, to be saved.
And sometimes monsters have a way of coming back to haunt me.
*This is a dark story. It is intended for mature audiences. If you need a trigger warning then this book isn't for you. I have other books of mine that I'd recommend like Current or Tainted by Crazy, but not this one.
Christ! Who was this woman in front of me? I broke from our kiss even more confused. She was so high. I wasn't even sure she knew it was me, and then as I stared at her, and asked her what the hell she was on, she called me Enrico.
Fucking Enrico.
If I was pissed before, I was even more so now. I wanted to hit something, and I wanted to kill Enrico. I needed to get away from Charlie before I did something seriously fucked up.
I started to move away from her when she slurred, "Gun, slys yours."
My temper couldn't take it. "Jesus fucking Christ, Charlie! You're fucking stoned," I yelled. My blood boiled.
"'Rico, dance," she mumbled, not making any sense. She looked afraid, but I didn't know what to make of any of it. All I heard was Enrico saying she was his and she kept repeating Enrico's name. I'd loved her and held her on a pedestal for so long, and she was a fucking drug lord's tweaked out pussy.


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Fattoush فتوش 1
Fattoush is another one of those Middle Eastern salads can be as simple or as complex as you like. It is ubiquitous throughout the region, including Turkey. While it can contain different ingredients, the base is always stale toasted or fried bread.
The word Fattoush comes from a mix of Arabic (fatt فت – meaning "broken") and Turkish (ush).
The chief ingredients are generally tomatoes, cucumber, onions, parsley, mint, olive oil, and lemon. Other ingredients can be radishes, lettuce, cabbage, bell peppers, pickled chiles, olives, sumac, garlic, and pomegranate syrup.
A few notes:
1. While I have given some measurements here, there are no hard and fast rules other than the bread.
2. English (hothouse) or Persian cucumbers are preferable. They have less water, fewer seeds, and don't need to be peeled. If you need to use the more familiar salad cucumber, then you will need to peel it (the skin is tough and usually waxed) and scoop out the seeds.
3. If you use large tomatoes, be sure to seed them. If you use cherry tomatoes, don't bother with seeding. Just cut them in half.
4. Curly parsley is more traditional. However, flat leaf (Italian) is fine.
5. If you use garlic, use less than you think you need. Raw garlic is powerful stuff and can easily take over the rest of the salad.
6. You don't need to cut the vegetables fine. They can simply be chopped.
2 loaves pita bread, preferably day-old
1 cucumber, preferably hothouse (English) -or- 2-3 Persian cucumbers, cut into large dice or sliced roughly 1/4″ thick
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped -or- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 bunch mint, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 2 lemons, or to taste
1/4 – 1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
1. Prepare the bread: If you are toasting the bread, preheat the oven to 450F. Split the loaves around the outside edge.
Don't worry if the loaves aren't split cleanly. You'll be breaking them up after they've been toasted.
Place the split bread directly on the oven rack and let toast until it is a golden brown. Try not to let the bread get too dark or will add a bitter flavor to the finished salad. It should take about 2 – 3 minutes for the bread to toast.
Let the bread cool and then break it up into bite-sized pieces. I generally like to accomplish this by putting the bread into a large zip bag and breaking it up. No mess and the bag can be re-used.
If you decide to fry the bread, heat your oil to 375F. A mix of vegetable and olive oil works well for the flavor. (use pure olive oil, not extra virgin.) Cut the bread into bite-sized pieces and separate them. Fry the bread in batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
2. Place all of the prepared vegetables in a large bowl. Add the bread and toss. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss again. Taste for seasoning.
Let the salad sit for about 15 minutes, then serve.
The salad will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator, but it's really best the day it's made.


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Can you imagine this being your veranda? The driftwood grey of the ceiling, and the sunlight streaming in makes it an easy journey in my imagination.
In my head, it's over-looking the most divine Modern Country garden, tumbling roses, and smartly clipped topiary.
I'm having a moment for taupe-y grey gingham. mall touches here and there give me a big Cheshire cat kind of smile.


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Rachel Uchitel Buys $2 Million Pad on Park Ave.
Rachel Uchitel is officially movin' on up ... TMZ has learned Tiger Woods' mistress numero uno has just purchased a swanky 3-bedroom apartment in one of the most exclusive parts of Manhattan.
Sources close to Uchitel tell TMZ ... the asking price on the Park Ave. unit was $2 mil, but Rachel -- who's rolling around with an extra $10 mil in her bank account courtesy of Mr. Woods -- managed to score a "pretty sweet deal" on the place.
We're told the unit boasts 3 bathrooms, a fireplace and "white-glove service" ... which includes a doorman, security -- the whole nine yards.
There are reports that the homeowners association didn't want Rachel to move into the building ... but we're told she never had an issue and the buying process was "pretty easy."
But one of the main reasons Rachel took the place, we're told, is because she thinks it would be the perfect place to start a family ... just as soon as she locks down a man.


