text:
This book is dynamite. I bought it in 2013 and I just now got around to reading it. You see, I read the chapter headings and I knew I agreed wholeheartedly with every single point. I had more urgent things to do and read, so I kept this book on the shelf.
But its time had come. I am glad I read it. Even if you agree with broad principles, there are details that make all the difference. Anthony Esolen, the author, grew up Catholic and went to Catholic schools. He experienced some of the deterioration of the American educational system even in the private, Catholic system. And he writes tongue-in-cheek through the whole book, which keeps things interesting and funny.
He talks about how the government wants dummies it can control. Hence, public education has been dumbed down so that it produces citizens who feel powerless, lack initiative, and feel dependent on a technocratic state. If a child has imagination, he just might break out of the mold and forge an independent career outside "the system" and Uncle Sam, of course, does not want that.
Here are the 10 ways to destroy the imagination of your child:
- Keep him indoors. If a child sees the sky, especially at night, he might actually start dreaming and be inspired about the vastness of the universe. Who knows where such liberating, inspiring thoughts might take him?
- Schedule every minute of your child's life. If you leave children get bored for a few minutes, they will actually come up with new games and ideas to entertain themselves, which develops the imagination.
- Keep children away from machines. Mechanical gadgets fascinate and inspire and empower children to develop new ideas and technologies – a threat to a technocratic state which hates "unauthorized personnel."
- Replace the fairy tale with political cliches. Here's a quote from page 97: "Fairy tales and folk tales are for children and childlike people, not because they are little and inconsequential, but because they are as enormous as life itself… It is not a failure of imagination to see the sky as blue. It is a failure rather to be weary of its being blue – and not to notice how blue it is. An appreciation for the subtler colors of the sky will come later. In the folk tale, good is good and evil is evil, and the former will triumph and the latter will fail. This is not the result of the imaginative quest. It is rather its principle and foundation. It is what will enable the child later on to understand Macbeth, or Don Quixote, or David Copperfield." Page 96: "It has been a great victory for the crushers of imagination to label such figures 'stereotypes,' and add a sneer to it, as if people who used them in their stories were not very imaginative…" Page 98: "In any case, when you starve your child of the folk tale, you not only cramp his imagination for the time being. You help to render vast realms of human art (not to mention human life) incomprehensible." Liberals will tell you that "teaching is a political art" and they will not understand why we have to read Virgil.
- Cast aspersions upon the heroic and the patriotic. P. 140: "The imagination seeks out the ideal, and beholds its beauty. In doing so it penetrates farther to the truth than does the sloth of cynicism." So history is taught today by magnifying the faults of its heroes.
- Cut all heroes down to size. P. 146: "Boys in particular are natural hero-worshipers." So teach them to sneer at people who accomplish difficult tasks, like crossing half-starved men across the icy Delaware on a night-attack against professional soldiers at Trenton (George Washington, in case you did not know the story). Teach them to snicker at anybody possessing moral excellence. Help them laugh at what they do not understand. Teach them to hate and suspect excellence. Build up their carapace of self-absorption.
- Reduce love to sex and narcissism. Enough said.
- Level distinctions between men and women. Popular culture, wrongly called "culture," is actually mass entertainment. It talks "glibly about traditional manhood and traditional womanhood with a knowing wink – meaning brutality and idiocy. That such men and women, possessed of virtues we ignore, tamed a continent, is not to be considered… Have children understand that manliness and womanliness are contemptible. The true man is a cartoon figure, a crazy mixture of steroid-exploded muscle mass, grunts, and a bad shave. Otherwise men are fat, sloppy, and stupid. They paint their bellies for football games and drink beer. They are incompetents in the workplace. Their conversation revolves around fast food and fast women. For their part, the women are skinny to the point of emaciation. They wear clothes that wold make the whores of old blush. They are fussy, snippy, and feline. They enjoy humiliating men, who always come back for more anyway. They have studied martial arts, and can be choreographed into delivering a backhand slap from a thin-wristed arm that will defy all the laws of physics and send a 250-pound man reeling. They have foul mouths, but they don't come by the foulness honestly; a sort of sneaky, sniggering arch foulness…"" (p. 196)
- Distract the child with the shallow, unreal, and the noise. The noise of video games, TV screens, and modern music allows no time for reflection and developing a listening ear for what really matters. Jesus said, "Let him who has ears to hear, hear." (Mark 4:23) Elijah listened to the still small voice, which was a faint whispering sound, after the Lord was NOT in the whirlwind, the fire, or the earthquake. Albert Einstein, daydreaming on the hillsides of Tuscany, bathing in the Mediterranean sunlight, wondered about light and what it would be like to ride a ray of sunlight. He listened to the light and came up with the theory of relativity. Silence fosters imagination.
- Deny the transcendent. Esolen makes a case against children's Bibles, with their cartoonish images of God, Jesus, and the great heroes of old. He wants children to read and not understand everything in the Bible at first. It is OK to be intimidated, to not know what "issue" means, or "boils." These things can be explained in due time. But the idea is to make the child connect with God's mind through a reading of the original text, not some watered down version for children.
I hope I have whetted your appetite for this entire book. You will want to get your own copy so you can underline passages and refer to them every time you are tempted to sit your child in front of a screen.


text:
Staff Product Designer, Shopping Experience
This job is no longer accepting applications
See open jobs at DoorDash.See open jobs similar to "Staff Product Designer, Shopping Experience" Matt Wallaert.About the Team
Our Shopping Experience team obsesses about making DoorDash a daily habit for our customers by helping them save time, money and find everything their neighborhood has to offer. We are the platform stewards of our core shopping & delivery experiences, ensuring frictionless discovery, ordering and delivery.
About the Role
As an essential member of our Shopping Experience design team, you will collaborate across several teams to help deliver strategic initiatives, set product vision, and jump in to help teams execute. This is an opportunity to have impact across our entire consumer user journey - from discovery to delivery.
You will report into the Head of Shopping Experience, Core Consumer.
You're excited about this opportunity because you will…
Use your product thinking, visual design, and system steward skills, experience a high level of autonomy, and collaborate with a smart and motivated team to land impact for our vast customer base.
We're excited about you because…
You're inspired by complex customer problems, early stage product development, setting vision, and helping teams hold a high bar for craft. You balance speed of execution with a customer obsession and craft, proactively push initiatives forward with a high level of autonomy, and know how to achieve results.
About DoorDash
At DoorDash, our mission to empower local economies shapes how our team members move quickly, learn, and reiterate in order to make impactful decisions that display empathy for our range of users—from Dashers to merchant partners to consumers. We are a technology and logistics company that started with door-to-door delivery, and we are looking for team members who can help us go from a company that is known for delivering food to a company that people turn to for any and all goods.
DoorDash is growing rapidly and changing constantly, which gives our team members the opportunity to share their unique perspectives, solve new challenges, and own their careers. We're committed to supporting employees' happiness, healthiness, and overall well-being by providing comprehensive benefits and perks including premium healthcare, wellness expense reimbursement, paid parental leave and more.
Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
We're committed to growing and empowering a more inclusive community within our company, industry, and cities. That's why we hire and cultivate diverse teams of people from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe that true innovation happens when everyone has room at the table and the tools, resources, and opportunity to excel.
Statement of Non-Discrimination: In keeping with our beliefs and goals, no employee or applicant will face discrimination or harassment based on: race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status, or veteran status. Above and beyond discrimination and harassment based on "protected categories," we also strive to prevent other subtler forms of inappropriate behavior (i.e., stereotyping) from ever gaining a foothold in our office. Whether blatant or hidden, barriers to success have no place at DoorDash. We value a diverse workforce – people who identify as women, non-binary or gender non-conforming, LGBTQIA+, American Indian or Native Alaskan, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, differently-abled, caretakers and parents, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. Thank you to the Level Playing Field Institute for this statement of non-discrimination.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and any other state or local hiring regulations, we will consider for employment any qualified applicant, including those with arrest and conviction records, in a manner consistent with the applicable regulation.
If you need any accommodations, please inform your recruiting contact upon initial connection.
The location-specific base salary range for this position is listed below. Compensation in other geographies may vary.
Actual compensation within the pay range will be decided based on factors including, but not limited to, skills, prior relevant experience, and specific work location. For roles that are available to be filled remotely, base salary is localized according to employee work location. Please discuss your intended work location with your recruiter for more information.
DoorDash cares about you and your overall well-being, and that's why we offer a comprehensive benefits package, for full-time employees, that includes healthcare benefits, a 401(k) plan including an employer match, short-term and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, wellbeing benefits, paid time off, paid parental leave, and several paid holidays, among others.
In addition to base salary, the compensation package for this role also includes opportunities for equity grants.
This job is no longer accepting applications
See open jobs at DoorDash.See open jobs similar to "Staff Product Designer, Shopping Experience" Matt Wallaert.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
"All information displayed on the Official Portal of the Penang State Government ('this Portal') is strictly intended for general information and knowledge only. The information displayed herein is subject to changes and may no longer be accurate after the uploading date.
While every care has been taken in the preparation of the information contained in this Portal, no warranty, express or implied is given by the Penang State Government and any of its employees or agents as to the completeness and accuracy of the information given and the Penang State Government and any of its employees or agents are not responsible for any errors or omissions which may occur. In no circumstance will the Penang State Government and any of its employees or agents be liable or responsible
for any damages whatsoever, including without limitation, special, indirect or consequential damages arising out of or related to the use or reliance of the information contained in it, whether by action in contract, tort or otherwise howsoever.
In addition, the Penang State Government shall have no responsibility or liability in relation to any loss or damage which you incur, including damage to your software or hardware, arising from your use of or access to this Portal."


