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Late yesterday I learned from Twitter that Whitney Houston died.
99% of the Whitney Houston Tweets were exactly, "RIP Whitney Houston." Okay… but how did she move you? Do you remember a special dance with that one girl while she was singing? Was her voice so beautiful that it made you tear up? It was for me. Originality is there, but buried on Twitter. I would have enjoyed others insights on Whitney, to feel camaraderie in a shared loss. If it existed on Twitter, it was obfuscated behind all the drone "RIP Whitney Houston" tweets. So instead I played some Whitney songs and told my children who the woman with the beautiful voice was.
Twitter is big data.
"Big data" is making the news. The concept has crept from the back pages of technical publications into the mainstream. It's a new topic, so the reporters have commandeered it. It's becoming popular, and that's too bad. Media feeding frenzies perpetuate the peripheral definition; articles get copied over and over again, and people stop thinking.
With their IPO in the news, Facebook has become the poster child for big data. So what is it? What is big data? Simply put, massive amounts of information about millions, and eventually, billions of people. Big data is making the news because of fear – fear of the possibilities of abuse. It sells newspapers, gets clicks, and page views which means we will be hearing a lot about big data. Scare people and make money.
Facebook is big data.
Google is changing its privacy policy. Another media feeding frenzy. If you have a Gmail account, Google+, music, shopping, etc. All the privacy policies are melding into one. I like the idea and I have to admit, I don't understand the problems people are having. If you use 5 or 10 different Google services, are you really going to read many different user agreements? I don't know anyone who actually does. I would prefer to have one policy that covers them all. Google gives these services away, if you don't like that one, single policy – stop using the service. The chances of people being informed about Google's policies will increase if they have a single policy. It's a good thing. Stop the bitching.
Google is big data.
Another bit in the news. The Seattle Times reports a top porn site, Brazzers, was hacked. From the article, and other news about regarding it, usernames, passwords and real names were hacked. The data is making its way across the Internet on file sharing sites.
Internet user databases are big data.
In my vision of the world, big data is in its infancy. Don't freak out for at least 10 years.
Why now? Why is big data coming into mainstream now? It has been around for many years. Large data providers like Experian, Axiom, and D&B have been collecting data for a long time. What is different now? To ask "why now," you must understand the continuum of getting at big data.
11 big Data Prerequisites
- The data must be there – this is the most exciting tipping point. In being the CEO of a data-mining software company, I'm still dumbfounded when users expect to get information off the web…that is not there. It must actually exist.
- You must be able to flag it – you can't store everything and must make choices. What is important? When does it happen? Example: News release with subject: Nanotechnology
- You must be able to find it – in the absence of a real-time data stream, you must able to search though data to find a "flag" of what you are looking for.
- You must be able to parse it – this is the analysis of relevant grammatical constituents, identifying the parts of what you need, from within potential noise. Example: parsing out the name of an inventor from within an article on nanotechnology
- You must be able to extract it – Not the same as parsing. What if the data is in a PDF file or HTML web page? In many cases, extraction is about access. Is the data I am looking for across 5 sub-links of a single web page? Extraction as it relates to the Internet also encapsulates web crawling.
- You must be able to process it – This takes CPU cycles. Bigger problems need bigger computers.
- You must normalize it – If you have multiple pieces of data on "The Container Company", "Container Company, The", "The Container Co", etc, how do you merge that data? You must normalize like entities to a standard "canonical form". With out it, we've got the Data Tower of Babel.
- You must be able to store it – Big data takes up disk space.
- You must be able to index it – If you ever want to find it after you store it, the data needs to be indexed. This also means more disk space.
- You must be able to analyze it – big data needs big (or many distributed) CPU's to crunch the numbers and garner order from the chaos.
- There must be a payoff – Putting together big data is expensive. Without a end goal in mind, it is expensive to collect. Google & Facebook collect, process, index & store data for profit.
So what is my vision of "big data"? What is being talked about in the media is very short sighted. I think I know where big data is going. I'm basing my vision on my prerequisites.
Big Data Thoughts
1: Information is growing beyond the ability of any single source to store and index everything. Therefore, big data can never be "all data." Facebook and Google cannot store everything. Therefore choices must be made. Google already does it; indexing what they deem relevant.
2: The amount of data about people on Facebook is paltry…compared to the maximum possibilities. Yes, in aggregate, it is the largest set of minimal data. Think for a second about your day. What would it take to record your entire life in HD, from 7 different angles. This future data stream would include everything you heard, read, and generally interacted with.
3: Mass, personal data recording is on the horizon. The first phase is already starting. The only limit is reasonable storage. The term is called "LifeLogging." There are devices that you can wear and it will take a picture every 30 seconds. High quality LifeLogging technology will be critical in the future. Every 30 seconds is 1/900th of video (30 frames per second). If the Lifelogging device is just the conduit vs. the storage medium, the lifelog could be stored on your home PC. With h.264 video compression and 5.5 hours of 1080p video can be stored on a 32GB thumb drive. That means a single 1TB (terabyte) drive can hold 176 hours of hi definition video (7.3 days of video). It would be expensive today to buy 52 X 1TB drives to store a year of your life. It seems crazy… right? Not when you are a historian. In 1992, the average hard drive was around 1GB – 1000 times less than today.
Some ideas to reduce the storage size of LifeLogging:
-Go vector. If you have an avatar created of you, a vectorized version of you could be stored. This type of compression does not exist, but it will. LifeLogging in bitmap video is like a tape deck. Vectorizing video with the lifelogee as the center of the story would save 1000X the storage. It is like the hard drive compared to tape storage. In addition, storing data in this way could be accessed very quickly. Bottom line: with the right *Software* real LifeLogging could be done today. I should save this for another in-depth blog. I've spent many nights thinking about how it all could be done. I've got to stop watching Sci- Fi before bed. Lawn Mower Man
4: Assume that we are in the 2020′s. Based on Moore's Law, and several others, A LifeLogging device will be able to be worn around your neck, and record your life in HD. They'll probably be the price of premium iPad. At that level, LifeLogging is ubiquitous.
5. What did I eat today? What about over the past week, month, or year? Just because that information, is recorded, as video (me munching Apple), does not mean that it can be analyzed and recognized as Donato-eats-apple. Where did you buy that Apple? Can the date of the purchase be cross referenced with the date that you bought it at the grocery store?
New industries
Software that analyzes and makes inferences from LifeStreaming (the will be a multi-billion dollar industry. (Donato ate apple, Donato started car, Donato got phone call, Donato was watching the movie Contact). I would expect that each major type of world interaction would be handled by a different app or algorithm.
Software that compiles inferences, builds statistics and performs what-ifs on mass LifeStream data will be multi-billion dollar industry. (23% of people that ate apples 4x per month, where the apples came from Chile, and most likely were treated with chemical X, developed cancer by age 55). These are the types of discoveries we will be able to make that are currently only made by virtue of a happy accident. (I made up that example…but do eat organic apples).
Example: compiling a list of the junk (postal) mail letters that I throw out without opening. That is good data. What is the one that I opened?
Software that manages the rights, payments, connectivity and privacy between life streams will be a multi-billion dollar industry. So if that apple from Chile used some real nasty pesticides – like a carcinogen? Could that supplier of that apple to the store be tracked? Do you want to know this? What if your wife bought it… and it is not part of your personal data stream? Do you and you wife have a LifeStream sharing agreement?
One person, eating one Apple does not a trend make. Multiply that by 50 million people over 5 years. This is not science fiction. This is simply faster computers, more memory, and analysis software. It's a lot of Apples. Do I want to share, if it was anonymous, my eating habits and cross reference it with my health…maybe.
I expect that companies will pop up, each with a different set of analysis technology for different niches. It will probably evolve into an AppStore model. One company looks at how you interact with media, what you watch, listen to, theaters attended. Another knows what you eat. You can choose which feeds to share with the greater LifeStream and take part in a greater community.
By the way, none of this LifeStreaming will be on Facebook, or Google+. No one would trust them. In addition, it would be prohibitively expensive to centrally transmit, store and analyze it. Hmmm, maybe Facebook could be the trend builder? It is well positioned for it. Can you imagine it?
Donato ate an Apple
Donato threw core in garbage
Donato did not recycle V8 can
Donato is driving 15 miles over the speed limit
This is the first time in a few years that I thought of a way for Facebook to survive long term. In this Facebook, you would never log in to look at what people are doing, you would log in to see that latest trend and how it affected you.
I just hope it does not make it to twitter and get retweeted by the "RIP Whitney Houston" drones. Once analysis agents can understand (and broadcast) our individual actions, Twitter has no reason to exist.
Big Data equals big money.
If it is possible, and someone can profit, it will be collected.


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Want a helicopter that can do more than just flying? How about shooting missiles too at your target? If so, then the innovative JXD 343 is your best choice! With two spring loaded missiles on each side, they are waiting to launch anytime with just a touch at your finger tip to the fire button. Missile Away!!!!!!! This detailed micro version is beautifully designed and made in high strength plastic, so it can survive more bumps and fights than other competitors, at the same time perfect for beginners to get into their new hobby.
The JXD 343 is able to fly freely in 6 directions, as a high-tech 4-in-1 infrared 3 Channel controller (Gyro+ ESC+Mixer+Receiver) is included. You can lock the throttle in any position, so it can hover and stay in the air impressively with your hands free. Also since it flies stably and quietly thanks to the built in Gyro, you can take your time aiming at your target and fire away.
Features Designed for: Anyone over 14 years old Fly in the Dark: LED light installed at the front of the helicopter body Fly in 6 directions: - Rotate Clockwise / Anti-Clockwise - Move Up / Down - Move Forward / Backward Missile System Shooting Range: shoot up to 6 feet Recharge Battery easily: From the transmitter or through a computer USB socket 3 bands? (non-selectable) allows maximum 3 helicopters to fly in the same area Sound effect during missile launching Ready to Fly out of the box
Specs Length : 220mm Weight: 45g Helicopter Battery: 3.7v 160mAh Rechargeable LiPo Transmitter Battery: 6 x AA Batteries (sold separately) Charging Time: ?around 50-60 minutes Flight Duration: around 5-7 minutes Control Range: Up to 10m (33ft)
Package include Helicopter Infrared Controller Manual 6 x Missiles Cardboard Tank for practice shooting
Danger: Never point or shoot missiles at people or animals. Adult supervision is required. Please read instruction before operating

subset: commoncrawl


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Found in Us (Lost #2)Author: Layla Hagen
Publication Date: July 24, 2014
**This can be read as a STANDALONE. The second book in the Lost series tells Jessica and Parker's story. **
All Jessica wants—as a college graduate — is to be a good girl. She landed the job of her dreams at a museum and is trying to eliminate temptations. No more short skirts (when she can help it). No wild parties. And no men.
She particularly excels at that last thing. . .
Until her path crosses Parker's. Again. Jessica remembers the last time their paths crossed very well. She was left with a seriously bruised ego. She knows it would be best to avoid him altogether. But the charming Brit makes it hard for her to elude his electrifying pull. He is as irresistible as he is captivating.
And enigmatic.
Because underneath the sleek Armani suit and the sweet British accent that makes her crave his touch, Parker isn't the perfect gentleman everyone thinks he is.
He's exactly what Jessica doesn't want, but desperately needs.
A bad, bad boy.
~Giveaway~a Rafflecopter giveaway
~About the Author~
My name is Layla Hagen and I am a New Adult Contemporary Romance author.
I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later.
I write romantic stories and can't wait to share them with the world.
And I drink coffee. Lots of it, in case the photo didn't make it obvious enough.