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Multiple Extractions
After the Removal of Multiple Teeth
A small amount of bleeding is to be expected following the operation. If bleeding occurs, place a gauze pad directly over the bleeding socket and apply biting pressure for 30 minutes. If bleeding continues, a moist tea bag can be used for 30 minutes. Keep calm, avoid exercise, avoid talking, and elevate your head. Hold on ice packs for swelling when bleeding is a concern. If bleeding persists, call our office. If you have a denture, do not remove the denture. Expect some oozing around the side of the denture.
Use ice packs (externally) on the same side of the face as the operated area. Apply ice for the first 24 hours only. Do not leave the ice in place continuously. Apply the ice in 20-minute intervals. Twenty minutes on and twenty minutes off. After 24 hours, you may use moist heat except for cases of infection.
Post Extraction Care
For mild discomfort use over the counter analgesics.
For severe pain use the prescription given to you. If the pain does not begin to subside after the first several days or increases after 3-4 days, please call our office. If an antibiotic has been prescribed, finish your prescription regardless of your symptoms.
Delivered dentures at the time of surgery.
Wear the denture without removing it for the first 48 hours. After the first 48 hours, always remove the denture at night and while napping from this point forward.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Drink at least six to eight glasses of liquid. Do not rinse your mouth while there is bleeding. Gently use a warm saltwater rinse following meals to flush out particles of food and debris that may lodge in the operated area. (One-half teaspoon of salt in a glass of lukewarm water.).
Restrict your diet.
Liquids and soft foods, which are comfortable for you to eat. As the wounds heal, you will be able to advance your diet. Please avoid nuts, chips, seeds, and popcorn.
What to Expect After Multiple Extractions
The removal of many teeth at one time is quite different than the extraction of one or two teeth. Because the bone must be shaped and smoothed prior to the insertion of a denture, the following conditions may occur, all of which are considered normal:
Swelling and Discoloration
The area operated on will swell reaching a maximum in two days. Swelling and discoloration around the eye may occur. The application of a moist warm towel will help eliminate the discoloration quicker. The towel should be applied continuously for as long as tolerable beginning 24 hours after surgery (remember ice packs are used for the first 24 hours only). Do not apply heat in situations involving infection.
Sore Throat
A sore throat may develop. The muscles of the throat are near the extraction sites. Swelling into the throat muscles can cause pain. This is normal and should subside.
Dry Cracked Lips
If the corners of the mouth are stretched, they may dry out and crack. Your lips should be kept moist with an ointment like Vaseline.
Slight Possibility of Temperature Following Surgery
It is a normal inflammatory response following surgery and is not always an indication of infection. If the temperature persists, notify our office.
Immediate Dentures
If immediate dentures have been inserted, sore spots may develop. In most cases, your dentist will see you within 24-72 hours after surgery and make the necessary adjustments to relieve those sore spots. Failure to do so may result in severe denture sores, which may prolong the healing process.


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The Importance of Obeying One's Guru, part two
Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami , 2005-10-12
Bodhinatha continues with part two of his talk on obeying the guru. He describes the meaning of obedience and how it involves acceptance and intelligent cooperation. He reads sections from our monastic order's vow book on the vow of obedience and tells a related story about Yogaswami and his guru Chellappaswami.
Unedited Transcript:
We continue on our talk for New Delhi, Swaminarayan group. Those who weren't here for the first part we have an invitation from the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha to be present and give a talk at the opening of their very very large center in New Delhi. And the celebration is a month long and we're there during the last week of it which is set aside for foreign dignitaries. So there'll be more English speaking people there the week that we're there. So we're scheduled to give a talk and they've asked for "The Importance of Obeying One's Guru." It's because Gurudeva gave a famous talk to them on that subject in 1995 in Bombay at their leader's, Pramukh Swami's birthday party. Something like thirty thousand people attending that birthday party. They like to do things on a large scale. [laughs]
So, I think they anticipate just a small crowd of ten thousand when I give this talk so plus you know, I think national television coverage possibly, so the editing team went over this very carefully. So, see where we were here.
So we talked about the guru and that. So here's a good, I think we, these last couple of paragraphs we read but we can read them again it gives good continuity. So Gurudeva gave them three suggestions at that talk: obey your guru, obey your guru, and obey your guru. Those were his three suggestions. So my talk mentions that then it goes on in this way.
Let's look more closely at exactly what it means to obey the guru. The basic way to be obedient is to strictly follow the general principles taught by the guru. These are traditionally found in the scriptures of the lineage, such as the verses of the Shikshapatri. These 212 verses are certainly comprehensive in covering all aspects of life and Swaminarayan followers are indeed fortunate to have such a clear set of principles laid out to follow in this "Code of Precepts." You may be interested to know that the Shikshapatri inspired our Gurudeva to develop a similar scripture for his monks and families. It consisted of 365 verses, one for each day of the year, and is called the Nandinatha Sutras. These sutras now guide our sampradaya, just as the Shikshapatri guides BAPS.
The importance of obeying the rules of the Shikshapatri is stated by Bhagwan Swaminarayan in verses 205 and 206: "Hence, all My disciples shall observe all the rules laid down in this Shikshapatri and shall never follow the whims of the lower instincts. Those of My disciples who shall live in accordance with the precepts laid down here shall attain all the four desired objects (Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha) on earth."