text:
A. You only have to obey the signs during working hours.
A. You only have to obey the signs during working hours.
B. You only have to obey the signs when there are workers about.
C. You must obey the signs that are displayed at all times.
Road works are performed to:
In some cases the surface layer of the road will be removed completely and that could leave a loose surface; in other cases the repair can be localise, but gravel or loose stones may still be around the area.
New chip seal will have lots of loose stone chips for a while until they wear away.
If there's a traffic controller the traffic controller will let you know when it's safe to pass through the road works. There might be vehicles coming the other way, or workers or machinery blocking the lane.
If a lane is closed then you will see a sign like this:
Prepare to move to the right. If traffic is heavy then it's likely that it will either be backed up, or it will be starting to back up, so check that traffic ahead of you hasn't stopped suddenly.
Merge right like a zip (alternate vehicles), and take car. If you are in the middle lane, make room for vehicles merging from the left lane.
If you are in the left lane, be courteous and don't try to jump the queue or sneak up the inside.
If traffic has backed up, beware of motorcyclists filtering through.
As there is a lane closed there might also be loose gravel on the road surface.
Lane closures might also be caused by workers working in close proximity to the road, e.g. repairing traffic lights, installing signs, working on bridges or gantries, or clearing up spills.
For a list of road works signs and tarmac repair types, check out this article.
Around roadworks, road workers are exempt from some of the rules that drivers must obey.


text:
1. A Former Walmart Exec Blows the Whistle via Email
According to The New York Times, in 2005, a former exec at Walmart de Mexico named Sergio Cicero Zapata alleged in an email to a senior Walmart lawyer that the retail giant's Mexican arm routinely greased the skids, dishing out generous payouts to aid its mammoth growth. (Currently, one in five Walmart stores is located in Mexico.) An investigator's dream, Cicero named names, as well as provided details on when the bribes were given and how much they totaled. Cicero had resigned from the company in 2004 because, he told the Times, he felt underappreciated after participating in years of corruption.
2. Walmart Launches an Investigation
With Cicero's email in hand, Walmart sprang into action—for a time. A set of company sleuths were sent south, traveling to Mexico City to see if there was truth to the bombshell revelations. According to the Times: there was. After unearthing evidence of bribes in excess of $24 million, the chief investigator, a former FBI special agent, sent an email to company headquarters saying, "There is reasonable suspicion to believe that Mexican and USA laws have been violated."
3. Walmart Shuts Down Investigation
After top Walmart execs were presented with evidence of misconduct, top management struggled for a while with how to respond, reports the Times. At stake was the company's much-touted support for high ethical standards, which in this case was at odds with its allegedly shady formula for market dominance. Facing a potential PR nightmare, execs appear to have been more concerned with spin than solutions. They never contacted legal authorities about the findings, and ultimately appointed the general counsel of Walmart de Mexico—who himself faced allegations of bribery—to handle the case. He exonerated his colleagues and shut down the investigation, according to the Times.
4. Bribes Led to Building Permits
In their investigation, reporters from the Times, who scoured thousands of government documents relating to building permit requests in Mexico, found that the alleged bribes were incredibly effective, making permit obstacles vanish in days or weeks. All layers of bureaucratic and political life were allegedly receptive to this liberal outlay of cash, as zoning concerns and environmental fines disappeared and Walmart expanded across the country.
5. Eduardo Castro-Wright's Dubious Rise
Eduardo Castro-Wright was chief operating officer of Walmart de Mexico until 2005, and was promoted to Walmart's vice chairman in 2008. Although the Times reports that there had been a few bribes before Castro-Wright's arrival in 2002, the frequency of bribes increased dramatically while he was in charge, and Cicero identified him as the force behind much of the corruption. His goal was to rapidly obtain building permits, so Walmart could build stores faster and remain ahead of the competition. When he was promoted to his post in the U.S. (three years after the bribery investigation began), the company cited his "outstanding results" in Mexico. He is scheduled to retire in July.
6. How the Alleged Bribes Were Delivered
The alleged bribes were paid through "gestores," professional fixers that many companies (and individuals) in Mexico hire to ensure that things get done quickly and effortlessly—sometimes legally, sometimes not. They are often involved in Mexico's corruption scandals. The gestores, who charge a fee of 6 percent of the bribe, worked closely with company officials to determine whom to pay off, the Times reports. They provided the company with coded invoices that described the "irregular act" they had carried out. In accounting records, the bribes were allegedly disguised as legal fees.
7. Former FBI Special Agent Led Internal Investigation
Ronald Halter, who spent more than two decades with FBI, was one of Walmart's special investigators who led the preliminary probe into the bribery allegations in 2005. The investigation confirmed many of Cicero's allegations, according to the Times; in one day, Halter's team had uncovered more than 441 instances of potentially illegal payments to gestores. They also discovered that two gestores alone had received $8.5 million in payments. Perhaps most significantly, he found that massive payments ceased in 2005, the same year that Castro-Wright moved to the U.S. Although Walmart had initially planned to launch a full investigation if the probe found any evidence supporting Cicero's allegations, Halter's report and the rest of the case was turned over to Walmart de Mexico's general counsel, who closed the investigation.
8. Walmart Admits to Bribery Probe
Shortly after the Times published its investigation on April 21, 2012, Walmart confirmed that it had launched an investigation into the allegations of bribery at Walmart de Mexico. A spokesman for the company said, "This work is ongoing and continues today," adding that the company does not "have a full explanation of what happened."


text:
August 23, 2016
Participants for AMFA: Earl Clark – Region I Director Bob Cramer – Airline Representative, Local 4 Craig Hamlet – Airline Representative, Local 11 Shane Flachman – Airline Representative, Local 18 Mike Young – Airline Representative, Local 32 Danny York – Facility Maintenance DAL Lucas Middlebrook – Legal Counsel
Participants for Southwest Airlines: Gerry Anderson – Sr Director, Labor Relations Cindy Nagle – Sr Director, Labor Relations Clint Auton – Director, Labor Relations John Zuzu – Sr. Director, Corporate Facilities Tim Hooyman – Sr. Manager, Corporate Facilities
The Negotiating Committee is providing this update to the AMFA Membership at Southwest Airlines. This report is the only official authorized written source of negotiating communications by the Committee.
We met with the Company in Dallas, Texas on Wednesday, August 17, 2016, for a scheduled full-day Facility Maintenance Technician (FMT) Section 6 direct bargaining session. After the Company directly polled our members on what they proposed during our last session, our Committee was prepared to present a proposal that would realistically resolve all the language and economic needs. We explained that the Company does not pay any group on the property average pay, and how could they propose a scale that pays less than other unskilled work groups on the property. We started by presenting the following proposals:
The Company said they would go back and look at the economics of our proposal, and they then caucused.
When the Company returned, they stated they were good with our proposed language changes and presented a counter on economics as follows:
The Company explained that they would recognize everyone as holding one certificate/license for one (1) year. This would bring the top of scale pay plus one certificate/license to $28.47 an hour, which is equal to top of scale ramp agent.
Our Committee discussed with the Company a few additional ideas to bring the economics closer to what we believe our members would vote for, but there is no commitment to amend proposals at this time.
We have tentatively scheduled Wednesday, August 23, 2016, after Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMT) negotiations to again discuss the economic proposals presented. Wages are the last item left and, hopefully, we will make some more meaningful progress.
Your Negotiating Committee


text:
New York, November 25, 2003—The government of Zanzibar, a semiautonomous island off the coast of Tanzania, has ordered the indefinite suspension of the independent weekly Dira, according to local journalists and international press reports. Dira, the island's most popular newspaper, has been highly critical of the government.
Editor Ali Nabwa told CPJ that Dira received a letter on Monday, November 24, from Zanzibar Minister of State Salim Juma Osman ordering the paper closed under a 1988 Act that empowers the government to shutter a paper it deems a "threat to national security." According to Nabwa, the letter did not say why Dira might be a threat to national security. Nabwa denied the charge and said Dira would seek a court injunction next week to allow it to resume publishing.
Nabwa told CPJ he believes that Dira was closed because it had criticized the government for "malpractices, corruption and abuse of power" and had recently run an article saying the ruling party was preparing to rig elections in 2005. He said the paper had also opened up a debate on Zanzibar's union with Tanzania, another sensitive subject. Zanzibar joined a union with Tanganyika in 1964, forming the state of Tanzania.
This is the not the first difficulty that Dira has faced. On October 27, the Zanzibar High Court ordered the paper to pay US$660,000 in libel damages to the son and daughter of Zanzibar President Abeid Karume over articles alleging that they used family connections to buy state-owned businesses. Nabwa told CPJ that this ruling is being appealed.
"This appears to be the latest in a series of moves to silence Zanzibar's only independent newspaper," said CPJ's Executive Director Ann Cooper. "We call on Zanzibari authorities to allow Dira to resume publishing immediately."


text:
Small business directory, local promotion, and advertising. Promote your business in and around San Bernardino and your services areas.
Find local businesses by category or name. Our directory includes businesses who operate in and around San Bernardino. Find service providers, stores, shopping locations, professionals, and more.
Discover restaurants in San Bernardino and the surrounding areas. Search by cuisine, get directions, and find a new place to dine. Read reviews and add your own. Share your dining experience with the community.
Gain massive exposure for your business with digital advertising across our network of local websites. We offer very reasonable rates and flexible plans. We'll help develop package that fits your business.