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Bikini Allegra Sewing Pattern
Bikini Allegra Lingerie Sewing Pattern designed and created in the UK.
Check your hips size and use the size which is according to your measurements.
UK4 / XXS (Hips 84cm)
UK6 / XS (Hips 88cm)
UK8 / S (Hips 92cm)
UK10 / M (Hips 96cm)
UK12 / L (Hips 100cm)
UK14 / XL (Hips 104cm)
UK16 / XXL (Hips 108cm)
UK18 / 3XL (Hips 112cm)
UK20 / 4XL (Hips 116cm)
Skill Level - EASY
This is a PDF digital download sewing pattern to be printed at home on a home printer or if you prefer at a print shop. The beauty of a PDF pattern in that you can access it within a few minutes of placing your order. No more waiting for it to arrive in the post! You can print and get started whenever you like!
Seam allowances and hem is already included (0.7cm)
Recommended fabrics: lace, and elastic lace you have at home.
As with any pattern I recommend sewing a test garment (toile) in a similar fabric before sewing in your BEST fabric to check size and fit.
If you have any questions don't hesitate contacting us!


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Everglades Boat Tours – Everglades Adventure Tours
Experience the oldest way to see the Everglades with Everglades Adventure Tours, the first and only company to offer private, guided Everglades boat tours. Relax as you experience Florida culture and Eco tourism at its' finest with our Everglades boat tours.
Everglades Adventure Tours' boat tours can offer amazing opportunities to view elusive wildlife within the cypress swamps, grasslands and sub-tropical mangrove jungles. Private guided Everglades boat tours offer a world-class Everglades experience.
By providing you with a unique and enjoyable experience on our guided Everglades tours, we hope to be the highlight of your vacation while at the same time creating an appreciation and awareness of the importance of preserving our natural resources.
Our Everglades boat tours depart by reservation throughout the day, 7 days a week.
Our first tour runs between 7:00-9:00 AM and our last tour is scheduled at 4:00 PM.
We depart from locations that are determined based on the type of trip you are planning as well as conditions and water levels within the preserve.
Contact us today to check booking availability for Everglades boat tours, reservations required. Please call 1-800-504-6554 for additional information.


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On the contrary, the studies conducted in the past few years have provided indisputable evidence that eco-friendly trends have greatly contributed to reducing the depletion of finite resources, pollution levels and have actually managed to restore the ozone layer. No matter where you live in the world, following these trends is not just a fad - it is a responsible gesture, a transition towards a better life and, ultimately, a better planet. Are you ready to become a real-life superhero?
Eco-friendly travel
As much as they tried implementing eco-friendly changes to their infrastructure, hotels remain a major source of pollution because they generate a lot of waste. From their high commercial cleaning requirements to their impressive water and energy waste, hotels may provide a luxury experience, but they do little in terms of environmental protection. This is why the past decade has seen a steady growth in alternative accommodation methods and green travel. Tourists everywhere are trying and loving agritourism and are starting to prefer peer-to-peer accommodation over hotels. This not only offers a more personal, raw experience, but also reduces waste. Guests use strictly the resources they need and disposal is done in a more responsible way.
Sustainable home improvement
For many years, it was widely believed that corporations were the only ones that could make a noticeable difference in terms of protecting the planet, but that this myth was quickly busted. Every change matters, even at a local scale, and home improvement trends, if followed by many people all over the world, can have a huge collective impact. Some of the best examples include:
· Replacing conventional lights with energy efficient LED lights
· Investing in energy efficient grade A windows
· Installing insulation to reduce energy waste
· Planting trees around the house to create natural insulation and improve air quality
· Building houses using eco-friendly materials
· Switching to non-toxic cleaning products
· Using environmentally friendly gadgets and appliances
Fair-trade production
Reading the words "fair trade" on a label used to be quite a rarity a few decades ago, but now, this sign is the hallmark of a modern, responsible, environmentally aware company. Fair trade means that corporations are taking steps towards helping the planet and the people in developing countries. According to the World Fair Trade Organization, companies who pledge to this idea make every effort to develop transparency and accountability across their entire activity. They have to create equal opportunities and fair payment for their workers, provide good working conditions and practice respect for the environment. They should obtain supplies only from certified, legal sources and avoid waste as much as possible. Local suppliers are preferred over international ones and green materials should be used wherever possible, from production to packaging.
Renewable power sources
More and more families are welcoming renewable energy into their homes, especially under the form of solar panels, which have benefited from so many Government incentives that in some areas they're becoming mainstream. In the US, the use of solar panels has grown to 40% and even China has taken measures to popularize solar panels. Apart from solar panels, other devices promise to revolutionize energy storage. For example, Tesla announced the Powerwall in 2015, a sort of battery that can store energy for later use.
Recycling initiatives
Recycling is one of the oldest eco-friendly trends on the list, if not the oldest, and young generations are starting to learn about its importance while in elementary school. Of course, when hearing that the simple act of throwing an empty tin can in the right garbage disposal saves enough energy to power a TV for three hours, it's hard not to make part in the recycling trend. At present, this is actively pursued by both individuals and companies, although some countries are better at it than others. For example, only 17% of Canada's waste was recycled, which led authorities to initiate public projects promoting scrap metal recycling in Toronto and other major cities. Germany, on the other hand, is winning the recycling race with a whopping 65% of their waste being re-used. South Korea is second on the list, followed by Slovenia and Australia.
Electric vehicles
Electric cars have gone from ugly, unpractical vehicles to glamorous, state of the art toys for tech-savvy people. Thanks to manufacturers such as Tesla, Toyota and BMW, electric hybrids now look amazing and they're much easier to fuel. Besides, many countries have rebate programs for people who buy electric cars, which balances the relatively high purchasing costs. For the younger population, or people who don't want to invest in electric cars just yet, electric scooters are an equally friendly idea.
To find out exactly how scrap metal recycling and other eco-friendly trends are helping the planet, follow this link.


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The young staff members of Radio Shabelle, whose offices were in the relatively safe section of Mogadishu next to the airport, are no longer feeling safe. On Saturday, while presenters were on the air, heavily armed security forces raided the Shabelle offices and arrested the three-dozen staff members at gunpoint, according to a statement by the Shabelle Media Network. The security forces dismantled and took all of the equipment for Radio Shabelle and Sky-FM, a sister station in the same building, as well as Shabelle TV.
When they were released later Saturday, many of the young men and women who worked at Radio Shabelle were reluctant to leave the police station, fearing for their safety, according to local journalists. Radio Shabelle is the most targeted station in Somalia, with 10 journalists killed since 2007, according to CPJ research. When the station was operating, most of the staff remained inside the building for safety, even overnight, because they were too scared to walk on the streets, according to Radio Shabelle Chairman Abdimalik Yusuf.
The government claims that the station was forced off the air because the government was repossessing its own building; the station had five days' notice to vacate the building. Spokesman Abdirahman Omar told me the broadcaster had plenty of time to relocate but ignored the government's warnings and that the expulsion had nothing to do with the station's reporting.
Shabelle Media Network claimed it has rights to remain until 2015 and was legally occupying the space under an agreement with the previous government. "This is about silencing Radio Shabelle," Chairman Abdimalik told Al Jazeera. "This is politics and has nothing to do with the premises." A statement from Shabelle Media Network said that before the broadcaster moved in, it renovated the building, which had been destroyed in the civil war, for US$45,000. It added that it suspected the orders were based on its reporting of deteriorating security conditions in Mogadishu.
Whoever is right, the government's handling of the matter left something to be desired. No court order was issued for the raid and an appeal petition filed by Shabelle Media Network was ignored, according to news reports. The security forces broke down the entrance gate and beat members of the staff with the butt of their guns before herding them into trucks. They were detained for over six hours at the Central Investigations Department and then released without charge.
Despite Shabelle's poor treatment, there was only a muted outcry by local journalists, who tell me the station's standards have deteriorated. Several journalists said Shabelle's salaries are low, there are no employment contracts, no training programs, and employees have few rights. One, not a Shabelle employee, described staff members being "just like mercenaries working for food."
While government authorities and media owners squabble over contracts and real-estate, it is these young journalists who risk the most and receive the least.


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Adults who missed the thrill of Power Wheels or Little Tikes cars as a child now can go one better: by modifying the battery-powered child-size vehicles and competing at Maker Faire Detroit. Teams of DIY mechanic enthusiasts have been upgrading the small-scale cars far beyond stock performance levels to win prizes and bragging rights.
Among many other activities at Make magazine's Maker Faire at the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit, July 31–August 1, the DieHard-sponsored Power Racing Series (PPPRS) will premiere. In its inaugural year the event was internal to PS: One, but this year brings teams together from far beyond the Midwest.
Jim Burke, a Pumping Station: One Director-at-Large and the Director of the PPPRS, said "I want Makers to meet face to face with a common project. Modifying and racing these toys is fun, creative, and challenging."
This year, with DieHard Platinum batteries and chargers powering the series, nine teams from six different hackerspaces and makerspaces will compete in the three events of PPPRS: a drag race, a road race, and an endurance race. The PPPRS will be a main event at Maker Faire: Detroit, and families are encouraged to attend. We hope to see you there!