A second form of obedience is to follow any personal advice given to us by the guru. Some Hindus select a guru who is no longer living. They place his picture on their wall and altar and study his writings. I call this a safe guru because he will never ask you to do something you do not want to do; whereas, a living guru will, in fact, quite often ask you to do exactly what you do not want to do. Being obedient and doing what the satguru has requested may prove to be quite challenging. However, in accomplishing the task you will have made progress on the spiritual path, for he sees, better than you do, the karmas of your life and how you can overcome them.
Let's take as an example a disciple who is quite shy of public speaking. This shyness is based upon a few experiences in school in which he did very poorly in speaking in front of his class. These experiences convince him that others are better than he is. It would be natural for the guru to ask him to do that very thing--for example, to speak in front of a large satsang group every week until he overcomes his shyness of speaking in public. These positive accomplishments improve his self-concept to the point where he realizes he is neither greater nor lesser than anyone else because, in truth, he is the divine being within him. He is not the outer personality, the ego. Rather, he is the inner soul. This change would not have occurred if he had not, if he did not have a living satguru directing him to do exactly what he was least inclined to do.
In verse II-51 of the Vachanamrut Bhagwan Swaminarayan stresses the importance of following the commands of the guru.
"Only one who follows the commands of the Satpurush can be said to be under the influence of favorable circumstances. To deviate from those commands is the very definition of adverse circumstances. Therefore, only one who follows the commands of the Satpurush is behaving as the atma."
Obedience is a word that does not fall easily from most people's tongues in these modern times. But it is an essential quality of good character, and we should not be afraid of the idea, even if others are. In truth, obedience is the guiding principle of families, businesses, peace-keeping forces and, of course, spiritual institutions all around the world, of every faith. Obedience is one of the five vows that all monks of our Yoga Order take. Let me share with you three excerpts from Gurudeva's description of the vow of obedience. Each elucidates a different dimension of this virtue: "Obedience is the state of willingness and cooperation in which the soul remains open and amenable to enlightened direction. For the devotee it is an unbroken pledge of trust in and surrender to the satguru, the guru parampara and the mystic process of spiritual evolution. Obedience does not consist in blind submission and yielding to authority, nor in weakening our own will that it may be dominated by the will of another. Yet it is, in another sense, submission to a sacred purpose and the divine authority of the inner worlds. It is, for the devotee, an inner quality that allows one to remain consciously tractable and responsive. At those times when the instinctive nature looms strong and there arises a sense of 'I' and 'mine,' obedience is a surrendering of the ego to the soul or the instinctive nature to the spiritual nature. As long as the ego dominates the life of man, he will experience obedience as capitulation or subjection. As the soul unfolds further, obedience is perceived as the union of minds and purpose, a state of harmony so complete that there can exist no distinction between him who gives and him who receives instruction or direction. True obedience is based on agreement, trust and knowledge, as opposed to passive servility, nonresistance or domination which have ignorance and fear as their basis."
There is a story from our guru parampara I would like to share that illustrates this concept of obedience. It occurred when our paramaguru, Yogaswami, was still being trained by his guru, Chellappaswami. The year was around 1905, a century ago. Amidst a festival crowd at a large temple Chellappaswami told him , "Go within; meditate; stay here until I return." Chellappaswami came back three days later to find Yogawami still waiting for him to return. A soul of lesser dedication would have rationalized that Chellappaswami had forgotten about him and therefore it was all right to leave, return home and have a meal and sleep. Yogaswami, however, dutifully complied with his guru's instructions to wait until he returned, even though staying there for three days was a clear hardship and he had no idea when the guru would return.
Turning to the vow of obedience, I would like to quote again from our sadhus' vows which describe how the devotee, how the devotee can work his mind closely with the mind of his satguru. "Obedience may be defined as wisdom in handling directions and instructions. The devotee must learn to work closely with the mind of his satguru, seeking to bring his awareness ever closer to that of his preceptor. He must work to learn the art of accepting direction, whether expressed or implied, and fulfilling it beyond the expectations of his satguru. He must remain open to change, never allowing his mind to become so inflexible, so settled in its ways, that it cannot respond. He must take upon himself the responsibility for clarifying directions that are not clear, never executing directions thoughtlessly and then casting blame on those who made them. He must respond with a full heart, never subtly resisting directions he has received. He must respond quickly and with full energy, never using delay or lethargy as a means of opposing or impeding authority, for even delay and resistance are forms of disobedience. He must always seek agreement and a merging of minds with his fellow devotees, never supporting or sustaining contention or disagreement, or stubbornly clinging to an opposite point of view."
My guru often stressed the difference between intelligent cooperation and blind obedience. He stated it like this: "We must remember that blind obedience is never the spiritual way. It is intelligent cooperation that is the binding force in a well-run ashram. Intelligent cooperation means obtaining an extremely clear understanding of what is requested to be done before proceeding. Often this requires asking questions, discussing the direction or project, as one would do in a modern corporation, then, once all is understood, making the leader's direction your own direction. This is intelligent cooperation, not blind obedience."