text:
Published by: Rob Furlong
I recently celebrated a milestone birthday doing one of my favorite things in one of my favorite places: riding my bike in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado. Over a seven-day stretch, me and two of my closest friends climbed 20,000 feet over a 210 mile network of remote gravel roads and single-track trails between Telluride and Moab. We were completely off the grid.
I didn't know it at the time, but as we pedaled through Aspen groves and red rock canyons, the equity markets were coming unglued – the S&P 500 dropped nearly 6% that week. It collapsed another 5% on my first two days back in the office. Returning to work in the middle of this turmoil tested my emotional fortitude. Investing is hard; especially so during times of extreme volatility, when emotion hijacks our decision-making and the temptation to sell is high. Fortunately, I was able to draw on an important investing lesson that was reinforced on my backcountry mountain bike trip.
Our adventure was mostly unsupported. We had only what we were carrying, except for food (and a beer or two) that was cached in a network of huts along the way. The region where we rode was remote; we saw more coyotes than people. Everything was going according to plan until the end of day four, when we rolled into camp and discovered one of our bikes had two broken spokes. We brought an array of tools and spare parts for any likely emergency, but we didn't have spokes. It doesn't take an experienced rider to know that wheels with broken spokes don't roll, they wobble. And the more you ride them, the worse they get. In our eyes this was a disaster. There was no way we could ride another 75 miles with a compromised wheel. Our adventure was over. As we unpacked our satellite phone to call for help, we were feeling dejected that this trip we began planning a year ago would be cut short.
However, because we were tired and hungry we decided to make dinner before dialing. As our emotions calmed we reflected on the problem. Was it really as bad as we initially thought? Could we true up the wheel by spreading out the remaining working spokes? What if we rode slower and then walked rough sections? Critically thinking through the problem resulted in the solution of rigging a fake spoke with some Kevlar chord by threading it through the hub and rim. Our fix wasn't perfect, but it would do. We also thought through contingency plans in case things got worse. In short, we relaxed and reflected on the situation instead of panicking and letting emotion rule our decision-making. We rolled out the next morning not knowing what the next few days would bring, but very comfortable with the situation given our thoughtful critique and a dedication to monitoring the integrity of the wheel along the way. In the end, our rig held up. Over the last few days of riding through our crisis we experienced some of the best moments of our trip, including passing remote fossilized dinosaur tracks and riding into Moab on the famed "Whole Enchilada" trail. Our journey would not have been the same had we missed these highlights as a result of caving to our emotional knee-jerk reaction and bailing a few days earlier.
Unfortunately, this is what many investors are doing now. Equity market volatility has spiked to levels not seen since the financial crisis, and concerns about deteriorating global growth are emerging everywhere from macro indicators in China to forecasts by multinational companies. It is prudent to now exercise more caution than usual. However, this doesn't mean automatically selling everything. Stepping back and thoughtfully reviewing the situation almost always leads to better conclusions and solutions than initial do emotional reactions. Investing is brutally hard. The best advice is to selectively buy great companies at attractive prices and let them compound returns over time. This is easier said than done, especially during times of rising volatility when emotions hijack our decision making. However, it is during these times that it is especially important to remember the lessons recently reinforced to me on my bike: relax, reflect, and roll on.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine what is appropriate for you, consult a qualified professional.
No strategy assures success or protects against loss.
The Standard & Poor's 500 Index is a capitalization-weighted index of 500 stocks designed to measure performance of the broad domestic economy through changes in the aggregate market value of 500 stocks representing all major industries.
Indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly.


text:
All databases are available in every branch of the Birmingham Public Library, unless otherwise noted. A JCLC library card can be used to access many of the databases, however licensing restrictions force us to limit access to certain databases to residents of Birmingham.
Kanopy is a video streaming platform for libraries with one of the largest collections in the world (5x Netflix) - over 30,000 films featuring over 1,000 producers including Criterion Collection, Media Education Foundation, Great Courses, Kino Lorber, etc. Our films are more typically "educative" in nature (documentaries, foreign language films, etc) and our motto is "thoughtful entertainment" - seeking to provide patrons access to films of social and cultural importance. --site
Requires a JCLC card and residence in Birmingham, AL. Remote Access Available.
Entertainment Movies Society & Culture
Middle School High School Adults
HELP! Frequently asked questions and user guides.


text:
florist by location
locations in Derbyshire
florist by county
florists in London
Florists & Flower Shops in Crich
Welcome to All Florists listings for florists & flower shops in Crich. Flowers make wonderful gifts & below you can find local & national online florists offering flower delivery in Crich as well other florist services. So whether you want to send thank you or anniversary flowers or you need to arrange wedding flowers or sympathy / funeral tributes click on one of our Crich florists.
Fresh flowers delivered to Crich and all over the UK.
Cobblers Florist
[South Normanton]
The little Shop For BIG Occasions.Free delivery within a 5 mile radius.We offer modern and traditional designs to suite your needs covering Weddings,Funerals,Gifts,Birthdays and Just Because.......
Passion Flowers
Passion Flowers is a well established modern florist offering a fast reliable delivery service. Flowers for all occasions - Valentines Flowers, Valentines Roses & Gifts. Wedding Flowers & more
Pretty Petals 4U
Pretty Petals 4 u is Derby's local florist with same day delivery. We can deliver your order in Derbyshire 6 days a week. We also provide decorations for parties and weddings.
The Blossom Tree
High class florist serving Melbourne & Derby area. Flowers individually designed to your requirements. All occasions catered for.
Wedding specialist.
Local, national & international delivery
Wedding specialist.
Local, national & international delivery
The Greenery
Well establish florist in the Derby and surrounding areas, highest quality of Exotic and unusual flowers and foliages, Specializing in modern and comtempory designs, wedding specialist.
If you want to find those special dates in the florists calendar such as Mother Day, Valentines or Easter please click here.
Submit your site
If you are a florist or flower shop in Crich & want to be listed on this page
please click here to submit your site to allflorists.co.uk.
please click here to submit your site to allflorists.co.uk.


text:
There are particular moments in life that when you wish you could depend on anybody's self improvement advice. But even if they gave it to you with the best intentions, in case anything goes wrong, you are always going to blame those persons.
That is why specialists strongly advise you, every time you find yourself at a crossroads, to always take the decisions by yourself.
The question arising is: how can we know how to take it and which is the best solution?
No matter how young or old you are, you must have gotten to a point in your life when you have to take a big decision, which will probably affect your entire existence.
There is no doubt that there are certain moments in life when you feel helpless and disoriented and believe you could use some self improvement advice in order to figure out how to proceed with your life.
The answer is never simple. However, there is one self improvement advice that can be of great help and employed regularly will have great results.
It is called meditation and it has been used for centuries in certain rituals and by ancients civilizations. Even in old and famous books, like the Bible, people are invited to meditate, to discover and fight the evil in us and by knowledge to gain control over our decisions and our lives.
How do we proceed when meditating?
First of all, you need to be away from any source of distraction. You cannot analyze your deepest feelings and thoughts and watch a movie at the same time.
Secondly, you need to ask yourself a series of questions that will help you to better determine who you really are. The questions should relate to everyday aspects.
What do you like doing?
What made you most proud of yourself during your entire life?
What is it that you always wanted to do and you never found the time?
What role does money play in your life?
What is it more important for you, you family life or your career?
How much do you depend on others?
If you are worried about a certain decision, let all the questions be related to that issue. If you are just confused when asking the questions, think about the common topics that one has to deal with during his life.
Do not forget to write down the answers. Try to concentrate and to be sincere. After all, nobody will judge you.
All these questions will help you determine exactly where you stand and what is it that you want form life. All you have to do is to get the right interpretation of your own replies.
In order to do that, help yourself to a coup of tea or your favorite coffee and take the time to analyze them thoroughly. Mark with a red pen whatever you find pride worthy answers and with a black one the things that do not make you proud.
Post the list somewhere where you can see it more than once a day, or post it in more than one place.
You will notice that, step by step, even unwillingly, the black things on your list will start turning red. Do not forget to renew the list when most of it has turned red! It is the best way to always be aware what your expectations from life are.
Take this simple self improvement advice and see the positive results for yourself.


text:
Epic Tomato is dedicated to ensure all trips are meticulously planned and expertly delivered. To this end, we take every aspect of the planning, preparation and execution of trips extremely seriously.
Below are high level details on key components of the trip planning and delivery process. To get in-depth information on each of these areas, please do enquire or call to discuss this with our team of experts. Further information can be provided both by telephone and electronic correspondence. Prior to all trips being confirmed each one of these areas is gone into depth and discussed with clients.
Epic Tomato's operations are overseen by a team of expedition leaders who have prepared and guided trips through the most extreme environments on Earth. With over 30 years experience of planning and guiding, they are recognised as leaders in the world of expedition-led adventure. Ranging from military and special forces trained guides to mountaineers and expert adventurers, the Epic Tomato leaders offer an unparalleled quality of service in the arena of extreme adventure travel and have worked with Epic Tomato's parent company Black Tomato on expeditions for many years prior to the launch of the Epic travel proposition. Epic's expedition leaders are supported by an outstanding group of in-country support staff who work alongside them on the planning and delivery of the expedition in all of the locations Epic Tomato runs trips to around the world.
Health and Safety
Health and Safety is of the utmost importance on all Epic Tomato trips. Due to the nature and location of the trips, the highest priority is placed on the health and safety aspect of all of our operations. Working within the practicalities and guidelines of adventurous and challenging activities, Epic Tomato always endeavours to make all provisions possible to minimise risk through comprehensive safety procedures and thorough contingency planning. As well as expert leaders and in-country guides, we have 24-hour back up support both in the UK and in-country.
Epic Tomato strongly advises that all clients have a comprehensive insurance policy covering medical treatment, cancellation, curtailment, evacuation and repatriation before they travel.
For all Epic Tomato trips a comprehensive recommended clothing and kit list is provided. According to the environment you are travelling to the kit requirements will vary. As part of the planning process the Epic team member you are liaising with will provide all of these details and with it make recommendations as to where you can source kit and clothing that you require. All technical equipment will be provided for your expedition by Epic Tomato.
The Epic Tomato portfolio of trips require a varying standard of fitness, but as they are entirely bespoke it is possible for us to increase or decrease the level of physical exertion entailed in order to suit different fitness levels. As part of the planning process of your expedition, an Epic team member will establish both what you want to get out of the trip and your current level of fitness and training plans and will then work with you to ensure that all in-country logistics and itinerary are orientated to a suitable level so that you get the utmost from your experience.


