text:
- Simplicity: all 100% MX goggles share the same lens and tear-off profile.
- Foam: moisture managing triple layer foam.
- Frame: constructed out of flexible yet durable urethane.
- Lens: comes equipped with anti-fog, scratch resistant Lexan lens for unimpaired vision.
- Strap: oversized 45mm silicon coated strap holds your goggles motionless.
- Fitment: curvature suited for comfort.
Focus, a point at which an object must be situated with respect to a lens for an image to be well defined. A thin lens is all that stands in your way when you are focused. The Accuri Goggle can silently help you focus on your competition, enabling you the opportunity to leave it all on the track. 100%, the Spirit of Racing.
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text:
Reflexology via Zoom – 23 July
Reflexology via zoom
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Reflexology with Monique Poppelaars.
Monique's online class will explore various ideas to see how Reflexology can assist you with daily stress, anxiety, headaches, sleep problems, poor digestion, slow circulation and much more. This class is all about empowering you with simple and effective Reflexology techniques.
BYO pillow, water bottle, cotton bud, tennis ball / spikey ball and a pen.
There will also be an opportunity for open discussion and to ask any question you may have.
To make a booking, please fill out the form below or call The Living Centre on 03 9820 2888. We will email you information on how to connect with Zoom once your booking has been confirmed.
If you are new to Think Pink, you will need to fill out a Client Registration Form before your booking can be confirmed.
Venue: Zoom
This program will take place via the online conferencing platform, Zoom.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Starting comedy in Atlanta, GA and now based in Los Angeles, Neel Nanda has performed all over the country with some of comedies' biggest acts. Neel has acted and performed stand up on COMEDY CENTRAL's ADAM DEVINE'S HOUSE PARTY. He has appeared on IFC's GARKUNKEL AND OATES and performed stand up comedy on Oxygen's FUNNY GIRLS. He is also performing stand up in the upcoming series FLOPHOUSE for VICELAND / HBO GO directed by Lance Bangs. Neel recently featured at Bridgetown Comedy Festival in Portland, the Laughing Skull Festival in Atlanta and was the runner up for the Westside Stand Up Showdown (2015) in Los Angeles. Aside from just performing standup, he currently produces a few shows in LA including "Unnecessary Evil" at the Westside Comedy Theater, which was recently named one of LA Weekly's top 10 stand up shows. You can catch Neel every week at his show on the Westside where he has shared the stage with comedians like Hannibal Buress, Demetri Martin, Laura Kightlinger, and even Yakov Smirnoff.


text:
It's redistricting season - that time every 10 years when states across the country use new census numbers to redraw electoral maps at every level of government. One notable difference this year from a decade ago is the number of states where redistricting commissions will be drawing those lines rather than politicians. There are now about 10 states that do that, and the idea is to try to take some of the politics out of the process. But what does that mean exactly, and is it working? Joining us for more are two reporters in states where voters have made the move to commissions - Bente Birkeland from Colorado Public Radio in Denver and Jahd Khalil in Richmond, Va., with WVTF. Welcome to the program.
JAHD KHALIL, BYLINE: Thank you.
BENTE BIRKELAND, BYLINE: Thanks so much for having me.
MCCAMMON: So first off, can you walk us through why voters in your states decided to switch to redistricting commissions? As we mentioned, usually it's elected officials who are drawing these lines, but at least in your states, no more. Bente, I want to start with you. Why is that in Colorado?
BIRKELAND: So redistricting is a very important process. Not only can it determine the political makeup of Congress, it can impact which parties are in power in state governments across the country. And in Colorado, like most places, lawmakers have always drawn the political lines for Congress. But a bipartisan group of backers got behind an effort to leave it up to a citizen commission, split evenly with four Republicans, four Democrats and four unaffiliated members. It requires everything to be done in public. And voters overwhelmingly passed this change and thought it would be more transparent, fair and better represent citizens and not lend itself to gerrymandering.
MCCAMMON: And Jahd, what's been happening in Virginia?
KHALIL: Well, transparency and fairness were big issues here, too. Usually, the process was done behind closed doors. And there were lawsuits. Courts redrew congressional and state legislator seats because of racial gerrymandering. But also, Democratic politicians wanted a commission that would take redistricting out of the Republican-controlled General Assembly. When voters approved the amendment, it passed with a huge margin.