Let me share a third and final section of the vow of obedience that gives suggestions on how to cultivate, meaning nurture, obedience. "The devotee cultivates obedience through faithfully following the customs of his lineage. He cultivates obedience through listening carefully to directions he may receive and then carrying out those directions without changing them to suit his own preferences or perceptions. He cultivates obedience by conscientiously following not only overt instructions, but those subtle unspoken directions that may come from his satguru, senior sadhus and his own conscience. He cultivates obedience through neither forgetting nor neglecting instructions even years later. He cultivates obedience by contemplating, in the absence of instructions, what his satguru would do or expect of him, and not taking such instances as opportunities to express his own ideas. He cultivates obedience by being loyal to his spiritual heritage and customs, holding fast to the ancient wisdom."
What is the right thing to do in the absence of instructions from the satguru? Some devotees would look at this as an opportunity to express and act upon their own viewpoints. That approach, if followed by a group of devotees, would lead to each expressing his or her own personal opinion and therefore could lead to serious disagreements between the members of the group. This scenario is totally avoided when each devotee in the group seeks to determine what his satguru would do or expect him to do if he were physically present.
In conclusion, having a living satguru provides the devotee with an opportunity to make significant spiritual progress in a single lifetime. However, as we previously mentioned, this progress is not automatic. It only occurs when the devotee is strictly obedient to the general rules of conduct of the lineage and follows carefully and fulfills in the right spirit all personal instruction received from the satguru.
Then there's a paragraph just for them.
How fortunate you all are in having a satguru such as Swamishri. He attends to all the details of your life. He responds personally, in his own handwritten notes, to every letter and question you send to him. How rare a soul he is to love you so deeply. You can thank him in three ways: (What do you think they are?) obey your guru, obey your guru, obey your guru. Right.
So that's the second half, be interesting to see what all the response is. I think it'll be good.
So I think the talk points out quite nicely many of the subtleties of obeying the guru. I like the one about not blind obedience I think that's very, very useful because sometimes the concept we get, you know possibly from something we read in a book somewhere is: the guru tells you to do something and you don't even think about it really you just go do it. The guru says: "Go jump off a cliff" you go jump off a cliff or something. You know he asked me to jump off a cliff. So Gurudeva says: No, that's not the fullness of the concept you know, if we don't understand an instruction we should ask. Of course asking means asking at the proper time and the proper way. You know for example, if the guru is giving a talk, something inspired and says something, and then the middle of it you ask a question you can lose the whole inspiration, lose the whole vibration of the talk. By asking a question at the wrong time so that's also a part of the sensitivity. We need to, if we don't understand something, Gurudeva's saying we need to ask. But what wasn't mentioned there is you have to ask at a good time and in an appropriate way. Can't ask at the wrong time and you can't ask with the wrong attitude. A critical attitude or antagonistic attitude.
So it's similar idea. I was thinking about this in another context some, sometimes we think if an idea is right, if our concept is right, then we're right. You know but I like to say: well you have to be right three times not just one time. So what are the other two times? Well you have the right idea but you have to express it in the right way at the right time. You have to be right three times in order to really be right. To have the right idea, express it at the wrong time or in the wrong way, obviously it doesn't work out. So then you have to figure out how to be right three times, not just once. And then, then it all works out in a nice way. So, that's a thought for the day, a wonderful phase. And we're going off to California aren't we day after, no it's tomorrow, tomorrow right? Leaving tomorrow for California. First time to San Diego for an event. Everyone down there is really high, you know happy jumping up and down. Then we're going up to the, that's for Friday and Saturday, we're having a satsang on Friday and then a donor appreciation reception we call it for lunch on Saturday. Then flying up to San Francisco Saturday evening early and then Sunday we have satsang and then a donor reception in the late afternoon in Sausalito. It's a very nice place right on the bay there, you look out the window and you see the bay and boats, sailing boats sailing by and so forth, very attractive.
Aum Namah Sivaya
[End of transcript]


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The Get Rich Constantly Formula
Long time readers of this blog will know what I consider to be the formula to get rich. It boils down to constantly building cash flow that gets reinvested into more cash-flow-generating investments.
To get there, the formula goes like this:
- First, invest in yourself with whatever means you have.
- Get a job where you can get raises often.
- Save money and invest. Focus investments on...
- Dividend-paying stocks.
- Real estate, for the rent and proceeds from sales by building it yourself.
- A small part should be invested in a mix of bonds (municipals or corporate preferred), commodities (gold, oil, agricultural), foreign currencies, and to a lesser extend speculative capital gains opportunities.
- Private equity (angel investing, small startups).
- Building a business.
The last one, Building a Business, I have alluded to a few times, but haven't discussed in detail. So, today I'd like to focus on it.
Starting a Business
Starting your own business is a big decision. One that needs to be fully thought-out before embarking on the entrepreneurial ship.
On the other hand, a business, if built right, can help one grow cash flow. The idea is to leverage resources -- money, hard assets, other people's time and effort -- to solve a problem that people are willing to pay money for. With the proceeds from sales (of service or goods) one reinvests in the business to make it grow to its full potential. As an entity, a business lives forever and if profitable, that theoretically infinite stream of income can generate salary for many as well as dividend to shareholders (you, the business owner).
Fallacies of Starting a Business
Note that I suggest starting a business as yet another source of cash flow, similar to buying dividend-paying stocks. The idea is to leverage "the system", which is the sum of assets (patents, machinery), employees, and a plan (the business plan), to generate this cash flow.