text:
Current information for Australian Agencies, state by state. You can also search for any Leadership, Creative and Poduction personnel by name.
Search for production company by name or state. Personnel are also searchable.
If you don't know the names and locations of the freelancers you need, just click 'show all' on the right.
Enter the brand name. Recent commercials appear first. Download the clip or ask us for a high-res version.
Sign in|Not registered yet? | Contact Us
Dad is perplexed when Doc tells them to have more pork
All preview clips on the site are encoded as .flv files (Flash). All downloaded files are in the .mov format (Quicktime) for highest possible quality.
© Portfolio & Reel 2020. All Rights Reserved |Read our Privacy Policy.


text:
$ 20.00 $ 30.00
Product details
Artist Collaboration with Fuse Green.
Fuse Green is an award winning Designer and Creative Director whose bold and often humorous style has became ubiquitous with street culture. He was influenced and inspired at an early age by Soul, Jazz and Hip Hop music and culture. This inspiration developed into a deep love and passion for album art and would later become a major influence in his designs along with graffiti and comics. While still in high school he created his first design business customizing apparel and creating political cartoons for local newspapers.
He moved to Atlanta to attend the Art Institute and worked in print and sign shops which sharpened his production knowledge and intensified his thirst for excellence. He's known for contributing heavily to Atlanta's subculture renaissance as a designer who helped launch Frank Magazine and served as the magazine's Art Director for several issues. Fuse would later work as an Art Director on campaigns for Coca-Cola, Sprite, Minute Maid, and Lugz at the boutique agency Nomenudum.
In 1999 Fuse moved to New York City to become Art Director/Designer at Ecko Unlimited. He went on to design for PNB Nation, Akademiks, Scion and JBL. In 2003, he founded the brand Wheat Bread Life, which served as a home base for his print works and design projects. As of late he's worked as a senior designer for Jay Z's Rocawear and served as art director for Smirnoff's Master Of The Mix reality show. While recognized for creating iconic imagery for the likes of Spike Lee, Nike, and Wu Tang Brand, He's designed over 3000 plus t-shirt designs and continues to break creative barriers. Some of his studio's current projects include Maroon 5's 2015 World Tour merchandise, graphics for Undefeated, new prints, animated shorts, and a coffee table book outlining his design career.


text:
Whois IP 188.8.131.52
Updated 49 days ago
% This is the RIPE Database query service. % The objects are in RPSL format. % % The RIPE Database is subject to Terms and Conditions. % See https://apps.db.ripe.net/docs/HTML-Terms-And-Conditions % Note: this output has been filtered. % To receive output for a database update, use the "-B" flag. % Information related to '18.104.22.168 - 126.96.36.199' % Abuse contact for '184.108.40.206 - 126.96.36.199' is '@accessnow.org' inetnum: 220.127.116.11 - 220.127.116.11 netname: ACCESSNOW descr: Access Now Tor Exit Relay remarks: --------------------------------- remarks: This network is used for research abuse-c: JS22324-RIPE remarks: in anonymization services and remarks: provides Tor exit nodes to end remarks: users. remarks: Sent abuse to: @accessnow.org remarks: --------------------------------- country: ch admin-c: JS15477-RIPE tech-c: JS15477-RIPE status: ASSIGNED PA mnt-by: MNT-DA327 mnt-by: MNT-DA327-RIPE created: 2022-02-11T14:51:16Z last-modified: 2022-02-16T07:32:02Z source: RIPE person: Joseph Steele address: Accessnow.org address: 34 W 27th St., 6th floor address: New York, NY 10001 address: USA phone: +1 888 414 0100 fax-no: +1 212 730 7444 remarks: --------------------------------- remarks: This network is used for research remarks: in anonymization services and remarks: provides Tor exit nodes to end remarks: users. remarks: --------------------------------- nic-hdl: JS15477-RIPE mnt-by: ZWIEBELFREUNDE created: 2014-04-28T17:31:07Z last-modified: 2017-10-30T22:34:54Z source: RIPE # Filtered % Information related to '22.214.171.124/24AS56803' route: 22.214.171.124/24 origin: AS56803 mnt-by: MNT-DA327 created: 2020-05-22T10:57:56Z last-modified: 2020-05-22T10:57:56Z source: RIPE % This query was served by the RIPE Database Query Service version 1.112 (DEXTER)


text:
CHICAGO (August 7, 2012) – Cybercrime and cyberattacks are genuine threats, with reports of data breaches, hacks, or thefts appearing regularly in the news. But as law enforcement, industry, academic, and government experts gather in New York City this week for the fourth International Conference on Cybersecurity (ICCS 13), it's worth asking whether the threat has been overstated and the government's approach to it, overreaching.
In "U.S. Cybersecurity Policy: Problems and Principles," a new Policy Brief from The Heartland Institute, IT policy analyst Steven Titch summarizes the three broad categories of cyberthreat – theft/fraud, espionage/exposure, and disruption/destruction – and describes the appropriate responses to each. He explains why "the current, one-size-fits-all approach to cybersecurity, exemplified by CISPA [the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act], the Cybersecurity Act, and CFAA [the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act] cannot help but fail."
To read the Policy Brief, click here.
Titch also explains why fears that the U.S. may be vulnerable to a cyberterrorist attack are likely overblown and should be viewed rationally. Could a cyberattack cause death and destruction on a massive scale? Could power plants be shut down, the rail system be hacked so freight trains derail or crash, or the air traffic control system be so crippled as to cause mid-air collisions? Titch addresses all of these concerns and more.
For policymakers and those they represent, Titch offers seven principles of sound cybersecurity policy. He notes the flaw in cybersecurity policymaking to date "is that it sees cybersecurity as something separate and apart from conventional law-and-order and national defense issues." Effective cybersecurity, he writes, builds on existing laws and law enforcement mechanisms; his first principle of sound cybersecurity policy is: New laws should be a last resort.
If you have any questions about this Policy Brief or The Heartland Institute, or if you'd like to discuss cybersecurity policy with author Steven Titch, please contact Communications Director Jim Lakely at [email protected] or 312/377-4000.


text:
Mardi Gras New Orleans Mardi Gras 2023 Festival Hawaiian Shirts.Let's look at our selection of 3D Hawaiian shirts. This Hawaiian shirt, which was inspired by Hawaiian Shirt, Mardi Gras, is excellent for holidays or fashion.
Product Feature:
– This soft, comfy, and fashionable shirt is constructed from fabric that has four-way stretch (95% polyester and 5% spandex) and is composed of cotton, wool, and polyester.
– Wear this Mardi Gras New Orleans Mardi Gras 2023 Festival Hawaiian Shirts to the beach and on tropical holidays, on cruises, to luaus and tiki parties, to beach weddings, as resort wear, at work, or just for everyday wear.
Product information:
– Dimension: sizes range from S to 5XL.
– A pocket option is offered.
– Within 24 hours of an order being placed, the manufacturer receives all orders. The processing of the orders by the manufacturer takes an extra 5 to 7 business days.
– Expedited Shipping: The typical delivery time for items is 8 to 12 business days.
– Standard Shipping: The typical delivery time for items is 12 to 15 business days.
Now that you've reached the top, click Add to Cart to start your preferred experience.


text:
Search for a property
Sorry, we couldn't find the page you were looking for. Maybe it's moved or maybe the URL is incorrect
Things to try:
Check that the URL you entered is correct.
Return to our home page and use the navigation menu to find what you need.
Contact Us and we'll see if we can point you in the right direction.