MCCAMMON: And Jahd, the makeup of the commission seems to be really key here. I mean, these are the people in charge of drawing these lines. Who is in charge in Virginia?
KHALIL: Here in Virginia, we have 16 members and it's evenly split between Republicans and Democrats and also between legislators and people who aren't in Virginia's General Assembly. The commission needs bipartisan support to pass anything, which has more or less resulted in partisan deadlock. And also, there are hired consultants that give legal advice or that actually draw the maps. Those are split up by party, too. So it's almost like we have two parallel redistricting efforts.
MCCAMMON: OK. And Bente, how is this working in Colorado?
BIRKELAND: Well, Colorado has a pretty different structure from Virginia. Voters created a buffer between politicians and the commission. Lawmakers can't serve on the commission or appoint commissioners. Passing a map requires a supermajority, and at least two unaffiliated members have to sign off on it. So if there is a deadlock, nonpartisan staff redraws the map, so it never reverts to politicians or lobbyists or a judge. And Colorado's commission passed the congressional map on a vote of 11 to 1. And now it's up to the state Supreme Court to review it and decide whether it meets the constitutional criteria. One of the unaffiliated commissioners, Joely Bronner (ph), echoed what I heard from the other commissioners, too. And she said she really stands by this new public process.
JOELY BRONNER: I think it was so amazing how involved everyone was in this process. All of the behind-the-scenes kind of meetings, when you think of like smoky caucuses, those are gone.
MCCAMMON: So the goal is more transparency. We're a couple of months into this process now. Are these commissions living up to expectations, and does it look like they're here to stay?
KHALIL: Well, in Virginia, this is part of the Constitution, so it's legally here indefinitely. But last week, the commission deadlocked to the point that three commissioners walked out of a key meeting. Everyone in the room was stunned and it threw the future of the commission into jeopardy. We can see the disagreements that are causing this compared to before when the Legislature might meet in private with little public input. A lot of the issue is that there's a fundamental disagreement about how to protect minorities during redistricting. If they can't resolve those issues, it's not clear if the commission will be able to finish any maps. And if they don't, the Supreme Court of the State of Virginia will take over redistricting. I'm not really sure if voters and legislators might keep it around if the commission fails to give a final vote on any map.
BIRKELAND: Everyone I've talked to in Colorado by and large is happy with how hard the commissioners tried to incorporate public comments and keep communities of interest together, which is a very complex task. Not everyone is happy with the outcome, though. The biggest contention is that the map doesn't adequately represent Latino residents and other minority groups and dilutes their political voice. If the Supreme Court does reject the map, the independent commission would need to meet again to try to address the court's concerns.
MCCAMMON: So as we've heard, we've seen a lot more states move in this direction compared to 10 years ago. Are redistricting commissions a bigger trend? Should we expect to see more?
BIRKELAND: I think it's a popular concept with voters from across the political spectrum, but the effectiveness does depend on the structure of the commission. And it is never easy for lawmakers to give up this massive power that they have right now.
MCCAMMON: That's Bente Birkeland of Colorado Public Radio and Jahd Khalil from WVTF. Thanks to you both.
BIRKELAND: Thanks so much.
KHALIL: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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"This trailer has been all the way from San Diego to to North of the Arctic Circle , North of Fairbanks, Alaska. And this SoftStartRV is a game changer."
Discovered right away coming to Florida that trying to run an air conditioner with a generator is impossible. It just kills the generator. So there we are sweating it out in, you know, a nice weekend, trying to enjoy everything and it's so hot. And now, with this SoftStartRV installed in my trailer, I can hook my generator up and turn my air conditioning on anywhere and it works like a champ. It went in easy. I think the total install time was maybe 45 minutes, tested it out and it was flawless. And so I'm really happy to have this product and now I can enjoy a cooler time, and I can camp in those areas where I can get away from everybody and still be very, very comfortable.
I bought the SoftstartRVand installed it in my Dometic15000 BTU A/C on my 5th Wheel! I was having a small problem wiring it and called the customer service line. Surprisingly, a real person answered. He explained the wiring process step by step. Thank you, My 2000-watt Honda generator started my A/C easily. A smart decision I made on getting this unit. Thank You!
Copyright ©2022 SoftStartUSA All Rights Reserved


text:
- Consulting services
Azure - Computer Vision : 7-weeks implementation
Made for quality inspection. This solution brings automated intelligence in your business by allowing image-controlled quality inspection.