But many people confuse working on your business with working in your business. One's goal should not be to create a new job for oneself. That you already did on step 2.
Instead, one should focus on working on the business. This means building a rock-solid plan that is so simple anyone could execute. Why? Warren Buffett once explained why: "I try to buy stock in businesses that are so wonderful that an idiot can run them. Because sooner or later, one will".
Hence, your goal should be to come up with a simple system that can be applied repeatedly to generate money as a business structure. Of course, this is not to say that there is no work involved in the business at first. If it were that easy, anyone would do it. The goal though, is to make it simple to operate and free yourself to work on it -- that is, generating improvements, new ideas, closing deals -- instead of doing all the jobs that can be outsourced like accounting, paper filing, greeting customers (if that's not what you're good at) or talking to suppliers (unless you're a good negotiator and enjoy doing that).
Take, for example, a restaurant. Many people can cook. Many people can cook well. But cooking well doesn't mean being able to have a restaurant. In fact, cooking well can easily get in the way of building a great restaurant. Why? Because as a restaurant, one needs to be able to provide fresh and tasty food in a short amount of time to many people. Even if you have a small restaurant that only serves four to five tables at a time, you still need to cook their meals within 15 to 25 minutes. No one will wait an hour until you roast that pork and no one will want yesterday's pork either.
In this case, cooking like your grandma used to may be a detriment to the business. The trick, so I'm told by a friend who owns a great restaurant, is to develop recipes that are fresh, delicious and can be prepared relatively quickly in a consistent and repeatable manner. Pre-cooking that pork will not work unless you know how to keep it fresh and moist and ready to serve while your customers wait.
My New Business
Okay, so you got the message. You may still be wondering why it took me so long to post something new here.
The reason is that I've been busy working on one of my passions outside of investing: nutrition and fitness. And as an investor and entrepreneur I decided to follow my own formula and turn this passion from a hobby into a business.
Today, I'm proud to present my new venture: Entropy Energy Replenishment Drink. Entropy is an anti-aging drink that helps the body's own mechanisms turn fat into mental focus (these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Entropy is not intended to treat, cure, prevent or diagnose any disease). Entropy was developed after many years of experimentation and studies. You should try it out. To boot, you get a 10% discount by using coupon code EPINV2010X.
Besides creating it out of passion, I partially did this to learn the steps and later be able to tell others about it. With this new business, I've now executed on all steps of my Get Rich Constantly formula above.
So now you know why the long absence. Next time, I will discuss how I put the company together and how I plan on working on it instead of in it.
My goal is to slow cook that meal once and then find ways to make it repeatable in under 20 minutes. In the beverage world, it takes a long time to come up with a good formula and flavor, but once that's done, you as a consumer get to drink it right away. And that's how it should be.


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As winter sets in and the days grow shorter, many of us experience a shift in mood. It's a common phenomenon known as the "winter blues" or seasonal affective disorder (SAD). While it's a temporary condition for most, understanding its prevalence, recognizing its symptoms, and knowing how to combat it can make a big difference in how you experience the winter season.
How Common are the Winter Blues?
The winter blues are more common than you might think. According to a survey conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), approximately 24% of people with diagnosed mental illnesses found the holidays made their condition "a lot" worse, and 40% found it "somewhat" worse. These statistics indicate that the winter blues are a significant concern for many individuals.
In a 2021 survey, it was revealed that 3 in 5 Americans felt their mental health was negatively impacted by the holidays. With the added challenges of facing a second holiday season during the COVID-19 pandemic, more people than ever will be experiencing a range of emotions during this time.
These statistics emphasize the importance of recognizing the winter blues and implementing strategies to support your mental and emotional well-being during the colder months.
Symptoms of the Winter Blues
Recognizing the symptoms of the winter blues is essential for early intervention and support. While not everyone experiences the same symptoms, here are some common signs to look out for:
- Low Energy: Feeling constantly fatigued and lacking energy.
- Mood Changes: Increased irritability, sadness, or mood swings.
- Appetite Changes: Cravings for carb-rich, sugary foods.
- Weight Gain: Often associated with increased appetite and a preference for unhealthy foods.
- Social Withdrawal: Avoiding social interactions and spending more time alone.
- Sleep Problems: Oversleeping, difficulty waking up, and disrupted sleep patterns.
- Difficulty Concentrating: Finding it hard to focus on tasks or make decisions.
- Loss of Interest: Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed.
- Physical Symptoms: Experiencing headaches or body aches without a clear cause.
Fighting the Winter Blues
The good news is that you can take steps to combat the winter blues and improve your overall well-being during the colder months. Here are some strategies to consider:
- Light Therapy: Consider using a light therapy box, which mimics natural sunlight and can help alleviate symptoms.
- Stay Active: Regular exercise boosts your mood and energy levels. Even short daily walks can make a difference.
- Healthy Eating: Consume a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Limit sugary and processed foods.
- Social Connections: Stay connected with friends and family. Engaging in social activities can help combat feelings of isolation.
- Mindfulness and Meditation: Practicing mindfulness and meditation can reduce stress and improve your mood.