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If you are looking for a tube amp it means you already know what you are looking for. We don't want to show off, but nobody is minding if we go through the technical info once again.
So, a valve amplifier, aka "tube amp" is an electronic amplifier that increases the amplitude or strength of the signal with the help of vacuum tubes. You can use the valve amplifiers as guitar amplifiers, audiophile stereo amplifiers, and even in military applications or satellite transponders.
Let's get clear
For us, it's very clear that you need a professional user in order to be in need of a tube amp. Some stereo fans actually militate for the use of tube amplifiers for home listening as the tube amp is able to give a more natural valve sound. It's especially the audiophiles in Eastern Europe and Asia that promote this idea.
If you are a professional guitar player, we all know you use the tube amps due to their renowned tone. Tone relates to pitch color and timbre and it's up to each one of us to decide what we like/not.
We're not going to play the high card and not admit that most musicians out there use solid state amplification technology because it's very easy to carry around and quite affordable. The quality of the tone counts less in some cases.
Getting more precise, in a tube amp, the transition from linear amplification to limiting is smoother than in a solid state unit. But, this is a continuous debate theme in the guitarist community and it's not today's topic.
The pros and cons
Power valves need higher voltages typically and lower currents and many power valves give good linearity. A signal amplifier that uses tubes can have high-frequency response ranges. The tube amp fits better than the high voltage circuits and is very linear so you may use it in low distortion linear circuits, having minimal to no negative feedback.
Very solidly built, tube amps may take overload for quite some minutes. They are constructed on a scale that dissipates great heat and they go great in high power applications (do you know radio and TV transmitters?)
Going on with the pros, we need to mention their utility in some military and industrial applications as they can take high transient peak voltages safely. As they are not used at their maximum ability on regular basics, tube amps have a long life span.
And, if you are an audiophile who knows stuff, you must feel that softer clipping when overloading the circuit gives a nicer and softer sound.
Playing fair and square, we need to go through the cons. The tube amps do need a cathode heater and higher voltages for the anodes. The tube amps are a bit bigger than the solid-state devices and come in only one polarity. A valve circuit has to stay away from introducing noise from AC heater supplies and let's not forget valves live less than the solid state parts.
Last, but not least, we need to remind you that valves do get sensitive at times to sound and vibration, acting so much as a microphone. And it may be disturbing…to say the least.
The conclusion
There are ups and downs for the tube amps and you don't have to pay the extra buck right from the beginning if you're not sure if it's going to be worth it or not. You can start low, with a budgeted tube amp, and see and listen carefully. You can find good quality tub amps for lower prices and you can decide afterward if it's something you're willing to pay more the next time.
TOP 5 Best Affordable Tube Amp
Just because you're not paying much for your tube amps, doesn't mean you can't get good quality. It's the case of the Nobsound NS-08E Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier Mini Audio HiFi Stereo Headphone Amp that gives a good performance, despite its small size.
The tube amp gives the dedicated audiophile a better sound and the tube amp can give power to well-known headphones like HD 580, HD600, HD650, K701, K702, and Q701.
When we go through the technical info, we have the 3.5 mm input and output audio jacks and the output power ≥1100 mW (32 ohms).
If the Headphone Adapter Impedance is 18-600 ohm, the Total harmonic distortion is <0.005% and SNR is ≥110 DB.
The tube amps give a good range of frequency responses, 20 Hz – 30 kHz to be more precise.
The tube amp is pretty powerful, considering its size, and may work on powered speakers also.
It looks pretty nice with its attractive bronze trim and the blue light under the tubes.
The tube amp has a pretty good, quite solid build and it's all metal. This is why it has it feels pretty solid, by the way.
The tube amp can boost quite a bit of the low ends and create more separation between the high/mids and lows.
It has dual voltage and looks great. It's better to follow the instructions of use to expand its life span.
The shortlist of pros:
- The tube amp is all metal and has a pretty solid build and appearance
- The tube amp boosts the low end and separates the high/mids/lows
- The tube amp looks nice
- The tube amp is pretty strong, considering its size
As for the cons, we don't have that many:
- Due to the quality of sound, some doubt this as being a tube amp
- There is some hissing at time
- The power jack has a short in it
All in all, considering the price and size, we'd say the tube amp is a pretty good deal when in need.
As your taste and expectations get bigger, you can try a tube amp that fits better your standards. You can give it a go with the Dayton Audio HTA100BT Hybrid Stereo Tube Amplifier with Bluetooth USB Aux Phono in Sub Out 100W which has a small footprint but gives a great performance.
The tube amp has a minimalist design and comes with one pair of RCA inputs. The passive volume control lowers the output of the classical tube circuit compromised of a 6N4 twin triode, giving a single 6P14 per channel. The driver is 6N4 and the power is 6P14.
The tube amp features a sophisticated switching power supply that gives 3.6 watts output per channel.
If you want to look over the numbers (some find it extremely helpful), we specify the power output of 3.5W+3.5W@ 8 ohms, the frequency response ranging between 30 and 40Khz (+-1db), and the Input Sensitivity of 500mV.
If the Input Impedance is 50K ohms, the Output Impedance is 8/6/4 ohms. The Signal-to-Noise Ratio is 80dB / 3.5W and the tube amp comes with a Residual Noise of < 1mVac. You need an Input AC Voltage of 100-250Vac and RCA jack input. Banana Jacks are used as output and the AC is a Standard IEC Jack with Fuse protection (2A Fuse).
The tube amp consumes 38W and it's better not to connect a regular headphone jack to the amp, but to use a Lineout Jack instead. The tube amp lights up when powered and fits great in a record cabinet.
As we go over the performance, we see the bass getting tighter and the treble more crystalline and smooth. The output increases and the sound is great.
The frequency response lowers, in a good, not muddy way. The tube amp gives plenty of power and it's quite easy to use.
The power switch is placed in the back and the tube amp has a small footprint.
Let's highlight the main pros:
- The tube amp gives plenty of power
- The sound gets better and the bass gets tighter
- The tube amp is very easy to use
- The tube amp has a small footprint
We don't forget about the cons:
- The unit gets hot after a while
- You need to give it some running until it gives great results
The cons aren't deal breakers and the tube amp improves the sound the longer you are running it.
There are many good things we like about the Yaqin MC-84L Stereo Vacuum Tube Push-Pull Integrated Amplifier, and its price considering the quality it gives is sure one to begin with.
The tube amp is a Class Single Ended Amplifier that lowers distortion. The 5Z3P/5U4G are randomly distributed, 6N9P, EL34.
The tube amp is entirely handmade and has a self-biasing design. The device features analog inputs and output for speaker impedance 4/6/ 8ohm. You need 110V for the input voltage, considering the input impedance is 100Kohm. The input sensitivity ranges from 500mv~2000mv, whereas the frequency response is placed from 20Hz to 25kHz.
The distortion is 1% (1KHz) and the tube amp gives a signal/noise ratio is 88dB. The tube amp is rather small and becomes pretty silent when the music stops. It provides a good bass and high-frequency response.
The tone is clear and the tube amp gives no hum and no buzz either. The tube amp doesn't need to break in to start improving the sound, especially on chords and vocal music. The tube amp looks solid and has a simple appearance.
If you want the tube amp to last longer, it's better not to only use Lineout Jack.
It ships to you very well packaged so it gets no damage.
Let's list our pros:
- The tube amp doesn't need time to break in
- The tube amp becomes silent when the music stops
- The tube amp gives better sound for vocal music and chords
- There is no hum, no buzz, and the bass gets better
Don't forget to mention the cons:
- The RCA connectors are not quite firm
- The durability may be questionable
Despite the cons, as it gives immediate results on the sound, the tube amp is a great device for any audiophile.
Nicely looking and giving nice sound for a very good price, the Yaqin Mc-84l 6p14 X4 Class a Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier is an option for the audiophile who doesn't have a big budget just yet.
The tube amp is a great ultra linear push-pull circuit that gives a nice, rich sound. The SRPP preamp circuit widens the frequency response and minimizes distortions. The output transformer is made with audio-specific oriented silicon steel the wire is made of free-oxygen high-intensity enameled copper. To give the tube amp, the best performance, you can use the audio-grade
Electrolysis and Philips MKP non-polar AC capacitor. The useful numbers include the output Power of 12W+12W (4Ω-8Ω), a frequency response ranging from 6Hz to 60KHz. The distortion is ≤1.5% and the SNR is ≥78dB>.
The tube amp has an input Sensitivity of ≤300mV and the tube is: 6P14*4 12AX7*2. You get a load Impedance ranging from 4Ω-8Ω and the tube amp has a maximum power consumption smaller than 90W.
The sound is rich and pure and the tube amp handles spikes in the unit. The mids stand out the most and the tube amp comes with a headphone jack.
The tube amp has 3 inputs and volume control.
Here are the most important pros:
- The tube amp gives a nice, warm sound
- The mids are amazing
- The tube amp looks nice and has a solid build
- The tube amp has headphone Jack
As for the cons, we don't have many:
- Some is popping at times
- The LED in the front panel might be too bright for some
The cons are minor when you look at the big picture and see a nice looking tube amp that gives great mids and comes at a very good price.
You might feel like hearing instruments you have never heard before when using the BOYUURANGE Reisong A12 EL34 12AX7 (ECC83) Hi-Fi Audio Stereo Single-end Class – A Tube Amplifier Amp and this is never a disappointment to any audiophile.
The tube amp is powered by EL-34B tubes and the SRPP preamp circuit ensures wider frequency response and low distortion.
The output transformer is made of silicon steel sheet and free-oxygen high-intensity enameled wire. This gives a wide frequency response and nice treble and bass.
The tube amp gives low noise and is a great option when listening to some Jazz.
The numbers you're interested in include an output power of 40W+40W (8Ω), a Frequency Response ranging from 10 Hz to 76KHz(±2dB). The distortion is ≤0.9%(28W and SNR is ≥85dB. The tube amp has an input Sensitivity smaller than 0.26V. The included tubes are EL34B*4 12AX7*2 12AU7*2, whereas the load Impedance is placed between 4Ω and 8Ω.
The tube amp consumes a maximum of 220W.
If we go further with the details, we have to mention the nice, elegant appearance of the tube amp and the sturdy build. The value is amazing for the money you pay and the sound is warm.
The tube amp is a great choice when you want to listen to the instruments or the distinctive, clear voices.
Our most important pros would be:
- The tube amp has a great appearance
- The build is strong and durable
- The tube amp is a great choice for jazz
- The voice is clear and distinctive and you can hear every single instrument
As for the cons, we only need to mention the tube amp needs around 30 minutes to warm up. Other than this, we are happy with the warm, natural sound we get with the device.
Best affordable tube combo amp
Versatile and reliable, the Fender Champion 40 – 40-Watt Electric Guitar Amplifier is a great, well priced device for any guitar lover.
The 15-watt tube power amp features two 6V6 tubes and one 12AX7 preamp tube. The 10-inch Fender Special Design speaker is efficient and nice looking.
The voicing knob gives you 16 various amp types (Metal, Blackface, Tweed, and so on) and no less than 15 effects. The effects have adjustment control and TAP tempo control for delay time/modulation rate adjustments.
The combo has two channels with a channel switching format and an optional footswitch.
The USB output for speaker-emulated digital recording is a practical feature and you can plug the combo into your computer.
The combo is very easy to use, versatile, and gives nice tones. You can also custom tailor your amp's voicing and effects just the way you like it. There are so many tones you can try when rehearsing with the combo.
The rich tones, the tones on the high-end spikes, and the great range of tones add up to the performance of the combo.
You can win even more tonal versatility if you download the Fender Fuse software. You may customize the amp voicing and effects defaults, effects parameters deep editing. You may also get online for more Fender community content.
The combo is rather lightweight and of a good build.
Here are some of the most important pros:
- The combo has a durable build and isn't heavyweight
- The combo may be plugged into your computer
- The combo is very easy to use and versatile
- The tones range widely and you may customize the combo's performance on so many levels
We do need to mention the cons:
- The combo doesn't come with a cover
- The combo doesn't feature a footswitch
When in need of an affordable tube combo amp, don't overlook the combo as it gives a great range of warm and natural tones with plenty of features to customize.
Best affordable tube amp head
If price is the main thing that's bugging you when shopping for a tube amp head, then all your worries are gone with the 2 Channel 200W HiFi Bluetooth 5.0 Vacuum Tube Amplifier USB DAC Coaxial Optical Digital Audio Power Amp VU Meter.
The 2-channel preamp design is original and nice and the tube amp gives great sounds. The device is made with Infinium Tube Life Multiplier technology.
The tube amp may be used in mono and comes with a useful footswitch. The footswitch is quiet when pressed so it doesn't interfere with your sounds.
The channel is clean and has a bright, lively vibe. As for the lead channel, there is plenty of gain on this one also.
The tube amp gives great reverb and is cabinet emulating directly, which is a nice touch, we all have to admit.
The tube amp is small and very easy to carry around. It gives great reliability and a consistent tone for a longer life span of your tubes.
The tube amp is a multi-class A/AB operation and expands the life of your power tubes a lot.
Let's pinpoint the things we like the most:
- The tube head amp is small and easy to carry around
- The clean channel is very clear
- The lead channel gives plenty of gains
- The tube head amp is handmade
We also need to pinpoint the things we like less:
- The tube head amp comes with no cover or a carrying case
- It needs a more potent eq
We're not going to be very picky though and see only the good side of the tube head amp which makes us see a good device that gives nice sounds.
Best affordable tube preamp
Efficient and easy to use, the Presonus TubePre v2 Tube Preamplifier DI Box is a sure buy when you want to give a warm sound to your music.
The little device is a 12AX& tube-based preamp with an XMAX solid-state input stage. This gives the device versatility and a longer life span. You get tube sound, for quite some time.
When we go through the features, we see the gain control and the tube drive saturation control. The low-noise dual-servo (no capacitors) gain stage.
The device comes with a separate instrument and mic inputs. Note to self: get a good quality mic to see the best results.
The Phantom power makes the system more efficient. The HP filter, the -20dB. pad adds to the value of the device. We don't forget about the polarity-reverse ensures safe use at all times.
The device has a compact shape and it's easy to store and carry around. It has a 1/3U rack-mount
chassis and it's quite durable. It's transparent, which makes it fun to watch.
The preamp begins with low noise, high headroom Class A XMAX preamp input stage, and the subtle elements, along with the high-voltage operation give good range and details.
As for the performances, we mention the not harsh treble and the warm sound. It gives a nice color to vocal recordings and it's great for voice over work also.
Let's pinpoint the main pros:
- The preamp is compact, transparent, and durable
- It gives a warm sound and a nice treble
- It's great for voiceover work and vocal recordings
- It's easy to use and to store
Along with the pros, come some cons:
- The phase button is a bit weird
- The stock tube may be changed for better performance
Despite the cons, we still think the preamp is a good device to take, especially when checking the price and the performance.
Best affordable tube headphone amp
When you want to get better sound on your headphones, give it a go with the Little Dot MK2 MKII 6J1 X2 6N6 X2 Headphone Amp Amplifier Pre-Amp Tube.
The device gives a better dynamic range, and output impedance and ensures harmonic distortion.
The headphone amp has the driver tube-rolling options and it may roll 6JI, WE403A/B, GE5654, M8100, CV4010, EF95. It comes with a factory jumper setting and jumper pins shorted (EF92, CV131) and all equivalents and drop-in substitutes.
The device comes with a gold plated unbalanced (RCA) Jack output and has a frequency response of 20Hz to 50kHz(minus 1dB). The input impedance is 50kOhms and the preamplifier output impedance is 600 ohms.
The device comes with a pre amplifier voltage of 10V RMS and the pre-amplification circuit includes driver and power tubes just as well. The headphone amp has a 28W power consumption.
The device has a good balance and the sound is clear. You get smooth mids and clear highs, and the bass is refined. The sound is spacious and clear.
The device is very well made and has a good size. The build is solid and the amp is so musical you can hear the decay. And, it also looks great.
Let's highlight the most important pros:
- The device is very well made and has a good build
- The sound is clear and spacious
- It has gold plated unbalanced RCA Jack output
- The device ensures a good dynamic range
As for the cons, here they are:
- The instruction manual could be better
- There is some hissing
All in all, for a very good price, you get a good, reliable device that gives clear sound and great dynamic range.
The best affordable Fender tube amp
One of the best Fender amps out there is the Fender Champion 40 – 40-Watt Electric Guitar Amplifier.
The 15-watt tube power amp comes with two 6V6 tubes and one 12AX& preamp tube. It features a 10-inch Fender Special Design speaker.
The device gives you a voicing knob that offers 16 various amp types: Metal, Tweed, Blackface, British and so many more. You also get 15 effects that are adjustable and a TAP tempo control for delay time/modulation rate adjustments.
The device is a two channel amp with channel Switching format and a footswitch just in case. You may find it very useful the USB output for speaker-emulated digital recording.
The amp is easy to use, toneful flexible, and highly customizable. It's a great option for rehearsal and recording sessions. The reverb is good and the amp is highly portable. The build is great and long lasting.
The Fender FUSE software lets you get more tone versatility, with more options for amp voicing and effects defaults, effects parameters deep editing. Plus you can get online with other Fender users to learn from their experiences.
Let's make a shortlist of pros:
- The amp is highly customizable
- The unit is portable, compact, and easy to carry around
- You get 16 various amp types and 15 effects
- The amp comes also with a USB cable
We don't forget about the cons either:
- It doesn't come with a footswitch
- It's a bit heavy because of the tubes
Despite the minor issue, the amp is a great example of how Fender gives you good quality tube amps for a good price.
Best affordable tube guitar amp
The Monoprice 611815 15Watt, 1 x 12 Guitar Combo Tube Amplifier with Celestion Speaker & Spring Reverb comes with many great features and has a good quality build, which makes it an option to consider when in need.
The amp gives a high-quality guitar tone and flexibility. It's a 15-watt combo tube amp with Celestion Speaker and Spring Reverb.
The device has three ECC83/12AX& preamp tubes and two EL84 power tubes for the amplifier section. It's able to take frequencies ranging from 80Hz to 10kHz, with hum and noise -75dB less than the rated power and a total harmonic distortion of 0.5%.
The tube amp comes with low input and high input and a latter that is easy to overdrive. It takes FX to send and receive so that you can connect it to an effects processor or use it for line out/line in connections the send/receive connections.
You can either select the full power mode or the 1-watt limited amplification mode when recording at night, for instance. The sound is nice, and clear, and may get pretty loud.
The port on the cabinet is in the rear and the device is highly portable thanks to its leather handle and cloth speaker grill. The cream-colored outer with chrome corner guards complete its nice appearance.
Let's pinpoint the main pros:
- The device gives high-quality guitar tones and flexibility
- The amp looks nice and is highly portable
- It comes with two inputs
- You can select the full power mode or the 1-watt limited amplification mode
We need to balance out the things a bit and list the cons also:
- The reverb is not that great
- There is some humming.
Best affordable tube amp stereo
Giving good quality for a very good price, the Monoprice Stereo Tube Amp Audio Component Amplifier is a 50-watt device. The channel Class AB power amp gives less than 0.1% total harmonic distortion and it's a hybrid device that combines the tube stage with solid state power.
The stereo amp is Bluetooth 4.0 and ensures wireless streaming with one stereo analog RCA input and one stereo analog RCA output. The wireless streaming is clear and clean thanks to the Qualcomm aptX Audio codec. The frequency response ranges from 20Hz to 20kHz.
The sound is warm and soft and the 50Watts power for each channel solid state combines very well. You can enhance the sound if you connect a subwoofer to the RCA preamp outputs.
The device has a solid build and looks nice. The black panels, lighted VU meter, chrome details, and the nice glowing exposed tubes give you a minimalist retro looking stereo amp.
Let's highlight the most important pros:
- The device is a 50 Watts per channel class AB power amplifier
- The tube amp sound is sustained by the solid state power
- The device comes with Bluetooth
- The amp looks nice and has a good build
We also have some cons we have to mention:
- There is some smell when you use it for the first time
- It's a hybrid amp
All in all, you get a long lasting, reliable stereo amp that gives nice tube sounds.