Orange Business offers an asset-based Computer Vision service made for visual inspection. It includes a trained Machine Learning model (using customer's data), the deployment of the model in the customer's infrastructure as well as a frontend interface.
Using photos taken on a production line, the solution can in near real-time detect defaults and validate the quality of each product. It replaces manual inspection which is time consuming and an expensive process. Orange Business' Computer Vision solution can detect smallest defects reliably, not relying on defect-labelled training data and is able to adapt automatically to new defects that have not occurred before.
Computer Vision solution in a nutshell: • Low data requirement to train: using the zero-shot learning technology, the model only needs a few pictures of "good products" to be trained and then be deployed • Automatically detect new defects: the solution can adapt automatically to new defects that have not occurred before on the production line • Close to real-time analysis: the solution can analyse up to 10 frames per second which is score reliable for production line. Meaning analysing 10 products per second
The Azure portfolio offers a great number of tools and components to develop a ready-to-deploy Computer Vision solution. To unlock the power of these cloud native components a skilled team of experts is required. Orange Business is providing the expertise as well as the asset of a ready-to-deploy Computer Vision solution for quality inspection. Orange Business Services' Azure certified experts will implement and customize the solution to bring its customers successfully to the end of their Machine Learning journey.
Orange Business is using its expertise in numerous fields as IoT, cloud, connectivity, or big data to unlock may use-cases in the manufacturing industry (and many other verticals). One of the results is its offering: Computer Vision for quality inspection. The most common use-cases raised up when scaling Machine Learning in industry are:
• Automating and computerizing manual processes as quality inspection • Improving workers' safety on the factory lines • Inventory management, storage units' management
The Computer Vision solution Orange Business offers is easily deployable for quality inspection but can answer more use-cases, as the ones mentioned before. To facilitate the deployment of such a Machine Learning model, and to prove the business value it can generate: the solution has been splitted into two main deployment steps which are called offers.
Basic offer – from 35k€ • Pre-packaged solution • State-of-the-art Computer Vision for quality inspection • Training of models using custom dataset • Frontend interface for model validation & testing • Setup of Azure accounts and VPN Gateway
Full offer - on quotation • Setting up IoT devices or cameras for data collection, data cleaning and pre-processing • Frontend interface and monitoring tools • MLOps pipeline for retraining and deployment of the Computer Vision model • VPN access, peering / routing / connection • Tailor-made features


text: Due to Canadian legislation, you will not receive further email communication from Raymond Block, the leasing & marketing team & associated companies unless you provide consent. If you wish to receive further updates, click YES to opt in. Otherwise, CONTINUE and your original request will be submitted and you will no longer receive further updates.


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Step off the summer vacation party train. Summer vacation is over. Hate to break the news, but the party's over.
It's back to school, back to schedules, time to get serious. Everyone with any sense of fun and happy spent at least some of their vacation doing things that are off their daily health routine.
Margaritas, BBQ, homemade ice cream, something with a nacho plate, no sleep, sleeping too late, no exercise. We all are guilty. We live it up, have a tremendously fun/relaxing/fast/crazy vacation away from our daily lives—and will power goes out the window.
Then, SNAP. Back to reality.
All the fun and party begins to fade and you are left with puffy, bloated, brain-foggy, up a few pounds REAL LIFE YOU. You want to feel lighter and brighter again. You want to get back on the feel good wagon.
Here are a few simple tips on how to come back from the fog.
- BRING SEXY VEGGIES BACK. Just one EXTRA to your plate. The chlorophyll, the phytonutrients, they will add immediate energy and spark. The fiber will help boost your metabolism and enhance your digestion. Have you tried our new Celery Salad? It's amaze balls and you get to check one of these tips off your list!
- Drink your water. I can't say it enough. Get back to your 32 ounces of filtered water every morning. You are dehydrated. Hydration brings better metabolism, it cleanses your organs, gives you energy, suppresses your appetite. DRINK UP. (water this time). And take a refillable water bottle wherever you go.
- Start downing green smoothies. You need to give your digestive system a break. Have one for breakfast and chock it full of all kinds of greens. You can add ½ a banana if you are still on top of Sugar Craving Mountain. If you are scared to start, begin with adding spinach to your regular smoothies. Think Emerald City or Cameo. Or brighten your White Diamond with added spinach. Your body will soar.