- Professional Support: If the winter blues persist and impact your daily life, consider seeking professional help, such as counseling or therapy.
- Open Communication: Talk to your loved ones about how you're feeling. Sharing your struggles can lead to support and understanding.
It's important to remember that the winter blues are different from clinical depression. However, they can lead to more severe mental health issues if not addressed. By recognizing the symptoms and taking proactive steps to manage them, you can navigate the winter season with a more positive outlook.
While it's common to experience some degree of winter blues, you don't have to go through it alone. Reach out to friends, family, and mental health professionals for support and guidance. With the right strategies, you can maintain your mental and emotional well-being throughout the winter months. Don't hesitate to reach out to our local agents to discuss your insurance needs.
Article originally posted on www.insuranceneighbor.com(opens in new tab)


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Forget Me Not Flowers
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Local: 254-694-5997
107 N Lavaca St, Whitney, TX 76692
Local: 254-694-5997
The FTD® Lovely Tribute™ Bouquet
S20-4482The FTD® Lovely Tribute™ Bouquet is a warm and blushing display of peace and beauty, set to honor the deceased and bring comfort to family and friends. Pink gladiolus, pale pink roses, bi-color pink roses, pink Asiatic lilies and an assortment of lush greens create a sophisticated arrangement seated in a clear glass gathering vase, symbolizing your heartfelt love and sympathy.
- For U.S. and Canada deliveries only
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All items featured on this site represent the types of arrangements we offer and may vary depending upon availability in certain regions. Substitution Policy


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The ZANheadgear Flydanna is a bandanna that has been sectioned into 6 panels and transformed into a headwrap. By keeping sweat from a rider's eyes and preventing sweat and skin oils from soiling helmet liners, the Flydanna works well as moisture barrier underneath a helmet. Additionally, the Flydanna keeps hair from getting snagged on earrings or tangled in the wind. Material: 100% Cotton
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Even as a global audience cheers on the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, things are looking increasingly dicey for Qatar, which is struggling to hold onto its successful bid four years ago to host the 2022 World Cup.
Amid complaints about everything from soaring Gulf temperatures to its LGBT laws to the abuses of Qatar's kafala system, the resource-wealthy emirate now faces losing the 2022 World Cup altogether following allegations that Qatari businessmen bribed members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
Needless to say, it's not been an incredibly smooth first year for Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who assumed power as the eighth emir of Qatar when his father, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, abdicated in June 2013 at the age of 61. Though the British-educated Tamim had been the Qatari heir apparent for a decade, at age 34, he is the world's youngest monarch. Though Shiekh Hamad and other members of the Al Thani family (most notably Tamim's mother, Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned) continue to wield significant influence, Sheikh Tamim's rise to power reflects a more seamless transition for Qatar. Sheikh Hamad kicked his own father, Khalifa, out of power in a bloodless coup in 1995.
Though he wasn't Qatar's emir at the time, the controversy surrounding the decision to award the World Cup to Qatar has become a major leadership test for Sheikh Tamim (pictured above), who led the Qatari committee that made the bid for the 2022 World Cup. Arguably, Tamim's most important role before assuming the emirship last year was his influence in building Qatar's growing sponsorship of regional and global sports events.
Facing a humiliating retreat with respect to Qatar's regional political agenda, and facing enhanced global scrutiny on all fronts due to the World Cup bid, losing the 2022 tournament would be a massive setback for Qatar's two-decade push to become an influential regional and global actor. Continue reading 2022 World Cup scrutiny poses major test for Sheikh Tamim


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August 18, 2011: More Gen Con PhotosThose of you following us on Twitter have already seen these, but for the rest of you I have added a batch of pictures to our Gen Con 2011 set at Flickr. These are all shots I took during the show with my BlackBerry, so be prepared to see whatever random fun caught my eye while I was working in the booth. Looking back at the 18 photos I took during the show tells me two things:
What did I learn from this? That I need to take at least a dozen pictures each day when I am at a convention (Paul adds: Don't worry Phil; lots of us took pictures too. I tripled the size of the Flickr set when you weren't looking . . . including one of you standing in the signing line!). I will try to do a better job for you guys while we're at PAX later this month. -- Phil Reed The Power Of The WoodwindIt's time for another sneak peek at Munchkin Axe Cop! If you played with one of our prototypes at Gen Con, you may have seen this card. No one, to my knowledge, had a woodwind instrument on them . . . although I did see a couple of stone flutes around the show. I wonder if they would count: there's no "wood," but it is a flute. I'd vote to allow it, if it happens in my group. Flute is an item in Munchkin Axe Cop, available this fall in game stores everywhere. (And if you're attending PAX Prime next week, ask Andrew to let you look at the prototype! He may even let you play a game with it!) Heck, we may even have a copy to sell to you . . . -- Paul Chapman Share this post! |
Copyright © 2024 by Steve Jackson Games. All Rights Reserved.


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ILR Press publishes books about workplace issues, labor, management, and social policy. Written from a variety of perspectives, these books appeal to a diverse readership that includes scholars and students throughout the social sciences; practitioners, and, increasingly, the general public. Widely regarded as the most distinguished publisher in the field, ILR Press was founded fifty years ago as the publishing division of the ILR School at Cornell University.