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As you grow older, your needs change. So, too, do those of your family. And while you cannot predict the future, you can plan for it. This is where an experienced estate planning and elder law attorney comes in. My name is Noreen A. Murphy, and I can help you find answers to your most pressing questions, such as:
- How can I protect my hard-earned assets?
- How will I pay for the care I need if I become incapacitated?
- How can I pass my assets to loved ones as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible?
- If I am a veteran, how do I obtain benefits?
A well-designed and properly implemented plan can address concerns like these and many more. It will also provide greater peace of mind for you and your family.
Practice Areas
If you have been searching for a Middlesex County Elder Law attorney who understands the unique legal needs that come with growing older, and is committed to providing the personal service and mastery of the law required to meet those needs, you have come to the right place. I am one of the few Certified Elder Law Attorneys (CELAs)* in Massachusetts, and one of less than 500 in the country. I earned this distinction by completing a rigorous process that requires many years of focusing on the areas of Elder Law and Estate Planning, a Bar-style Exam, taking numerous continuing legal education courses, and receiving multiple references from fellow Elder Law and Estate Planning Attorneys.
Feel free to click on the links here to learn more about me and what I can do for you. Better yet, why not contact me directly? I welcome the opportunity to meet you in person, talk about your hopes and concerns, and tell you how I can be of assistance. Let's get together and talk soon.
*Certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation.