text:
A long time contributor and supporter of Upper Playground, artist Sam Flores is the founder and creative director of his brand 'Twelve Grain'. The "12" represents his roots, namely his original crew in Albuquerque and "Grain" represents the role that nature has played in his work and life. Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sam Flores spent his youth skating, drawing and honing his graffiti skills in the Southwest. Flores eventually landed in the Bay Area around the late 90's and began to develop his style and place in the creative community. A self-taught painter, without any formal training, Flores draws aesthetic influence from a variety sources including the Japanese Edo Period, the Surrealists, Mexican pulp comics, American Graffiti movements and the Southwest.
To best preserve the life of the design, we recommend washing our apparel inside out, in cold or lukewarm water, gentle cycle and either tumble drying low or line drying


text:
The residents of Buffalo are experiencing immense pain and grief, following the mass shooting at a supermarket in a historically Black neighborhood.
Jillian Hanesworth's advice to her community is to lean in to that pain. She's Buffalo's poet laureate, 29 years old, and born and raised on the East side.
"All the pain that we're feeling is valid. The tears are valid. Anger is valid," she said. "Yes, this happened. You're right. I know it hurts. It's OK for you to cry. It's OK for you to not want to go to work today. It's OK for your kids to stay home from school today. They're afraid."
She has been asked to speak around town several times since Saturday's racist attack, and racked her brain to figure out what to say, because nothing could make sense of a senseless act of violence.
The poet's job
She takes issue with the social media hashtag #BuffaloStrong, because it could trick people into thinking that survival is the goal, when they really deserve to exist and thrive without the fear of being hunted down in a grocery store.
"We don't need right now to be told that we're strong. We need to be told that we're right," she said, explaining that the hashtag doesn't sit right with many Black people in Buffalo.
Hanesworth says her job right now – as a poet, community organizer and a teaching artist – is to validate people's feelings, even if they're angry, confused or grieving.
"Black people in this country have lived through so much. So many people hate us just because we exist and we experience that at different levels on a daily basis. So we're strong. We know that," she said. "My main objective right now is to validate emotions. This is real. We can't let society gaslight us into thinking that there's no racism. People need that right now."
She understands the urge to turn to poetry for comfort. But she doesn't want to gloss over the pain or to normalize this kind of hatred and violence.
"As a poet, I see my role as a way to bridge the gap between what we know and what we need. So we know that racism exists. We know white supremacists are real. We know that we have been targeted. Now we need change."
What we're not going to do, is pretend like Buffalo New York is not one of the most racially segregated cities in the entire country. The city was designed this way and no one did anything to protect us from it….
— Poet Jillian Hanesworth (@SocJustice_poet) May 15, 2022
She says what her city needs right now is honest conversations about systemic racism, the history of segregation, redlining and highway construction that hurt Black neighborhoods.
When she spoke at a vigil on Sunday, she asked mourners who had used GPS to get to the site of the shooting to raise their hands. Most of the people who did were white, which she says is the nature of segregation in Buffalo.
Changing systemic racism
Many white friends have reached out to share support and sympathy and to offer to help. She asks them to be honest with themselves and with their friends and family about systemic racism.
"We need you to talk. We need you to stop sitting around the dinner table acting like everything's great because it's not. Just because you aren't experiencing it doesn't mean it's not happening. Your role in this is to help change the system," she said.
Once there's meaningful change, and elected leaders, law enforcement officials and educators hear the deep emotions running through her community, Hanesworth says she'll be ready to talk about healing.
Instead of #BuffaloStrong, Hanesworth proposes the hashtag #BuffaloHonest, to encourage people to talk about white supremacy, racism and violence.
In the meantime, she's comforted by the way her community is coming together to serve barbecue, to pray, and to grieve at the supermarket just a block from her office.
No one goes hungry. #BuffaloNY ❤ pic.twitter.com/UjWOBknj7t
— Poet Jillian Hanesworth (@SocJustice_poet) May 16, 2022
"There are people giving away food and barbecuing and just trying to take care of each other because in this type of situation, it's all we can even think to do," she said.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
Report prepared for Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change by Working Group I combined with Supporting Scientific Material J.T. Houghton, B.A. Callander and S.K. Varney (eds.). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Great Britain, New York, NY, USA, and Victoria , Australia
218 pp.
Digitized by the Digitization and Microform Unit, UNOG Library, 2010
Contents (PDF version)
Cover (Front & Back)
Front matters
The 1992 IPCC Supplement - Scientific Assessment
Section A - Greenhouse Gases (title page)
Section A1 - Greenhouse Gases: Sources and Sinks
Section A2 - Radiative Forcing of Climate
Section A3 - Emissions Scenarios for the IPCC: an Update
Section B - Climate Modelling, Climate Prediction and Model Validation
Section C - Observed Climate Variability and Change
Annex - Climatic consequences of emissions and comparison of IS92a and SA90
Appendix 1 - Organization of IPCC and Working Group I
Appendix 2 - Contributors to the IPCC Working Group I Report
Appendix 3 - Reviewers of the IPCC Working Group I Report
Appendix 4 - Acronyms
Appendix 5 - Units
Appendix 6 - Chemical Symbols
Full Report (18.47 MB)


text:
Greetings, everybody!
If you're a first-time visitor, thanks for coming! If you're a regular, welcome back!
Given the hop's title, I naturally thought about water when it came to picking a topic. But just plain water wouldn't do, so something water-related… and sexy… seemed more in order. That, of course, led me to deciding to present an excerpt from Coxswain All The Way which appears in my most recent collection Sophomore Season. Now I couldn't do a post with just an excerpt and some promo…
So, since Coxswain All The Way is about rowing and there's nothing sexier than rowers—except naked rowers—I have to give a shout out to the Warwick University Boat Club's (UK) senior men, who for the fourth year are presenting their Naked Rowers Calendar!
Click the photo to visit their shop for calendars, photos, even video! Proceeds benefit not only the Boat Club, but also go towards fighting bullying and homophobia! And for those that like some naked girls, the Women's team has done their own this year as well.
Like the guys on Facebook, follow them on Twitter.
Now for a clip from Coxswain All The Way:
Derek just happened to be riding through Kentucky in the passenger seat of Kevin Patterson's stripped-down van with seven hunky guys sleeping behind him. With only two seats in the van—one for the driver and another for a passenger, the team took turns in them. At night, since they were driving nonstop, the navigator's job was to keep himself and the driver awake.
Derek felt lucky not only to be part of an outstanding team but also to be sitting next to Mac, talking about everything and nothing while the rest of the boat slept. MacIntyre Davidson Holbrook was a sight to behold. At six feet three and 210 pounds with short blond hair in tight small curls, he would give Adonis a run for his money—blue-green eyes and little hair on his body only added to his advantages. His chest looked shaved—all the better probably to show off his awesome definition. Since they weren't in the same dorm, Derek had only seen him in the showers after a couple of regattas. If his lax uncut dick was any indicator, he had a hefty piece between his legs.
Still early spring, the weather cooled off at night; with heading south the rowers anticipated the warmer climate, and their clothes had changed accordingly. Mac wore cut-off sweats, a D&G tee-shirt with the sides ripped out and his ever-present Vans. Since Mac sat twenty feet away from Derek in the "engine room" (the four seats in the middle of the 60-foot-long boat), the coxswain hadn't developed as close a relationship with the rower as he had with Jake, the crew's stroke, who sat only two feet or so in front of him. In fact, he and Mac had seldom talked about anything but crew. The night wore on, and they grew more comfortable with more than just small talk. The conversation moved from general banter to deeper but still impersonal things to more personal topics.
It was inevitable they'd eventually talk about sex.
The conversation began as a detached, almost academic, discussion. When they did get more specific, Mac used the word person, as in "I was really attracted to this person" rather than "I was really attracted to this girl." This peculiar usage piqued Derek's interest—he often said the same thing. He wondered if Mac's motivation was the same as his.
I have to find out. But how?
The conversation lulled, and Derek steered the topics back to high school sports. After hearing about Mac's prowess as a wrestler, Derek related his accomplishments in swimming and water polo.
With his bona fides established, he told Mac how he'd always admired wrestlers, especially their muscle mass. "It's like those statues the Greeks and Michelangelo made. God, I wish I could develop a body like that!"
"There's nothing wrong with your body." Mac noted, "You've just gotta realize most of it's genetic. You've got that lean, muscular swimmer's build most people would kill for."
Heat crawled up Derek's neck, and he opened his window a bit. "Thanks." Emboldened by Mac's level-headed response, he decided to go out on a limb. "One of my motives for getting involved with crew was—"Uncertainty stuck in his throat as he nudged closer to the edge, and he coughed. "Was to be able to admire—at close range—such specimens of male anatomy, like…" Then he jumped off, "Like you."
Mac had been animated up until then, but now he stared at the oncoming road, silent and pensive.
Derek's pulse pounded in his head. Did I blow it?
He stared straight ahead as well, watching the white lines run through the headlights and under the van. "Sorry if I offended you, Mac. I hope you don't think…" Derek struggled to find the words to argue—convincingly—he wasn't queer. Quickly he glanced at Mac.
Lit by the green instrument lights, the rower's handsome profile pulled at something in Derek's chest. Facing forward, Derek peripherally saw Mac's hand creep toward his crotch. He risked another peek at him. For an instant their eyes met before Mac's hand quickly returned to the wheel, leaving behind a tent in his sweats!
That was the green light Derek had been hoping for.
Unbuckling his seat belt, Derek shifted to face Mac, who when he heard the click looked over, his eyes wide and fearful. The rest of the boat slept on the floor behind them. Mac glanced at the rear-view mirror, terror at being discovered quivering along every lovely muscle.
"Take it easy, Mac," Derek whispered. "They're all asleep. You know we both want the same thing. I think you're one of the hottest guys I've ever seen and just want to make you feel good and have some fun at the same time."
Squirming around, Derek knelt on the floor and reached across the engine cover toward his prize. Before grabbing it though, he decided to check out the rest of Mac. He stretched a hand into the loose top and ran his palm over Mac's stomach. Silken skin covered the rower's washboard abs. His fingers scaled that magnificent torso, eventually reaching his pecs. With an elbow resting against Mac's cock, Derek's fingers traced the sharp definition between his firm pecs and his abs. Mac inhaled sharply but maintained control of the van. On their pass across his chest, the wandering fingers touched his left nipple. He exhaled with a sigh. Small and hard, the nub was quite sensitive. A tentative index finger caressed the hard flesh, and the lump pressing against Derek's elbow twitched and grew even larger.
After playing with the more accessible of Mac's nipples, Derek ran my fingers down the valley between those pecs and, farther down, along his abs. Derek had to touch those chest muscles again. He reached up and placed his whole hand over Mac's right pec, the nipple jabbing the middle of his palm. Hand pressed hard against the muscle, he rubbed in a slow, firm, swirling motion. With each circle he released a bit of the pressure until the palm barely grazed Mac's aroused nipple.
Mac struggled to keep from jabbing the accelerator to the floor. He groaned, producing quiet little sounds of pleasure. Looking up at his chiseled features, illuminated by the faint dashboard lights, Derek trailed his hand down to Mac's belly. The rower whispered, "My dick, dude, my dick. Take it out."
Not one to wait for a second invitation, Derek pulled the drawstring on the sweats and untied them. That done, Mac used his free hand to pull his tee-shirt up over his head, baring his torso from throat to pubes. He raised himself off the seat a bit so Derek could pull down his pants for better access to an amazingly fat and long joystick. Nested in downy blond hair, Mac's cock was a sight to behold. Derek gasped. Just looking at it, arched against that perfect stomach, was orgasm inducing.
Thanks for reading!
To enter the Giveaways, leave a comment below and let us know how you like to get wet!
A randomly selected comment will receive an e-format version of Sophomore Season. All comments with email addresses will be entered in the drawing. Leaving a comment also gets you an entry toward the Grand Prize—the hopper with the most entries from all sites on the Hop will receive a $50 Amazon gift card!
Stop next door for some Seductive Studs and then check out the other Slippery Bloggers:
'Til next time!