In 1995, ILR Press became an imprint of Cornell University Press, retaining its editorial autonomy with an editorial board drawn from the ILR School. ILR Press, in association with the Cornell University Press, is a member of the Association of American University Presses (AAUP). We trust you will find many titles of interest as you peruse our web site.


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Thursday, May 31, 2012
Paint Party Friday: Week 12
60 comments:
- minnemie said...
This is super - she is going to love it! The brother-gift below are also fantastic. Those edges on the canvas are brilliant.
- May 31, 2012 at 8:55 PM
- Daniele Valois said...
I wub this pillow!!! You're on to something here, let me tell you. You must share the site to order this! Lovey love love!!! I want one soooooo badly!!! ;D
- May 31, 2012 at 8:56 PM
- Daniele Valois said...
I wub this pillow!!! You're on to something here, let me tell you. You must share the site to order this! Lovey love love!!! I want one soooooo badly!!! ;D
- May 31, 2012 at 8:56 PM
- Sharon said...
Oh wow just fantastic!!!
- May 31, 2012 at 9:12 PM
- Kristin said...
If you're interested, you can buy the canvas pillow cases from Scrapbook.com (the brand is Canvas Corp)
Kristin xo - May 31, 2012 at 9:17 PM
- Carolyn Dube said...
Luckiest 12 yr. old ever! This is beyond fabulous- I hope you take more of your art to the pillows!
- May 31, 2012 at 9:18 PM
Ack she is lovely! And as a pillow? Full of Fabulous. Love everything about it.
- May 31, 2012 at 9:28 PM
- Unknown said...
it is spectacular ! lovely lovely she will adore it
-KAT - May 31, 2012 at 9:28 PM
- JKW said...
The use of fabric and button/beads is fun and creative. The looks is amazing. Blessings, Janet PPF
- May 31, 2012 at 9:42 PM
- Lynn Cohen said...
Awesome idea...I suppose one can use any drawable fabric to do this. Would love to make my twin grandkids pillows with painted pictures of themselves! Thanks for the idea. Yours is quite precious and I know will be loved!
- May 31, 2012 at 10:15 PM
- Netty said...
wow such a fab idea Kristin and a gorgeous make, so beautiful. May I ask how you sealed it so it doesn't run in the wash? Happy PPF, Annette x
- May 31, 2012 at 10:22 PM
- Tammie Lee said...
this is beautiful, of course it will be loved!
- May 31, 2012 at 10:23 PM
- Tracey FK said...
This is going to be loved and treasured... and will be an amazing addition to their bedroom... a canvas pillow is a great idea... and the result is stunning...xx
- May 31, 2012 at 10:59 PM
- Valerie-Jael said...
This is sooooooooooooooooooo beautiful, what a wonderful present! Hugs, Valerie
- June 1, 2012 at 12:32 AM
- Ginny said...
I love this. What a wonderful idea and gift. The colors are beautiful and I love all of the added details. Beautiful.
- June 1, 2012 at 2:02 AM
- WrightStuff said...
She will LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!
- June 1, 2012 at 2:36 AM
- Mandy said...
Beautiful...great idea and i adore the colours together.....love the girl and especially those little houses...xxx
- June 1, 2012 at 2:36 AM
- Abela said...
Precious the cushion. Saludos
- June 1, 2012 at 3:19 AM
- Diane said...
Now this is awesome!!..and love her brother's present too!!
- June 1, 2012 at 3:45 AM
- Sinderella's Studio said...
FANTASTIC!!! Absolutely adore it! Now I need to find that canvas and give it a go!!!!!!!!
where did you find it?
cheers, dana - June 1, 2012 at 3:59 AM
- Sinderella's Studio said...
ps yes, how did you seal it?
- June 1, 2012 at 4:00 AM
- Carin said...
Fabulous! You never cease to amaze me Kristin! What a special project! I just love it! Really Kristin, have you ever thought of selling your art? It's stunning.
- June 1, 2012 at 4:33 AM
- Anne Manda said...
Superpretty and sweet! Love this pillow and it's colors and details!
- June 1, 2012 at 4:35 AM
- scrapwordsmom said...
Oh my goodness, Kristin...you have outdid yourself!! Sooo lovely and then to put it on a pillow. She will love it!!!
- June 1, 2012 at 5:26 AM
- mette laumann said...
Wow!!These are great!!
xoxo Mette - June 1, 2012 at 5:26 AM
- Ritu Dua said...
I love her big blue eyes matching with her blue hair... and that pretty flower too!
- June 1, 2012 at 5:29 AM
- Marji said...
Wow, how cool is this? I love seeing your art on a pillow. You need to make more. Happy PPF
- June 1, 2012 at 5:35 AM
- carlarey said...
This is so adorable! I'll bet they love getting your gifts, since they must be so different and special.
- June 1, 2012 at 5:47 AM
- Unknown said...
You did a great job on these gifts. I love how you put the photos on the side of the canvas for the last gift. This pillow is adorable. I really like the flower for her hair. These kids are lucky to have you making such great gifts for them.
- June 1, 2012 at 6:53 AM
- Unknown said...
BeaUtiful! What a wonderful gift!