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Montaigne in Barn Boots Quotation 014
Available from your local independent bookstore here.
Available from Amazon here.
Available in eBook and audiobook format from your favorite purveyors.
And the SneezingCow page.
Want to be the first to know when Mike has a new book, or is coming to your area? Please sign up for the email list.


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Feedback, Compliments and Complaints
We are continually looking to improve our services. Therefore, your feedback, both positive and negative, is always welcomed.
Surgery Feedback Form
Your feedback helps us understand what is working well and less well for our patients, their families and carers. We use this feedback to review the way we do things and to change them if necessary. Compliments are also shared with the staff involved and used as examples of good practice for the wider team.
To tell us about your experience, please fill in our Surgery Feedback Form. You can do this anonymously if you wish. If you would like a response, please include your name and an email address or phone number. We will then review your feedback and get back to you with an update within 5 working days. Please be assured that any information you provide will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence. Alternatively, if you would prefer, please call or visit the surgery to discuss your feedback.
There's a different way to make a formal complaint. Please see section below.
Website Feedback
Working with NHS Surrey Heartlands we have recently launched our new surgery website. It has been designed to give an easier and more accessible website experience for patients. However, we acknowledge there are still some issues, and we are working on resolving these and making further improvements. If you have any comments or queries about any aspect of the website, please contact the Primary Care Digital Team at NHS Surrey Heartlands.
Important note: Please do not share any personal, medical information via this form, it is for website feedback only.
Get in touch by email:
Join our Patient Participation Group
Our Patient Participation Group allows patients to get involved in what we do in the surgery.
Formal Complaints
We take all feedback very seriously. If you do have an issue or concern about the care or the experience you have had that we have not been able to resolve through other means, you may wish to make a formal complaint. This will then start a formal investigation process by our surgery.
If you require assistance in raising a complaint, the Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service can provide free, confidential, and independent support to help you to make a complaint about an NHS service. It is provided by Healthwatch Surrey in partnership with SILC (Surrey Independent Living Charity).
You can contact the team via:
- Telephone: 01483 458 111
- Text (SMS): 07771 108 624
- Email: email@example.com
- Website: www.surreyilc.org.uk/independent-health-complaints-advocacy-service/


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I am an idea. I came to visit your mind. You held me for a moment and planned to capture me. You told me to wait for awhile while you did something else. I tired of waiting and took my flight. It is too bad, for I perhaps could have even changed your life or maybe I could have even changed the world or your family or your church. Maybe I was important or maybe I was unimportant, but you will never know, for you are too busy to lodge me.
I do not ask for a large place to reside– a three-by-five card is ample space for me, but I refuse to wait in the vestibule of your mind while you care for lesser things.
I am an idea. I came once to Edison, and I found lodging for me, and the Wright brothers housed me; so did Jonas Salk. I do not need to dwell on a scroll; I am not usually housed on stationery. I need no library for my walls or publication for my dwelling place. I simply ask for a three-by-five card or even a scratch paper.
I did not flee to another, for I was meant for you. God sent me, designed to be used by you, to help others, but you never stopped long enough to let me in. I knocked at the door of meditation, but it was locked. I sought entrance at the door of prayer, but it never opened. Just the slightest opening and I would have entered, but you never stopped to think, so I could not enter your mind.
I am an idea. Oh, after I left, you sought me diligently, but I was gone forever, for you placed me in your memory instead of on a three-by-five card. I cost you nothing; in fact, I will pay you rent if you will lodge me, and I will even move in with others like me on the same card, and you need not pay attention to me until you are ready, but I WILL NOT live in your memory. I will flee unless you lodge me on any kind of paper or on a three-by-five card.
If I leave, I will not come again to you or to another, and the world will never know me or the contribution I could have made. I did not ask for a home with gilded edges or leather binding or fancy parchment or gold lettering. I did not ask to be typed or printed or engraved – just to be scribbled was all that was necessary.
I do not ask that my landlord be a typist or typesetter or a commercial artist– just a doodler would have sufficed.
I sought not to be filed or be placed in an attache or a briefcase; I sought only to live and be scribbled on a three-by-five card and placed in your pocket.
Dwelling on such a card I was able to make Russell Andersons out of common men, John Beilers from normal people, Jack DeCosters from the bourgeois and Wendell Evanses from average folk.
I am an idea. My neglectors dwell in prisons, stand in soup lines and live off welfare, and many of them work for those who housed me on a three-by-five card. I have made many wealthy and many famous, and those who housed me are called leaders while many neglectors call my landlords "lucky" and those who neglect me eat from the taxes of those who house me.
I am an idea. I dwell in the pockets of architects and surgeons and businessmen and authors and poets and successful pastors. In fact, I am near the heart of all successful people.
I am an idea. I am the difference between success and failure, an A and a B, a B and a C, a C and a D, and a D and an F. I am the difference between quitting and graduating, standing and falling, passing and failing.
I am an idea. Eventually I dwell in the pockets of better shirts. I am how they are afforded, though I do not ask for silk or satin or linen. I sought not Van Heusen or Arrow or Christian Dior. Any old card in any old pocket in any old shirt would have done.
I am an idea. I did not ask for transportation by a quill or typewriter or computer or even a pen – an old pencil would have sufficed. I want only a place to dwell on a simple three-by-five card.
You know many of my keepers: Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Louis Pasteur, John Rice, Lee Roberson, Ronald Reagan, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, William Shakespeare, Robert Browning, Isaac Watts, George Washington, Bob Jones, and many more. My neglectors are named… I seem to have forgotten… so have you.
I am an idea. You need not be talented to keep me. I seem unimportant to talented people, and those who trust their good memories have forgotten me forever. I am born miraculously and quickly and die very soon unless placed immediately in the incubator of a three-by-five card. When I am so kept, I recommend others to you and they run to you for lodging. I never do it alone; I share my card with many like me and share my pocket with many other cards, and those who house me never seem to have pocket space for rent.
I am an idea. I pass by those who sleep in chapel and those who lie on activity reports and quitters and rule-breakers and gossips and critics and gluttons and sluggards and the unscheduled and the undisciplined.
In fact, this article is one like me. It was scribbled on a three-by-five card and placed in an Arrow shirt pocket worn by one who is not brilliant but who houses many like me. While I was in his pocket, I dwelt where this College once dwelt, where this building once lived, where this campus was once housed. I saw signs that said, "Books once lived here," like BLUE DENIM AND LACE, HOW TO REAR CHILDREN, MEET THE HOLY SPIRIT and PLEASE PARDON MY POETRY.
I am an idea. Probably you did not hear me knock; I knock so softly that you did not hear me. I DO knock all day just in case you come to the door of meditation or to the window of thought and study. I did not force my way in, for those who are too busy to greet me are too busy to use me.
It would not have taken long; just let me be on a three-by-five card and forget me. I will stay there until you call, but I WILL NOT stay in your memory.
I am an idea. I wanted you; I needed you. I will soon die for lack of my natural habitat, and the world will never know me because of you, and to think that I did not ask to dwell 'neath a Hart, Shaffner, Marx, but just on a three-by-five card near your heart.
I am an idea. Now I am dying. I will soon be carried to a grave of uselessness by pallbearers of neglect. My grave will never be visited, for none knew me. I sigh for those who could have been known by millions if you could have taken thirty seconds and used an old pen and put me on any old three-by-five card. Millions could have met me and I could have had eternal life, but I was kept from the world… by you.
I am an idea. I did not ask for your I.Q. or for a financial report; I did not see what you look like, for beauty was not required. I did not notice your size or ability nor did I check your intelligence– I just wanted you. I did not even ask to live in your mind or in your heart or in your soul or even in your memory– just on a three-by-five card in your pocket.
I am an idea. I could have changed your life; I could have made you successful; I could have made you a blessing or perhaps even renowned or important or prosperous. But I came to you one day– you played, you partied, you slept, you even met me, but I was not important enough for immediate attention. You casually asked me to wait for a few minutes, but when you came for me, I was gone– gone forever– and to think I would have stayed if you had only taken a minute to house me on a three-by-five card.
I WAS an idea. I died in infancy. I now rest with many others of your children. My death was so needless. I wanted to live. We could have been so happy together. Now soon you will also die and few will remember you either, for the world will remember BOTH or NEITHER of us.
And to think, we both could have lived and been remembered if you had only housed me in any old pocket of any old shirt on any old paper.
Oh, by the way, have you noticed the epitaph on my tombstone? It reads, "He died for the lack of a three-by-five card."
Tags: Article