- STRETCH it out and BREATHE deep. Both of these things keep your body renewed and keeps things moving efficiently. Yoga or your own stretching sequence will make a huge difference in your day.
- LOVE YOUR GOOD BACTERIA. Get back on your probiotics. You're system has been compromised: bad food, good alcohol, not good living all upset the balance of good vs. bad bacteria in your gut. Digestion, immunity, brain function suffers. Bio-Kult is the best. Stock up inside The GEM.
- Catch up on your SLEEP. You've been staying up late and its starting to catch up with you. Sleep renews your energy, your mind and of course your body. Lack of sleep makes you crave sugar and ages you. Add CALM tea at night to relax.
- LUCKY NUMBER 7: KICKSTART your way back with a detox cleanse from The GEM. Flush out the toxins and get rid of your cravings: Juice Only, Juice Then Dinner or a Workout Cleanse—which shows you what a super healthy day can look like for the rest of your life (until summer returns anyway!).
Try these steps and let us know how you feel!
Clarity, Energy and Vibrance are in your very near future!


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Satellite Detects Red Glow To Map Global Ocean Plant Health
- Date:
- June 1, 2009
- Source:
- Oregon State University
- Summary:
- Researchers have succeeded for the first time in measuring the physiology of marine phytoplankton through satellite measurements of its fluorescence -- an accomplishment that had been elusive for years. With this new tool, scientists will now be able to gain a reasonably accurate picture of the ocean's health and productivity about every week, all over the planet.
- Share:
Researchers from Oregon State University, NASA and other organizations said today that they have succeeded for the first time in measuring the physiology of marine phytoplankton through satellite measurements of its fluorescence – an accomplishment that had been elusive for years.
With this new tool and the continued use of the MODIS Aqua satellite, scientists will now be able to gain a reasonably accurate picture of the ocean's health and productivity about every week, all over the planet.
Data such as this will be critically important in evaluating the effect on oceans of global warming, climate change, desertification and other changes, the researchers said. It will also be a key to determining which areas of the ocean are limited in their productivity by iron deficiency – as this study just showed the Indian Ocean was.
"Until now we've really struggled to make this technology work and give us the information we need," said Michael Behrenfeld, an OSU professor of botany. "The fluorescence measurements allow us to see from outer space the faint red glow of tiny marine plants, all over the world, and tell whether or not they are healthy. That's pretty cool."
Ocean phytoplankton are single-celled organisms that are responsible for half of the photosynthetic productivity on Earth. They fuel nearly all marine ocean ecosystems and are the base of the marine food chain.
Measurements of phytoplankton are an important way to understand the broader health and productivity of the ocean, researchers say. Some of the measurements available prior to this, such as phytoplankton biomass or their carbon-to-chlorophyll ratio, provided part of the picture, but were often only available for tiny portions of the ocean at a time.
To grow, however, these phytoplankton absorb energy from the sun, and then allow some of that energy to escape as red light that is called fluorescence. The new measurements of fluorescence, literally the dim glow that these plants put off, will help complete the understanding of ocean health on a much broader and more frequent basis.
Some surprises are already in.
It was known, for instance, that parts of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, some regions around Antarctica and parts of the sub-Artic Pacific Ocean below Alaska were limited in production by the poor availability of iron. The newest data, however, show that parts of the northern Indian Ocean during the summer are also iron limited – a phenomenon that had been suggested by some ocean and climate models, but never before confirmed.
"Iron is often brought to the oceans by dust coming off terrestrial regions, and is a necessary nutrient that often limits the potential for marine phytoplankton growth," said Allen Milligan, an OSU assistant professor of botany and co-author of this study, which is being published in the journal Biogeosciences.
"If forces such as global warming, circulation changes or the growth of deserts change the amount of dust entering the oceans, it will have an impact on marine productivity," Milligan said. "Now we'll be able to track those changes, some of which are seasonal and some of which may happen over much longer periods of time. And we'll also be able to better assess and improve the climate models that have to consider these phenomena."
Funding for this research was provided by the Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Program of NASA, which announced the findings in a news conference. Other collaborators were from the University of Maine/Orono, University of California/Santa Barbara, University of Southern Mississippi, the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Cornell University, and the University of California/Irvine.