text:
Our mission at Pettinaro is to make a more accessible web space for our team, our clients, and our visitors.
One in four adults in the United States has a disability that impacts their ability to interact with the online world. At Pettinaro, we strive to ensure that everything we create or add to our website is usable by people of all abilities.
Accessibility on Pettinaro
We have structured our website to allow those of all abilities to easily and quickly find the information they need.
Ongoing Efforts to Ensure Accessibility
Our site follows Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1 Level AA Success Criteria (and where possible Level AAA) opens a new window and the latest ICT Refresh (Section 508) guidelines opens a new window as they apply to the web as our primary goal. These guidelines include internationally agreed-upon standards and ICT Refresh Compliance Criteria that cover a wide range of recommendations and best practices for making content more accessible and ADA Compliant opens a new window. As new content and pages are created for our website. We apply these guidelines to all our designs, code, and content as new content and pages are created for our website.
Testing of our website is performed by accessibility experts using industry-standard tools such as AXE Accessibility opens a new window, WAVE opens a new window, NVDA Screen Reader opens a new window, Colour Contrast Analyser (CCA) opens a new window, additional browser extensions like HeadingsMap (verify page content structure) opens a new window, and keyboard-only navigation techniques.
Accessibility Features On Pettinaro
The following is a list of components and functions meant to improve our site's accessibility:
- Pettinaro design has incorporated a mobile-responsive version of its content.
- We have selected colors for color contrast and meet AA requirements, even for small text.
- Navigational aids are provided throughout our website. Skip navigation links have been incorporated to enable smooth keyboard navigation and to bypass repeated content.
- The language of our website is declared in the header.
- All images and other non-text elements are appropriately marked up to either reflect their purely decorative purpose or share informative content in their alternative text attributes.
- Landmark and heading markups indicate expected navigation, section containers, headings, lists, and buttons in a more understandable and skimmable way for all users, regardless of device.
- Forms are associated with labels or applicable Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) and include appropriate instructions on filling in form controls, with clearly understandable error states.
- (ARIA) screen-reader only text is present when links, buttons, icons, or images need additional context to understand their meaning.
- Warning text (readable by screen-readers) is displayed when links open in a new tab or window wherever possible.
Accessibility Support Contact
We welcome comments, questions, and feedback on our website. If you notice anything that doesn't work for you or your assistive technology, please let us know. We will do our best to assist you and resolve issues.
Use our contact form: Contact Us
Certification of Compliance
This website, Pettinaro Website, located at https://www.Pettinaro.com, has been tested for and remediated to the latest WCAG 2.1 and ICT Refresh Standards. This was intended to provide an enhanced user experience, and although extensive, this shouldn't be considered as an exhaustive list for improving accessibility and user experience. As the website gets more traffic, it is highly recommended to collect feedback from users to discover additional pain points, usability issues, and future improvements.
The focus of this Audit and Remediation is based on testing compliance with WCAG 2.1 criteria, Section 508 Refresh, ADA Compliance, and overall accessibility of the website to users with disabilities and their Assistive Technology (AT).
The site pages were tested with Color and Evaluation tools, multiple browsers, and a screen reader against WCAG 2.1 criteria, ADA Compliance, and Section 508 Refresh Standards. This includes both automated and manual procedures.
Overall, the website is within ADA compliance and WCAG 2.1 Level AA Standards as of this date, March 2023, by an ADA Compliance Expert, Matthew Dempsey opens a new window.


text:
Please provide final feedback to the creators of this submission below:
What did you like or love about this submission?
What did you find confusing or unclear?
What suggestions do you have to make it stronger?
Add a Title
Add a Title
Feedback will appear below after our team moderates them.
Your content has been submitted
2) What you think about this submission:
Replying to text
An error occurred. Try again later
Edit Video
Your changes have been saved. If you uploaded a new video, it make take some time to render and be moderated. Please check back shortly and be sure to refresh your page.
Act 1 2 3
The thumbnail is optional and appears on your video preview on the gallery page.
Submission for Week
Do you need closed captions? Please follow these instructions.
Please tell us how compelling you felt this story was. Take into consideration the use of visual storytelling, character development and story structure. This information will not be shared with anyone.


text:
A while back, both YakAttack and Scotty announced that they would be releasing a new, inexpensive polymer track. Up until now, if you wanted to use slide rails on your kayak you either had to buy a kayak that had them factory installed, or you had to spend some real money to buy them separately. These polymer rails let you inexpensively add a rail system to your kayak. While they are not as strong as metal rails (like YakAttack's GT90), they are perfect for camera or accessory mounts.
When I learned that they would be coming out, I contacted both Scotty and YakAttack. I told them that I would be doing a side by side comparison. Scotty politely thanked me. YakAttack graciously offered to give me a discount. In an effort to be unbiased, I chose to not take YakAttacks offer. The fishing world is plagued with Prostafers, sponsorships, and paid reviews that make it almost impossible to get unbiased information.
The biggest reason I chose not to take a discount on YakAttack's product was that I anticipated the GTSL to perform exactly like the Slide Track. On paper and in advertisements, they look exactly the same. With the Scotty Slide Track being less expensive, I hate to give a bad review to someone who does me a favor.
Note: after rereading this review I just wanted to clarify. YakAttack was NOT trying to buy me off. They were just being nice. Scotty has sent me free stuff as a thank you for reviewing their products. It is just the way blogging works.
This assumption that they are the same proved to be wrong. There are several minor details that are different. These small differences make one product significantly better than the other.
On to the review:
I purchased a 24" section of Scotty Slide Track on Amazon for $15. I have Amazon Prime, so it was delivered for free. I ordered two 12" sections of GTSL from Hook1. I used the coupon code "UNLUCKYHUNTER" (you can too!) and had it delivered for just under $30. It looks like the GTSL it twice as expensive, but this is deceiving. The GTSL comes with mounting hardware. I had to buy stainless steel screws, washers, and nuts for the Slide Track. They ended up costing exactly the same.
Left: Slide Track Right: GTSL |
Both had a few inconsistencies common in most plastic products. Most people would not notice, but I studied over them very carefully.
Left: Slide Track Right: GTSL |
The Scotty Slide Track is noticeably taller than the GTSL. This would give you a little more room to play with if you make your own slide accessories, but also gets in the way more. It looks like a small amount, but the height difference is very noticeable on the water. Both rails would occasionally get caught on stuff, the Scotty rails did it much more often.
The GTSL came with holes pre-drilled. They were considerably easier to install.
Left: GTSL Right: Slide Track |
The GTSL has small ridges molded into its face. The Slide Track rails are smooth. I initially thought this was just cosmetic, but it actually makes a noticeable difference. Things simply lock down tighter on the YakAttack Product.
GTSL in use |
The GTSL is made in America and comes in a rainbow of colors. The Slide Track is from Canada and only comes in black. If you care. I don't.
The Scotty Slide Track is a good product. It is sold in lots of stores, so finding it is easy. I like that you can get it in long sections. However, it is bigger than it needs to be and is ugly.
The YakAttack GTSL is also a good product. It is beautiful and better designed. Very few retailers are selling it, so you will probably have to buy it online.
For me the choice is a no brainer. Go with the YakAttack product.
That said, if you buy the Scotty product, you will most likely be pleased with your purchase.


text: Power to victory with a 600g focus & energy pro tub in the delicious bubblegum flavour by X-Gamer. Our best ever formula combined with incredible new taste is an advanced, innovative and powerful energising drink, formulated exclusively for esports, semi-professional & enthusiast gamers. X-Gamer also contains a 27 Multi-Vitamin Complex to help shield your body, Nootropic Amino's to sharpen the mind and with no sugar, contains only 31 K-cals per 500ml serving.