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Handmade Soap, Nateuca Eucalyptus Oil, Freedom Personal Insect Spray, Essential Oils, Amazing Healing Salve, Foot & Leg Cream, PNI,
Our products are for external use only and may irritate the skin, eyes and mucus membranes of those sensitive to the ingredients. BLUE DOLPHIN SOAP CO. LLC accepts NO responsibility for improper use and storage of any / all of their products. Discontinue use if any irritation or allergy occurs. Statements made or products sold through this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases. Consult a qualified health care practitioner before use of our products especially if pregnant or taking other prescribed medications. All product sales are final, we do not accept returned items for possible contamination and shipping reasons.
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[Pictured: Adidas Samba available at Zappos for $59.95.]
Jack Purcells, Authentics, Stan Smiths and Chucks are so ubiquitous these days that certain publications are going as far as telling you to wear them with your suit. While you will never hear such a recommendation from myself you can expect a little nudge towards the road less traveled. Instead of getting another, or even your first, pair of the aforementioned sneakers why not get a pair of Adidas Sambas?
The Samba has been around since 1950 when it was first introduced as suitable footwear for soccer players who trained on icy, hard ground. Since its debut it has become the second largest seller for Adidas, behind the Stan Smith, with 35 million pairs sold worldwide. While you can still buy the original version used for training featuring the foldable, extended tongue, there are numerous "updated" (more manageable tongue, etc.) versions for those who don't play the beautiful game.
Being a former player myself, I can't recall a time in my life when I didn't own a pair of Sambas. Currently, my beautiful cream and olive pair (they look awesome, I swear) are being held hostage by my brother back in NJ, but that's another story for another day. During my earliest days playing indoor, I remember getting excited just to suit up for practice knowing I was going to be wearing my Sambas and they pretty much never left my feet for an extended portion of my childhood. Just as classic as it was almost 60 years ago, the Samba is your perfect understated sneaker. No bells. No whistles. No graphics. No neons. Just unwavering, steadfast soul.
Pick up a pair and wear 'em with your denim before the weather gets too crappy. And when the weather does take a turn for the worst, put 'em away until spring. You're sure to have a smile on your face the first time you lace up sockless in April. They were good enough for Roger Daltrey and Dr. Huxtable and, believe me, they are good enough for you.
"...you weren't anything unless you had Adidas." - Bill Cosby, The Playboy Fashion Guide Interview, 9/2/09


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Support | Information | Understanding | SHARING
Metro Detroit HELP (MDH) is a support group for people with herpes simplex virus (HSV) and human papillomavirus (HPV). We offer support, information, understanding, and sharing of personal experience in a non-judgmental atmosphere. MDH, established in 1980, is a non-profit organization affiliated with the Herpes Resource Center, an American Sexual Health Association (ASHA) program.
You Are Not Alone
If you have genital herpes, you are far from alone. Infection with Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (HSV2), the virus which is the most common cause of genital herpes, is a lot more common than you might think. Some estimates say that one in four people in the USA or 25 percent of the population is infected with HSV2. Please contact us and join us at our monthly meetings. We look forward to seeing you there.
member comments
Below are comments from people who have attended our group meetings. We hope these comments might inspire you to stop judging yourself and perhaps attend one of our meetings.
Count the number of friends you have and then divide that number by 4, maybe even 3. The number you get is the number of friends you have who are in the same position as you are. They, like you, are just not talking about it, not confiding in friends, just like you aren't. Now count all the people you know and divide again. This is the number of people you know who have the same problem. It's a pretty big number isn't it? You are definitely not alone, not in the world, not even in your circle of friends.
A lot of people are hesitant to come to their first meeting because they're afraid to run into a friend or someone they know. When I first attended a meeting I was hoping to run into someone I knew. I was hoping that I'd then be able to confide in an existing friend. After all, if they were there, then they were in the same boat as me, right?
I was afraid to come to the meetings at first. I thought that the meeting would be filled with prostitutes and losers. I thought that I would not be able to relate to anyone there. I knew about the meeting for several years before I finally got up the nerve to attend one of the meetings. When I finally did go, I found that my stereotype of who attended these meetings was completely wrong. Everyone was normal. I can't describe the relief I felt when I finally could talk about herpes openly with people who did not judge me. At the first meeting, I met several women and we exchanged phone numbers and became friends. It helped so much to have someone to talk to. I think that it is a good idea for everyone who has herpes to attend the meeting at least once or twice. Since herpes is such a complex issue, it helps to get feedback from other people who are in the same boat.
I have learned to deal with this in a responsible way and I have also learned to accept myself, herpes and all. I have to say that Metro Detroit HELP has played the biggest role in helping me to overcome this hurdle and go on with my life. I would like to let everyone know that the meetings are a good thing and you should check it out for yourself. Too many people with herpes go into denial. I know this, because I did it myself. But the thing is, when you are in denial, you are not accepting who you really are and you are not allowing anyone else to accept you either. There are alot of worse things than herpes and no one is perfect. There was a time when I thought I could never tell anyone. But now, I realize that this is something I cannot change and if someone has a problem accepting it, then to hell with them (although I am careful about whom I share this information with). I know I am a good person and I am worthy of someone who will accept me and love me for exactly who I am. It took me awhile to get to this point and I want to thank the group for all the friendships and support I have found at Metro Detroit HELP. I know I wouldn't have made it this far if it wasn't for the group. Once again, I would like to encourage anyone who has herpes to attend one of the meetings. It helped me and I know it can help you. Thanks, MDH!!!
Before I found Metro Detroit HELP, I was acutely depressed. I did not want to live because of herpes, but was too scared to commit suicide. Each day I hoped that I would die. Psychiatric treatment and medication had done nothing for me. I learned of the group accidentally from a member when I answered a comment on a herpes web page. I was too embarrassed to come to a meeting, but that compassionate member agreed to meet me at the front door of Blue Cross/Blue Shield and walk into the meeting with me. Everyone there had experienced the same emotional turmoil that had plagued me too long. No one asked how I got it or judged me. I found acceptance and friendship in the diverse group.
No, the group is not composed of weirdos and prostitutes, but ordinary people coping with a wide-spread virus. Yes, some members have found acceptance from people who do not have herpes. That gave me hope. I'm learning to accept myself and deal with herpes responsibly. The group, especially the member who escorted me through the door, saved my sanity and my life, helping me to get on with the business of living with herpes. Today, I want to live a long time and look forward to every new day and challenge. Death is the farthest thing from my mind. I recommend that others come to a meeting. You'll find support, friendship and people who care. Words alone cannot express my gratitude, but I thank Metro Detroit HELP for all the support and friendship they have given me.


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Woven Motifs Silk Cotton - mustard mixed green 1000 buttas
Swipe for more pictures
Material : Pure Silk by Pure Cotton
Weight : 0.50 Kg to 0.60 Kg
Length : 5.5 m saree + 0.7 m blouse
Width : 48 Inches
Wash Care : Dry wash
- Blouse : 0.7 m
All Sarees are ready Stock and dispatched within 2 business days
The Sari comes with blouse with borders on both the sides. Shown in the last picture.
We Ship Worldwide
We take at most care to bring the perfect colour of the sari. The colour may slightly varies due to Variation in Color Reproduction in cameras and screen, due to device temperature.
- Dry wash recommended
Yes the silk cotton from chettinad Handloom is a perfect blend of pure silk yarn with pure cotton yarn on 60(Silk) : 40(cotton) ratio. These sarees pure silk by cottons woven with traditional motifs of yali, annapakshi, elephants, peacocks, rudurakasham motifs.
Note : We take atmost care to bring the right shades of the sarees. There may be a slight variation in the colours due to the digital photography, mobile screen pixels, or device temperature


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Are you setting up a new warehouse or storage facility for your business in Kent?
Do you need a professional pallet racking design and installation company to make sure your storage system needs are taken care of?
Shelf Space (Pallet Racking Direct) will provide the complete consultation, design and installation service in Kent for the whole project, whether you need a complete new shelving and racking system, or an extension to your existing setup.
Take a look at the range of pallet racking systems we have available and get in touch to find out more about how we can help your business.


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Good news here, Matthias reviewed and approved my patches, so I committed them.
In the same bug report, Johannes Schmid proposed to add placeholder text to GtkCellrendererText too, and I think it makes even more sense than for entries since it's not obvious when a treeview cell is editable. Glade has a custom implementation for the signal editor. I filed a new bug report and attached a patch.
GtkScrolledWindow: kinetic scrolling
While I was on vacation I had the opportunity to play with an Android phone for a while (thanks Roca!), I was very curious about how they solved the problem of selecting text in scrollable widgets and it turned out that they use press-and-hold. After a long press the current word is selected and two handles show up to extend the selection. I don't like the handles, and I don't think we need it, but the press-and-hold solution might work for us. We can simply wait after the long press to cancel the scrolling operation and propagate events to child widgets normally so that both selections and drag and drop operations will work as if kinetic scrolling mode were not enabled. I submitted a patch that uses press-and-hold to allow selections and drag and drop operations when kinetic scrolling mode is enabled in GtkScrolledWindow. However, I couldn't use any of the solutions proposed for press-and-hold in bug #315645. As kris commented (thanks kris for your feedback in this and other bugs, by the way!), this press-and-hold use case changes the game a bit, so we'll have to think a bit more about it.
I noticed my patch had a couple of regressions regarding GtkEntry popdown menu handling, corresponding to old bugs #169534 and #71868. Updated the patches (GtkLiveEntry and GtkTreeView) to apply on current git master and fix the regressions.