In continued studies, researchers at OSU hope to reproduce the marine environment that these phytoplankton cells live in, learn more about their basic biology and better understand why and how they can be seen from space. Further research may also explore how the oceans might respond to iron enrichment.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Oregon State University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Behrenfeld et al. Satellite-detected fluorescence reveals global physiology of ocean phytoplankton. Biogeosciences, 2009; [abstract]
Cite This Page:


text:
Book Tour Grand Finale for
Bound Beauty
By Jennifer Silverwood
We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops
you can see snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:
Launch - Note from the Author
...Bound Beauty is the third and (mostly) final volume in this series. Not only do we finally get a peek inside the true nature of the prince's curse, but we get epic romance, epic journeys and one very epic beastly battle. And because this is Gothic fiction, plenty of ghosts, magic and heaving bodices. ;) Thanks for coming on this adventure with me, fantasy avengers!
Mythical Books - Guest Post
10 Fun Facts About Wylder Tales
1. Wylder Tales takes its name from the borderland between our world and the magical world across the Veil, Wylderland.
2. Vynasha's journey is loosely based on Beauty and the Beast, but written more like a "the legend behind the fairy tale" than a strict retelling...
J.L. Mbewe - Excerpt
Vynasha stiffened as familiar sensations washed over her, the sound of dripping water on cobblestone, the scent of her beast. She opened her eyes in fear and released a breath of relief to meet a pair of emerald rather than silver.
"Baalor?" Her voice was scratchy from sleep, strained from more nightmares, no doubt.
Concern creased a faint line between his brow, but then his fingers brushed her curls from her face and he smiled. "I have missed your face, witch."
Vynasha bit her lower lip and didn't mind the prick of sharp teeth, not when his were sharper. "Wish I could say the same, brute." She reached to touch his beard and took in his haggard look. "You just got back."
Baalor's smile widened, though it couldn't disguise his fatigue. Or the darkness lingering in his eyes. "Do you always sleep by the fire when I am away?"
Rockin' Book Reviews - Excerpt
It said something of the nature of majik, that Vynasha found Grendall's amulet so easily. She clawed at the snow until she reached a hole in the dirt and uncovered Erythea's hiding place. The sight of Old Ced's towsack wrenched a dry sob from her chest.
"Nothing is as it seems…" Father had said before he died. Before she killed him.
She tore a hole in the sack in her haste to retrieve the amulet and snarled at the ----ed amethyst in her hands. Her hands shook as she fell back into the snow at her feet and gripped the talisman. Grandmother had once called this a key and a burden. Thea saw it as a weapon. Vynasha yearned to welcome the security of the bond, longed to feel in control of her majik again. She wanted to throw it as far as the east is from the west.
Wishful Endings - Guest Post
What's in a Cover?
I have a very unique relationship with my cover designer. I first discovered Najla Qamber in 2012, when I was scouring Deviantart for talented artists. I had drawn a cover for one of my novellas, but knew it wasn't quite up to snuff. Also, I wanted someone to design my cover for my current WIP, Silver Hollow. I stumbled across Najla's profile, messaged her and the rest is history. Well, not quite. Najla has covered every single one of my novels (and recovered...bless her). Every time I gave her a concept stirring around in my brain, she broke through my expectations with her brilliance...
Locks, Hooks and Books - Review
"...I enjoyed this retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It ends with a cliffhanger that makes me want more. . . . Scarred Beauty is a pretty good addition to the Wylder Tales series. . . . I cannot wait to get my hands on Bound Beauty to see what happens next. I enjoy Jennifer Silverwood's story telling."
Colorimetry - Guest Post
Final Page from Soraya's Journal
I suppose it best to finish an enchanted text with a proper introduction. After all, the spells shall not take effect without the name of the caster. Everything begins with a name. My name was Soraya Wenderdowne and I was born to the most noble royal house among all the Fayere of Lunnae. The other peoples call us "lightwings," but only the royal houses still bore wings of honor. I had always been proud of my wings. Not only were they my most beautiful feature (and trust me when I tell you I was not unpleasant to look upon) but my wings allowed me to fly...
Declarations of a Fangirl - Excerpt
A firm, but gentle hand squeezed her shoulder. "Alright then, beasty?" Wolfsbane turned his head, before she could catch more than a glimpse of his concern.