text:
Boodschap van Paus Benedictus XVI voor de viering van de Werelddag van de Vrede 1 januari 2013
14 december 2012
Paus Benedictus XVI
Blessed are the peacemakers
1. EACH NEW YEAR brings the expectation of a better world. In light of this, I ask God, the Father of humanity, to grant us concord and peace, so that the aspirations of all for a happy and prosperous life may be achieved.
Fifty years after the beginning of the Second Vatican Council, which helped to strengthen the Church's mission in the world, it is heartening to realize that Christians, as the People of God in fellowship with him and sojourning among mankind, are committed within history to sharing humanity's joys and hopes, grief and anguish, [1] as they proclaim the salvation of Christ and promote peace for all.
In effect, our times, marked by globalization with its positive and negative aspects, as well as the continuation of violent conflicts and threats of war, demand a new, shared commitment in pursuit of the common good and the development of all men, and of the whole man.
It is alarming to see hotbeds of tension and conflict caused by growing instances of inequality between rich and poor, by the prevalence of a selfish and individualistic mindset which also finds expression in an unregulated financial capitalism. In addition to the varied forms of terrorism and international crime, peace is also endangered by those forms of fundamentalism and fanaticism which distort the true nature of religion, which is called to foster fellowship and reconciliation among people.
All the same, the many different efforts at peacemaking which abound in our world testify to mankind's innate vocation to peace. In every person the desire for peace is an essential aspiration which coincides in a certain way with the desire for a full, happy and successful human life. In other words, the desire for peace corresponds to a fundamental moral principle, namely, the duty and right to an integral social and communitarian development, which is part of God's plan for mankind. Man is made for the peace which is God's gift.
All of this led me to draw inspiration for this Message from the words of Jesus Christ: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" (Mt 5:9).
Gospel beatitude
2. The beatitudes which Jesus proclaimed (cf. Mt 5:3-12 and Lk 6:20-23) are promises. In the biblical tradition, the beatitude is a literary genre which always involves some good news, a "gospel", which culminates in a promise. Therefore, the beatitudes are not only moral exhortations whose observance foresees in due time – ordinarily in the next life – a reward or a situation of future happiness. Rather, the blessedness of which the beatitudes speak consists in the fulfilment of a promise made to all those who allow themselves to be guided by the requirements of truth, justice and love. In the eyes of the world, those who trust in God and his promises often appear naïve or far from reality. Yet Jesus tells them that not only in the next life, but already in this life, they will discover that they are children of God, and that God has always been, and ever will be, completely on their side. They will understand that they are not alone, because he is on the side of those committed to truth, justice and love. Jesus, the revelation of the Father's love, does not hesitate to offer himself in self-sacrifice. Once we accept Jesus Christ, God and man, we have the joyful experience of an immense gift: the sharing of God's own life, the life of grace, the pledge of a fully blessed existence. Jesus Christ, in particular, grants us true peace, which is born of the trusting encounter of man with God.
Jesus' beatitude tells us that peace is both a messianic gift and the fruit of human effort. In effect, peace presupposes a humanism open to transcendence. It is the fruit of the reciprocal gift, of a mutual enrichment, thanks to the gift which has its source in God and enables us to live with others and for others. The ethics of peace is an ethics of fellowship and sharing. It is indispensable, then, that the various cultures in our day overcome forms of anthropology and ethics based on technical and practical suppositions which are merely subjectivistic and pragmatic, in virtue of which relationships of coexistence are inspired by criteria of power or profit, means become ends and vice versa, and culture and education are centred on instruments, technique and efficiency alone. The precondition for peace is the dismantling of the dictatorship of relativism and of the supposition of a completely autonomous morality which precludes acknowledgment of the ineluctable natural moral law inscribed by God upon the conscience of every man and woman. Peace is the building up of coexistence in rational and moral terms, based on a foundation whose measure is not created by man, but rather by God. As Psalm 29 puts it: "May the Lord give strength to his people; may the Lord bless his people with peace" (v. 11).
Peace: God's gift and the fruit of human effort
3. Peace concerns the human person as a whole, and it involves complete commitment. It is peace with God through a life lived according to his will. It is interior peace with oneself, and exterior peace with our neighbours and all creation. Above all, as Blessed John XXIII wrote in his Encyclical Pacem in Terris, whose fiftieth anniversary will fall in a few months, it entails the building up of a coexistence based on truth, freedom, love and justice.[2] The denial of what makes up the true nature of human beings in its essential dimensions, its intrinsic capacity to know the true and the good and, ultimately, to know God himself, jeopardizes peacemaking. Without the truth about man inscribed by the Creator in the human heart, freedom and love become debased, and justice loses the ground of its exercise.
To become authentic peacemakers, it is fundamental to keep in mind our transcendent dimension and to enter into constant dialogue with God, the Father of mercy, whereby we implore the redemption achieved for us by his only-begotten Son. In this way mankind can overcome that progressive dimming and rejection of peace which is sin in all its forms: selfishness and violence, greed and the will to power and dominion, intolerance, hatred and unjust structures.
The attainment of peace depends above all on recognizing that we are, in God, one human family. This family is structured, as the Encyclical Pacem in Terris taught, by interpersonal relations and institutions supported and animated by a communitarian "we", which entails an internal and external moral order in which, in accordance with truth and justice, reciprocal rights and mutual duties are sincerely recognized. Peace is an order enlivened and integrated by love, in such a way that we feel the needs of others as our own, share our goods with others and work throughout the world for greater communion in spiritual values. It is an order achieved in freedom, that is, in a way consistent with the dignity of persons who, by their very nature as rational beings, take responsibility for their own actions.[3]
Peace is not a dream or something utopian; it is possible. Our gaze needs to go deeper, beneath superficial appearances and phenomena, to discern a positive reality which exists in human hearts, since every man and woman has been created in the image of God and is called to grow and contribute to the building of a new world. God himself, through the incarnation of his Son and his work of redemption, has entered into history and has brought about a new creation and a new covenant between God and man (cf. Jer 31:31-34), thus enabling us to have a "new heart" and a "new spirit" (cf. Ez 36:26).
For this very reason the Church is convinced of the urgency of a new proclamation of Jesus Christ, the first and fundamental factor of the integral development of peoples and also of peace. Jesus is indeed our peace, our justice and our reconciliation (cf. Eph 2:14; 2 Cor 5:18). The peacemaker, according to Jesus' beatitude, is the one who seeks the good of the other, the fullness of good in body and soul, today and tomorrow.
From this teaching one can infer that each person and every community, whether religious, civil, educational or cultural, is called to work for peace. Peace is principally the attainment of the common good in society at its different levels, primary and intermediary, national, international and global. Precisely for this reason it can be said that the paths which lead to the attainment of the common good are also the paths that must be followed in the pursuit of peace.
Peacemakers are those who love, defend and promote life in its fullness
4. The path to the attainment of the common good and to peace is above all that of respect for human life in all its many aspects, beginning with its conception, through its development and up to its natural end. True peacemakers, then, are those who love, defend and promote human life in all its dimensions, personal, communitarian and transcendent. Life in its fullness is the height of peace. Anyone who loves peace cannot tolerate attacks and crimes against life.
Those who insufficiently value human life and, in consequence, support among other things the liberalization of abortion, perhaps do not realize that in this way they are proposing the pursuit of a false peace. The flight from responsibility, which degrades human persons, and even more so the killing of a defenceless and innocent being, will never be able to produce happiness or peace. Indeed how could one claim to bring about peace, the integral development of peoples or even the protection of the environment without defending the life of those who are weakest, beginning with the unborn. Every offence against life, especially at its beginning, inevitably causes irreparable damage to development, peace and the environment. Neither is it just to introduce surreptitiously into legislation false rights or freedoms which, on the basis of a reductive and relativistic view of human beings and the clever use of ambiguous expressions aimed at promoting a supposed right to abortion and euthanasia, pose a threat to the fundamental right to life.
There is also a need to acknowledge and promote the natural structure of marriage as the union of a man and a woman in the face of attempts to make it juridically equivalent to radically different types of union; such attempts actually harm and help to destabilize marriage, obscuring its specific nature and its indispensable role in society.
These principles are not truths of faith, nor are they simply a corollary of the right to religious freedom. They are inscribed in human nature itself, accessible to reason and thus common to all humanity. The Church's efforts to promote them are not therefore confessional in character, but addressed to all people, whatever their religious affiliation. Efforts of this kind are all the more necessary the more these principles are denied or misunderstood, since this constitutes an offence against the truth of the human person, with serious harm to justice and peace.
Consequently, another important way of helping to build peace is for legal systems and the administration of justice to recognize the right to invoke the principle of conscientious objection in the face of laws or government measures that offend against human dignity, such as abortion and euthanasia.
One of the fundamental human rights, also with reference to international peace, is the right of individuals and communities to religious freedom. At this stage in history, it is becoming increasingly important to promote this right not only from the negative point of view, as freedom from – for example, obligations or limitations involving the freedom to choose one's religion – but also from the positive point of view, in its various expressions, as freedom for – for example, bearing witness to one's religion, making its teachings known, engaging in activities in the educational, benevolent and charitable fields which permit the practice of religious precepts, and existing and acting as social bodies structured in accordance with the proper doctrinal principles and institutional ends of each. Sadly, even in countries of long-standing Christian tradition, instances of religious intolerance are becoming more numerous, especially in relation to Christianity and those who simply wear identifying signs of their religion.
Peacemakers must also bear in mind that, in growing sectors of public opinion, the ideologies of radical liberalism and technocracy are spreading the conviction that economic growth should be pursued even to the detriment of the state's social responsibilities and civil society's networks of solidarity, together with social rights and duties. It should be remembered that these rights and duties are fundamental for the full realization of other rights and duties, starting with those which are civil and political.
One of the social rights and duties most under threat today is the right to work. The reason for this is that labour and the rightful recognition of workers' juridical status are increasingly undervalued, since economic development is thought to depend principally on completely free markets. Labour is thus regarded as a variable dependent on economic and financial mechanisms. In this regard, I would reaffirm that human dignity and economic, social and political factors, demand that we continue "to prioritize the goal of access to steady employment for everyone."[4] If this ambitious goal is to be realized, one prior condition is a fresh outlook on work, based on ethical principles and spiritual values that reinforce the notion of work as a fundamental good for the individual, for the family and for society. Corresponding to this good are a duty and a right that demand courageous new policies of universal employment.
Building the good of peace through a new model of development and economics
5. In many quarters it is now recognized that a new model of development is needed, as well as a new approach to the economy. Both integral, sustainable development in solidarity and the common good require a correct scale of goods and values which can be structured with God as the ultimate point of reference. It is not enough to have many different means and choices at one's disposal, however good these may be. Both the wide variety of goods fostering development and the presence of a wide range of choices must be employed against the horizon of a good life, an upright conduct that acknowledges the primacy of the spiritual and the call to work for the common good. Otherwise they lose their real value, and end up becoming new idols.
In order to emerge from the present financial and economic crisis – which has engendered ever greater inequalities – we need people, groups and institutions which will promote life by fostering human creativity, in order to draw from the crisis itself an opportunity for discernment and for a new economic model. The predominant model of recent decades called for seeking maximum profit and consumption, on the basis of an individualistic and selfish mindset, aimed at considering individuals solely in terms of their ability to meet the demands of competitiveness. Yet, from another standpoint, true and lasting success is attained through the gift of ourselves, our intellectual abilities and our entrepreneurial skills, since a "liveable" or truly human economic development requires the principle of gratuitousness as an expression of fraternity and the logic of gift.[5] Concretely, in economic activity, peacemakers are those who establish bonds of fairness and reciprocity with their colleagues, workers, clients and consumers. They engage in economic activity for the sake of the common good and they experience this commitment as something transcending their self-interest, for the benefit of present and future generations. Thus they work not only for themselves, but also to ensure for others a future and a dignified employment.
In the economic sector, states in particular need to articulate policies of industrial and agricultural development concerned with social progress and the growth everywhere of constitutional and democratic states. The creation of ethical structures for currency, financial and commercial markets is also fundamental and indispensable; these must be stabilized and better coordinated and controlled so as not to prove harmful to the very poor. With greater resolve than has hitherto been the case, the concern of peacemakers must also focus upon the food crisis, which is graver than the financial crisis. The issue of food security is once more central to the international political agenda, as a result of interrelated crises, including sudden shifts in the price of basic foodstuffs, irresponsible behaviour by some economic actors and insufficient control on the part of governments and the international community. To face this crisis, peacemakers are called to work together in a spirit of solidarity, from the local to the international level, with the aim of enabling farmers, especially in small rural holdings, to carry out their activity in a dignified and sustainable way from the social, environmental and economic points of view.
Education for a culture of peace: the role of the family and institutions
6. I wish to reaffirm forcefully that the various peacemakers are called to cultivate a passion for the common good of the family and for social justice, and a commitment to effective social education.
No one should ignore or underestimate the decisive role of the family, which is the basic cell of society from the demographic, ethical, pedagogical, economic and political standpoints. The family has a natural vocation to promote life: it accompanies individuals as they mature and it encourages mutual growth and enrichment through caring and sharing. The Christian family in particular serves as a seedbed for personal maturation according to the standards of divine love. The family is one of the indispensable social subjects for the achievement of a culture of peace. The rights of parents and their primary role in the education of their children in the area of morality and religion must be safeguarded. It is in the family that peacemakers, tomorrow's promoters of a culture of life and love, are born and nurtured.[6]
Religious communities are involved in a special way in this immense task of education for peace. The Church believes that she shares in this great responsibility as part of the new evangelization, which is centred on conversion to the truth and love of Christ and, consequently, the spiritual and moral rebirth of individuals and societies. Encountering Jesus Christ shapes peacemakers, committing them to fellowship and to overcoming injustice.
Cultural institutions, schools and universities have a special mission of peace. They are called to make a notable contribution not only to the formation of new generations of leaders, but also to the renewal of public institutions, both national and international. They can also contribute to a scientific reflection which will ground economic and financial activities on a solid anthropological and ethical basis. Today's world, especially the world of politics, needs to be sustained by fresh thinking and a new cultural synthesis so as to overcome purely technical approaches and to harmonize the various political currents with a view to the common good. The latter, seen as an ensemble of positive interpersonal and institutional relationships at the service of the integral growth of individuals and groups, is at the basis of all true education for peace.
A pedagogy for peacemakers
7. In the end, we see clearly the need to propose and promote a pedagogy of peace. This calls for a rich interior life, clear and valid moral points of reference, and appropriate attitudes and lifestyles. Acts of peacemaking converge for the achievement of the common good; they create interest in peace and cultivate peace. Thoughts, words and gestures of peace create a mentality and a culture of peace, and a respectful, honest and cordial atmosphere. There is a need, then, to teach people to love one another, to cultivate peace and to live with good will rather than mere tolerance. A fundamental encouragement to this is "to say no to revenge, to recognize injustices, to accept apologies without looking for them, and finally, to forgive",[7] in such a way that mistakes and offences can be acknowledged in truth, so as to move forward together towards reconciliation. This requires the growth of a pedagogy of pardon. Evil is in fact overcome by good, and justice is to be sought in imitating God the Father who loves all his children (cf. Mt 5:21-48). This is a slow process, for it presupposes a spiritual evolution, an education in lofty values, a new vision of human history. There is a need to renounce that false peace promised by the idols of this world along with the dangers which accompany it, that false peace which dulls consciences, which leads to self-absorption, to a withered existence lived in indifference. The pedagogy of peace, on the other hand, implies activity, compassion, solidarity, courage and perseverance.
Jesus embodied all these attitudes in his own life, even to the complete gift of himself, even to "losing his life" (cf. Mt 10:39; Lk 17:33; Jn 12:25). He promises his disciples that sooner or later they will make the extraordinary discovery to which I originally alluded, namely that God is in the world, the God of Jesus, fully on the side of man. Here I would recall the prayer asking God to make us instruments of his peace, to be able to bring his love wherever there is hatred, his mercy wherever there is hurt, and true faith wherever there is doubt. For our part, let us join Blessed John XXIII in asking God to enlighten all leaders so that, besides caring for the proper material welfare of their peoples, they may secure for them the precious gift of peace, break down the walls which divide them, strengthen the bonds of mutual love, grow in understanding, and pardon those who have done them wrong; in this way, by his power and inspiration all the peoples of the earth will experience fraternity, and the peace for which they long will ever flourish and reign among them.[8]
With this prayer I express my hope that all will be true peacemakers, so that the city of man may grow in fraternal harmony, prosperity and peace.
From the Vatican, 8 December 2012
[1] Cf. SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes, 1.
[2] Cf. Encyclical Letter Pacem in Terris (11 April 1963): AAS 55 (1963), 265-266.
[3] Cf. ibid.: AAS 55 (1963), 266.
[4] BENEDICT XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate (29 June 2009), 32: AAS 101 (2009), 666-667.
[5] Cf. ibid, 34 and 36: AAS 101 (2009), 668-670 and 671-672.
[6] Cf. JOHN PAUL II, Message for the 1994 World Day of Peace (8 December 1993): AAS 86 (1994), 156-162.
[7] BENEDICT XVI, Address at the Meeting with Members of the Government, Institutions of the Republic, the Diplomatic Corps, Religious Leaders and Representatives of the World of Culture, Baabda-Lebanon (15 September 2012): L'Osservatore Romano, 16 September 2012, p. 7.
[8] Cf. Encyclical Letter Pacem in Terris (11 April 1963): AAS 55 (1963), 304.