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Previous Lesson
Complete and Continue
DRAWING - How to Draw Fun Fab Figures!
SEE All the Projects That You'll MAKE!!
SEE All the Projects, Pick the One you Want to Make!
FIGURE Drawing Lessons using the Quadrant Method!!!
What is the Quadrant Method? (9:33)
Week 1: How to Draw a Small Scale Fun, Fab Face (Front) (116:42)
Week 2: How to Draw a Small Scale Fun, Fab Face (3/4) (22:48)
Week 3: How to Draw a Small Scale Fun, Fab Face (Profile) (16:31)
Week 4: Recommended Resources (my favorite figure books) (33:06)
Week 5: Shocking Stockings!! Fashion Illustration by Megan Hess (65:56)
Week 6: Copyright Issues and How to Make Art our OWN! (59:01)
Week 7: Sideways Sassy!! Fashion Illustration by Volpibr (Deviant Art) (70:56)
Week 8: Sideways Sassy turned Woman Warrior with WOLF! (68:31)
Week 9: Art Deco Delish with Di Kaye (68:29)
Week 10: Art Deco morphing into Mermaid Art! (72:59)
Week 11: Bigger is BEAUTIFUL! with Colopalm Studio Art Cartoon Style (63:45)
Week 12 From Shop-a-holic to Badass Jungle Babe! (32:36)
Week 13: Ballet Dancer by Sarah Dvojack (97:57)
Week 14: Roller Derby Girl!! (55:10)
Week 15, Drawing a Dude by Tristan Poulan (56:04)
Week 16: ZooKeeper FUN! (39:16)
Week 17: Creating a Fairy from a Fun Figure Base (92:46)
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Week 5: Shocking Stockings!! Fashion Illustration by Megan Hess
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Armani Residences
Through his Armani/Casa Interior Design Studio, legendary designer Giorgio Armani brings
his inimitable sensibility and talent for understated elegance to the Residences by Armani/Casa. Rich textiles in a palette of softly dramatic tones create an atmosphere of timeless sophistication throughout the lobby and common areas. Ambient lighting and artfully arranged furnishings
offer a relaxing ambience for conversation.
Residential interiors are modern and elegant yet truly relaxed with floor-to-ceiling windows offering incomparable views over countless miles of soft white sand and turquoise water. Spacious terraces create a seamless expansion of living space into the fresh air.
Mr. Armani's vision begins here.
Armani Residences Facts
Price From$2,215,000 - $5,500,000
Address18975 Collins Avenue, Sunny Isles Beach, FL, USA
DeveloperRelated Group and Dezer Development
ArchitectCésar Pelli
Interior DesignGiorgio Armani
Number of Units308 units
Numbers of Floors60 stories
Size RangeFrom 1,400ft² -
Completion Year2021
Deposit Schedule
- Building completed
Armani Residences Picture Gallery
Legal Disclaimer
All promotional content displayed on this page, including renderings, floor plans, brochures, videos, and similar materials, are sourced from the developer to facilitate the marketing of the relevant project. PANDA IDX, LLC does not assert ownership or creation of these materials.
Armani Residences Amenities
Highlighted Condo Features
- Olympic-style lap pool
- Two oceanfront Jetted Spas
- Full poolside restaurant (Bar & Grill)
- Fitness center with ocean view
- Yoga/meditation/pilates area
- Two tennis courts
- World-class spa
- Billiards & Ping Pong recreational area
- Multi-purpose kids activity room
- Private cinema / Media room
- Private storage & bicycle area
- Beach and pool side services
- -----
- Residence floor plans will be offered in 2, 3, 4-bedroom and possibly larger plans
- Property projected to offer approximately 250 luxury oceanfront residences
- Property projected to feature 57 floors
- All floor plans designed as east-to-west "flow-thru" floor plans
- Minimum 10 foot ceilings with floor to ceiling glass
- Oceanfront & bay view oversized balconies


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Eliot Renard is a genderqueer, feminist, socialist Chicagoan who enjoys making math and science accessible and fun for students through various online tutoring programs. Ze also has a health blog, personal blog and tumblr, because compartmentalizing is fun.
I began experiencing the symptoms of what I now know to be depression, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome when I first hit puberty. When I complained, the doctor would usually laugh and attribute my complaints to growing pains. I was told many times by family members and medical professionals to grow up and to stop complaining. So, I did. For a decade.
Fast forward to now, and I am once again vocal about my experiences. This willingness to speak up – to come out as a chronic pain, fatigue, and depression sufferer – has been incredibly beneficial. I am now on treatments that greatly reduce my muscle pain and depression symptoms, although I have yet to find a solution for many other symptoms. I have a supportive husband who understands when it's me speaking and when it's the pain speaking. He has adapted admirably to "physical contact rules" that change daily. He encouraged me to seek out a therapist, which I was reluctant to do after an extremely negative experience with a therapist in my childhood. He helps me with whatever tasks I cannot accomplish on a given day. In short, he is a wonderful spouse helping me through a very rough adjustment period. The rest of my family, however, is problematic.
When my health began to decline rapidly this past summer, I assumed that my mother and grandmother, both diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis for at least a decade, would understand what I was going through, and instinctively know how to support me. This assumption was untrue and unfair; being in pain and watching a loved one in pain are two very different experiences. So, after many conversations in which I asked them repeatedly not to say some hurtful, untrue, and pointless things*, I sent out an email with a list of the offensive remarks, why they were offensive, and a request that the remarks stop immediately.
Unfortunately, this attempt was unsuccessful. Every phone call was about my illness, and how I wasn't doing enough to get better – I should be exercising more, undergoing this or that treatment, stopping this or that medication, finding something I "really want to do", unlike the graduate school I loved and had to leave because I couldn't get out of bed, much less get to campus and perform a 16-hour work day, being happier, etc. Things got bad enough that I attempted suicide in September. It felt like I was not only losing my physical and mental functions, but my family as well. Nothing I tried was working, and it seemed that there was no way out.
After the suicide attempt, I turned off my phone for a week. The first person I called when I felt well enough to use the phone was my little brother – he needed to know that none of this was his fault. My sister's 6-year-old son happened to be present, so I got to talk to him, as well. My nephew noted that it had been a long time since we had talked. I replied that I was sick and needed to turn my phone off for a while. My nephew's response was absolutely perfect: "Well, I'm sorry you were sick, but I'm glad you feel better. At school, I got a dinosaur, and…"
Why can't the adults in my life figure that out? Why is treating someone like a person so difficult, not only for my family, but for people on the street or the bus? Most of my frustration is not actually born from the constant pain, fatigue, fog, etc. – it is from the rest of the world failing to accept me as I am. And, given the amount of frustration my illness itself causes me, that's saying something.
*[Bingo, anyone?]


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Freeing Destiny, Book #2 in The Fate Series by Faith Andrews
Publication Date: Early 2016
Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult Romance, Romantic Suspense
Words to live by:
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Don't break the rules.
I'd managed to fail at both by fraternizing with the enemy's brother. Guess I'd followed in my mother's footsteps by ignoring all the rules when it came to love.
Mom was marrying a man only six years older than me. A man who was also her student. But the biggest surprise that came out of their wedding wasn't my new stepdad's academic status or his age.
It was Jack Davis—my stepfather's best friend.
Jack was the guy who could change the whole game. He was quite possibly my soul mate. But time and circumstance were against us—there was no easy way around it. I was moving back to New York in two weeks and his sister, Aubrey, was the one person my family hated most in this world. How would his sister—the enemy—deal with another Edwards girl claiming what she believed was hers? The idea of letting Jack go crippled me. Would I have to cut ties with the only man I'd ever let into my heart?
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About Faith Andrews
Faith Andrews is living out her dream right outside the greatest city in the world, New York City. Happily married to her high school sweetheart, she is the mother of two beautiful and wild daughters, and a furry Yorkie son named Rocco Giovanni. When she's not tapping her toes to a Mumford & Sons tune or busy being a dance mom, her nose is stuck in a book or she's sitting behind the laptop, creating her next swoon worthy book boyfriend. Coffee addict, lover of wine and cheese, and sucker for concerts and Netflix, Faith believes in love at first sight and happily ever after.
Other Books by Faith:
Man of My Dreams, Dream Series #1
Back to You, Dream Series #1.5
After the Storm, Dream Series #2
Keep Me, Grayson Sibling Series #1
Keep Her, Grayson Sibling Series #2
Keep Us, A Grayson Holiday Tale (featured in Hot for the Holidays,
A Collection of 21 Naughty & Nice Holiday Shorts)
Feel Again, Fate Series #1
First Came You, Fate Series #0.5


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Fruit flavors comprised over two-thirds of global launches in the yogurt market during the fiscal year ended March 2013, according to Innova Market Insights.
According to the report, this market segment comprised three-quarters in the U.S. and nearly 70% in Latin America. This encompasses a wide range of different types of fruit, from more traditional strawberry and peach to more unusual such as papaya, damson and coconut. Plain, natural or unflavored yogurts are the second most popular option globally. They are featured in 12% of introductions, but again this varies, depending upon regional and cultural preferences for plain yogurt. Levels for this category rose to over 22% in Asia, but fell to less than 5% in the U.S. Brown flavors, such as chocolate and caramel, took third place globally, ahead of vanilla.
"The yogurt market is generally showing good growth, and this is reflected in terms of new product activity, where levels are continuing to rise globally," said Lu Ann Williams, director of innovation at Innova Market Insights.
"With an increasingly competitive marketplace, the need for product differentiation has led to developments in flavors over recent years, most notably into more up-market and complex options, often featuring a number of different ingredients, sometimes with formulations taken from other sectors of the market, such as desserts, bakery and confectionery," she added.
Williams also notes companies are increasingly offering limited edition and seasonal options. Aside from that, split-pot concept has helped to move the level of flavor sophistication forward. This has allowed for the addition of sauces and purees, as well as inclusions such as chocolate or mini-biscuits, which can be used with plain or flavored yogurt to add further interest in terms of texture. Originally confined to dual-compartment pots, the market has now extended to include three-compartment pots, permitting wider options in terms of the number and type of ingredients that can be offered.
Meanwhile, flavor trends in the yogurt market in 2013 seem to be following a similar path to recent years, the report said, with the exotic, unusual and more complex featuring strongly across a range of countries. For instance in the U.K., Collective Dairy has even added value to a new natural yogurt variant sweetened with honey. Other range extensions featured the more exotic and upmarket, including Banoffi and White Peach & Raspberry, while a limited edition Papaya & Coconut variant replaced the previous Mighty Mango line. In Germany, Stracciatella (with chocolate flakes) appears to be a new area of focus with introductions under the Landliebe and Activia brands in the first part of the year. Stracciatella is one of three new flavors added to the Landliebe premium range, along with chocolate and caramel, while Activia Creme Genuss is being marketed as the first ever Activia product to contain fine chocolate.