Happy PPF,
Stephanie - June 1, 2012 at 7:19 AM
- Debbie said...
Very cute! What a fantastic Idea. I'm sure she is going to love this so much.
- June 1, 2012 at 7:28 AM
- sugar Creek said...
I love it and I'm not twelve either! lol! Gives me ideas for my daughters cheer squad!
- June 1, 2012 at 7:39 AM
- Ayala Art said...
The cutest pillow ever! Thanks for sharing!
- June 1, 2012 at 9:06 AM
- Mary C. Nasser said...
I just love your intense tints!
"Love Lives Here" is truly delightful!! So talented!
Happy PPF!!
Mixed-Media Map Art - June 1, 2012 at 9:25 AM
- kristin maynes said...
Awesome! I love it! Your pillow is wonderful and looks so good on your bench. Love seeing your process. Happy PPF!
- June 1, 2012 at 9:34 AM
- Janet said...
That's one lucky 12 year old! The pillow is so cute...I'm sure she loves it.
- June 1, 2012 at 12:37 PM
- Jen @Sadie Inspired said...
Um, COMPLETE cuteness! I LOVE it. What a super sweet and thoughtful gift that I am sure will be such a treasure. I love the idea of a canvas pillow - so many different things to do. :)
PS I love that you have a Summer of Color countdown ticking away. Too cute. Getting excited for Monday. I can't believe it is time again. Where did that time go!? xxoo - June 1, 2012 at 12:43 PM
- EVA said...
What a beautiful pillow for her! Gorgeous!
Someone painted pillows for my daughters when they were younger and I still love them whenever I look at them. - June 1, 2012 at 3:47 PM
- Alison said...
So gorgeous!!! Absolutely love this painting :) One very lucky girl....
- June 1, 2012 at 4:08 PM
- GlorV1 said...
Love the pillow. Looks great! Have a wonderful weekend, Happy PPF!
- June 1, 2012 at 4:50 PM
- Connie said...
My goodness, I wish I was a little girl on your birthday list. This pillow is adorable. She is going to be over-joyed. Thanks for visiting my blog and thanks for the sweet comments. Connie :)
- June 1, 2012 at 7:49 PM
- Nicola said...
Wow Kristin! This is fantastic! What a fabulous idea and your choice of beautiful bright colours and design is brilliant!!! What a wonderful gift!!! I'd love to make something like this! :0)
- June 2, 2012 at 12:12 AM
- Sinderella's Studio said...
thanks for all the info!!!!!!!! can"t wait to try it!!!! and if I had read all the other comments I would have seen where you got them from without asking you to repeat. sorry!
cheers. - June 2, 2012 at 3:55 AM
- carol l mckenna said...
she is beautiful and love the fabric painting for a pillow ~ dazzling ~ thanks, ^_^
- June 2, 2012 at 8:29 AM
its really lovely, what a beautiful gift for a twelve year old, they are interested in their decor by now and this is perfect, your work is beautiful
- June 2, 2012 at 9:29 AM
- Christine said...
that's a very precious gift! How wonderful!
- June 2, 2012 at 1:35 PM
- Linda said...
Oh it's wonderful. I bet she will love it.
- June 2, 2012 at 2:36 PM
- scarlett clay said...
That is the coolest pillow ever, what a great idea! I especially love the fabric flower in her hair!
- June 2, 2012 at 4:48 PM
- Paula - Buenos Aires said...
She has lovely cheeks and the flower is her hair is an awesome touch. Very vibrant and elegant at the same time.
- June 2, 2012 at 9:47 PM
- Giggles said...
She will love love love it!! I know I sure do!!Good job, great gift!!
Hugs Giggles - June 3, 2012 at 5:51 AM
- PiaRom said...
She is so cute and I love the little town so much! She will adore it!
- June 3, 2012 at 7:10 AM
- PiaRom said...
She is so cute and I love the little town so much! She will adore it!
- June 3, 2012 at 7:10 AM
- Denise said...
Beautiful work!I dropped by just reminding myself that tomorrow starts summer of color.Hope I don't forget. Denise
- June 3, 2012 at 8:45 AM
- smudry said...
Love this! Everything you make becomes my new favorite... this looks perfect in my sweet little 12 year old's room!
- June 3, 2012 at 9:22 PM
- Jenny said...
Oh Kristin... this is gorgeous... LOVE everything about this beautiful cushion... AND the sweetest little girl you have painted onto it... how incredibly special... am sure it will be a HIT...
Jenny x - June 4, 2012 at 3:22 AM
- Cameron said...
I want one!!!
Too cute, Kristin!
What a wonderful gift you made for that lucky little preteen!! - June 6, 2012 at 3:40 AM
- Julie said...
This is stunning and such a great idea. I always love your work. And congrats on your recent feature.
- June 6, 2012 at 10:00 AM
- Elizabeth said...
Stunning!! I love the colors and all in it!!
- June 9, 2012 at 5:13 AM
- Deepa Gopal said...
Extremely gorgeous! Loved to see the progress!
- June 10, 2012 at 4:28 AM
- peggy gatto said...
I adore this pillow!!!!!!!!!
- June 10, 2012 at 9:19 AM