text:
Pro Skate LTD Independent
Available at Select Vans Pro Skate Dealers Worldwide
Following up an expansive product partnership with Independent Truck Co. in celebration of the brand's 40th anniversary, Vans presents a limited-release footwear and apparel capsule, available at select Vans Pro Skate dealers only this Saturday, December 1.
The limited capsule showcases a Vans Independent Style 36 Pro, an original Vans style that will be presented for the first time with the full-range of Vans Pro Skate specs. Originally released in 1977, just before Independent Truck Co. was born, the silhouette portrays design accents that pay homage to the look and feel of an Indy truck, including an all-over embossed Independent cross logo pattern, a metallic silver Sidestripe, and a signature translucent glossy orange rubber outsole to match Indy's iconic bushings. Vans will release the shoes in a custom-designed, vintage-style Vans shoebox with retro graphics and the slogan "Build to Grind" on the packaging. This exclusive drop comes with a unique set of Vans and Independent enamel pins, and an accompanying tee with artwork that combines the DNA of both brands, fusing Vans' iconic checkerboard pattern with the Independent cross. The signature print utilizes a specialty metallic ink to tie back to the footwear, and is reflective when exposed to direct light.
The Vans Independent Style 36 Pro performance attributes deliver upon Vans' classic style and progression, offering durability and support through the integration of UltraCush™ HD footbeds for heavy impact, Duracap-reinforced uppers for ultimate durability, and Vans' original waffle outsoles for maximum boardfeel.
With a legacy growing since 1978, Independent remains one of the largest and most trusted skate truck companies in the world. Vans and Independent have supported a strong lineage of talent, sharing a roster of 19 professional skateboarders on the Vans global skate team.