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Veterans' advocacy groups Thursday accused the Veterans Administration of discriminating against military sexual assault victims seeking benefits for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, saying they receive "significantly'' more denials than veterans with other types of PTSD claims.
The national figures show "a particularly hostile environment" at the VA for victims of military sexual assault, said Anu Bhagwati, Service Women's Action Network (SWAN) executive director, during a teleconference news briefing, calling the experience of seeking VA benefits "unnecessarily grueling, humiliating and exhausting."
The report found that women filed two-thirds of PTSD claims based on sexual assault, that it's the most prevalent reason for female veterans' PTSD claims, and as a result, women are "disparately impacted" by lower approval rates.
The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Connecticut, the Yale Law School Veterans Legal Services Clinic, and SWAN released a report they wrote based on figures they obtained from the VA after settlements in two lawsuits. The data mainly cover the years 2008 through 2012.
During those years, the approval rate for women with sexual assault-based claims ranged from 33.7 percent to a high of 59.2 percent. But, the approval rate for women for PTSD benefits from other issues ranged from 46.7 percent to 72.8 percent.
For men, who filed PTSD claims based on sexual assault, their approval rates ranged from 22.2 percent to 56.2 percent, in the same time period. But, disability benefits awarded for men with PTSD claims for other problems received approvals ranging from 52.5 percent to 74.5 percent.
In a statement released Thursday, the VA said that the department has made progress in narrowing the gaps in approval rates. The VA said that since Undersecretary for Benefits Allison Hickey was appointed in mid-2011, her efforts "have dramatically improved VA's overall sensitivity" to military sexual assault-related PTSD claims, resulting in more benefit approvals. The VA's most recent data for 2013 show approval rates for such benefits are within six percentage points of overall approvals of all PTSD claims, and the approval rate for men is now within seven points of that for women.
"Leave it to the VA to figure out how to discriminate simultaneously against both male and female veterans," said Kathryn Mammel, a Yale law student who is an author of the report.
The report found wide disparities among VA regional offices across the country in their handling of sexual assault-related claims. On average during the five-year span, the VA's Hartford regional office awarded more benefit approvals based on military sexual assault claims than the national average.
In the Hartford regional office, 140 veterans filed PTSD sexual assault-based claims from 2008 to 2012 with an average of 44.3 percent receiving benefits. This compares to an average of 55.74 percent approvals for other PTSD claims during the same time period.
Nationally, 39.2 percent of all applications for military sexual assault–related disability claims were approved over the five-year period. This compares to an average of 61.76 percent for other PTSD claims.
The report showed overall improvement in 2012 in awarding sexual assault disability benefits. Plaintiffs attributed that to better training of VA employees and pressure on the VA by members of Congress and veterans' advocacy groups.
The groups are also seeking military sexual assault figures from the Pentagon and are still embroiled in a court case to obtain them, according to Andrew Schneider, executive director of ACLU of Connecticut. The report noted that as of December 2011, the Defense Department has been destroying sexual assault records after five years.
Bhagwati, of SWAN, said that military sexual assault can be "life-threatening" because it can lead to suicide. She said victims face "multiple betrayers from multiple institutions and multiple care providers and no one is supporting them."
The report concluded that military sexual assault and harassment "threaten the strength, readiness and morale of the military, undermine national security, and have many devastating personal effects on survivors and their families."
It added that the difficulties getting benefits from the VA is "less well known' and "an unfair fight in which veterans are often unsuccessful."
To read the report click here.


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There's been plenty of discussion about the historic authenticity of "Niflaos Maharal", a book that appeared in the early 1900s describing how the Maharal made a Golem to defend the Jews against blood libels.
My question isn't authenticity; it's accuracy. Has anyone compared the description of Golem-making found in Niflaos Maharal with, say, the procedure found in Sefer Yetzira?
Sure enough, Niflaos Maharal is available online; check out Chapter 8 for the description of how the Golem was made. (This corresponds to the English-language legends I'd seen as a child.) It talks about how the Maharal himself fit the element of air, and the Golem was made of earth (actually "dust"), so he brought along one student who was fire and one who was water.
Is something like the four-element-people thing found in classical kabbalistic texts on Golems, or unique to Niflaos Maharal?


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Olivia Vale – ISPWP Photographer of the Quarter – Summer 2011
Austin, Texas
View Winner's Website
Product Prizes will also be awarded to the top finishers depending on the number of prizes available
One Year Premium Subscription to ProShow Web ($150 value) |
Kubota Fully Loaded Action DASHBOARD Set (value $799) Kubota Image Tools, fueled by "Idea Guy" Kevin Kubota, is constantly churning with new products and educational materials that help photographers move their businesses toward success. They offer Photoshop® and Lightroom® products to speed up a photographer's workflow and help them create beautiful art for their clients. More information… |
ProDPI Photo Lab Gift Certificates (value $200, $100, and $50) ProDPI is providing print certificates in the amounts of $200, $100, and $50. Winners can redeem their certificates for any ProDPI product! |
Two Zen Layflat Hard Cover Books, 10×10, 20 sides (value: $136 each) AsukaBook creates exquisite coffee table books for photographers. Their selection offers a wide array of press-printed books with beautiful finishes and multiple sizes to choose from. AsukaBook also provides free design software to photographers to help make the design process simple and fast. More information… |
Willow Album Design – Album design up to 30 pages with layered Photoshop files (value $250) Fresh, clean album design is what we offer to photographers that want to focus on the their imagery. Willow Album Design can help you spend more time creating photographs and less time attached to the computer afterward. With three different design styles, there's a perfect album design solution waiting for you. More information… |
Gift Certificate towards a sample Finao ONE album ($250 value) Albums with attitude. Winner will be given a coupon after the close of the contest. More information… |
1 year of Animoto Pro ($249 value) Animoto Pro is the award-winning new tool for photographers that lets you instantly combine your photos and video clips into beautiful, custom videos. Animoto analyzes and combines your images, video clips, and music with the same sophisticated post-production skills used in television and film. In addition to the thousands who use Animoto Pro to wow clients and build their business, we're proud to be recognized as best in class, winning 2010 and 2011's "Hot One Award" from Professional Photographer Magazine in the "Slideshow/Presentation" category. More information… |
Triple Scoop Music – Lifetime song license to 1st – 4th place winners (value $60 each) The 1st – 4th place winners will each receive a lifetime license for any single song from Triple Scoop Music. TSM offers award winning music by an impressive list of independent artists, including Grammy & Emmy winners. You can select from thousands of hand-picked royalty-free songs by award-winning artists and composers. Easily find great songs and use the music legally for marketing and promotion. Hear why the world's top photographers grow their business with music from Triple Scoop Music. |
ThinkTank Photo – Retrospective 30 (value $179) The Retrospective shoulder bag is created for the professional photographer that wants to blend in with the crowd and remain inconspicuous in any situation. Our product designers have blended the look and feel of "old-school" camera bags and infused it with "new-school" features and technology for the digital imaging age. More information… |
Fundy Software – Fundy Dollars Gift Certificate (value $150) 75% of surveyed users say they've cut their production time in half (or more) using Fundy Software Products. The Fundy Dollars may be used on any product or combination of products. More information… |
Totally Rad Actions RadLab (value $149) RadLab is a revolutionary new way to style your photos. Unlike using Photoshop actions, RadLab allows you to get instant previews of how your image will change. You can layer together effects, called Stylets, in infinite ways, and customize your Recipes with simple, intuitive sliders. RadLab comes with 78 Stylets for you to use, and operates as a plugin for Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. More information… |
Proofmaker by ISPWP Member Mike Dickson (value $75) Proofmaker is a Photoshop CS3, CS4 and CS5 script that will generate bordered proof images with the image name, or copyright information — or both (or neither) — into your photos, in one easy step. Easily turn your photos into bordered, labeled proofs! More information… |
Classic White Album Template (value $60) Red Boot Design is a service for photographers who want to provide their clients with the utmost quality in album design. We specialize in custom design and also offer album templates. The Classic White is a clean and modern album template with 40 sides. Template set includes 7 sizes, and may be used for any album company. Versatile layouts are perfect for wedding, portrait, commercial, etc. More information… |


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Agra (India), November 23: For his extensive philanthropic work during the COVID-19 pandemic, renowned social worker Dr. Vijay Kishore Bansal is continually being felicitated by various social organizations. World Book of Records, London has awarded him with a letter of appreciation. World Book of Records London's CEO Santosh Shukla through his appreciation letter has praised Dr. Bansal's dedication and commitment towards the society, his compassion, his efforts to encourage cultural diversity and maintain social harmony in the society and has also said that Dr. Bansal is a prime example of humanity to mankind.
It is to be noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Vijay Kishore Bansal had created a record by distributing around 25 lakh food packets to the poor and destitute. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the entire country was fearful and in chaos, a lockdown had to be declared, considering the seriousness of the pandemic. Everybody was forced to live within the four walls of their homes. Labours and middle class families were left without their sources of earnings. In such a situation, Agra's renowned social activist and businessman Dr. Vijay Kishore Bansal, following the advice by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath, pledged to provide home cooked meals to the poor and hungry.
With the help of police and administration, during the 70 days of lockdown period, 12.5 lakh packets of food were home delivered to the needy. Not just this, when the migrant labourers of Bihar and Delhi were forced to return back to their homes on foot, Dr. Vijay Kishore Bansal distributed around 1 lakh such food packets everyday to these returning migrant labourers through different social organisations. During the entire lockdown period, he distributed around 25 lakh food packets which is the highest distribution of food packets done by any single person or organisation in India.
If you have any objection to this press release content, kindly contact firstname.lastname@example.com to notify us. We will respond and rectify the situation in the next 24 hours.
The post Dr. Vijay Kishore Bansal Earns Recognition Through his Philanthropic Work appeared first on Republic News Today.