Vynasha touched his glove with her clawed hand and smiled. "Just need a moment." This was a lie, of course. Her calves no longer burned from endless days of hiking up and down mountains and through slippery brambles.
Reading On The Edge - Excerpt
"Aren't you disgusted by me?"
He jerked back as though struck and she could feel his temper brewing. "Why would I be disgusted by you?"
Vynasha's knee ached with a sharp pang and she closed her eyes, unconsciously squeezing his arm tighter.
His free hand clasped her waist as he came to face her. "Vynasha," he beckoned her look at him. "Allies?"
She laughed so she wouldn't cry, then held up her clawed hand. "Look at me. I'm not what I was before." She grimaced and shook her head. "I have never been beautiful, I know, but…"
Book Butterfly in Dreamland - Review
"Embark on an epic retelling of Beauty and the Beast with a twist and a gothic flare!"
Bookworm Lisa - Excerpt
In the beginning, all the prince of Bitterhelm could see was the curse.
By day he walked the shadowed halls of his forefathers, the bitter remnant of his kingdom. By night his bones snapped in a moment of agony, until his cries fell into roars. He learned quickly, after wreaking havoc to all the furniture in his stately chamber, to confine himself to the dungeons. There, only the other beasts could hear his screams.
Once the night was through, his manservant, Odym appeared with keys to lead his master back to his chambers. The broken furniture had been discreetly cleared away by the other servants, replaced by pieces from the king's vacant rooms. Grendall had been too weary to punish them, though his skin crawled for different reasons, lying in the bed of his father.
Books to Light Your Fire - Excerpt
Vynasha blinked and for a moment, saw the valley of Whistleande, carpets of fuchsia heather and sage grass.
Thea touched stray branches, infusing blue tendrils of energy into the sleeping buds. "My majik is tied to the earth like Mother's. It wants to end this winter and let things grow." She glanced over her shoulder at Vynasha with a crooked smile. "Did you know the last true spring hasn't come in an age?"
Vynasha pressed her claws into her palms. "Since the curse," she whispered. Her voice held a rasp she couldn't shake, ever since the fire. Not even her transformation under the curse could hide what she was before.
We Write Fantasy - Guest Post
First off, apologies for the misleading title. This is not the third part of a blog serial. It is, however, a post about trilogies, specifically mine. Wylder Tales is a darker (often Gothic) fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast. When I approached what I simply titled "Vynasha" I wanted to tell the classic fairy tale with a legendary bend, much like Snow White and the Huntsman. My first incarnation of Volume 1 was a little different from what you know today. It was also extra heavy on the prose. I can't help myself sometimes, being a life-long fan of L.M. Montgomery, to love the beauty of language. But I learned over the following two years that the story was too stagnant and bogged down. On the encouragement of my writing coach, I returned to Vynasha and added more characters like Hvalla, Wolfsbane and Resha, cut off most flashbacks and expanded the dialogue. Thus, Craving Beauty was born.
Nicole's Book Musings - Excerpt
He proposed after their prancing steps fell into a sensuous lilt. She sucked in a breath, indeed every servant and even the walls seemed to still, waiting for her reply.
Her smile was soft as she whispered, "Yes."
Don't forget to enter the giveaway below, if you haven't already...
Bound Beauty
(A Wylder Tale #3)
By Jennifer Silverwood
YA Dark Fantasy
Paperback & ebook
December 21st 2018
Beware the bond between blood and beasts...
Vynasha has united the warring human and forgotten clans of Wylderland, claiming her majik and power as curse breaker. Her brother, Ceddrych keeps their nephew safely hidden away while Vynasha and her new allies fight against the feral beasts roaming their borders.
Meanwhile, her friendship with the Iceveins family deepens, unveiling a love she never expected. But her majik is still bound to the cursed prince she left behind and he isn't done fighting for her soul.
Darker forces walk in the forests, all drawn to Vynasha's light and the shade of a corrupt Enchantress haunts her waking dreams. A war is about to begin, between the forgotten people of Wylderland and the evil power of Bitterhelm.
Prophecy and Forgotten unite in the epic third chapter of the Wylder Tales Series, a gothic re-telling of Beauty and the Beast.
The Wylder Tales Series
Craving Beauty (Vol. 1)
Wolfsbane's Daughter (Vol. 1.5)
Scarred Beauty (Vol. 2)
Bound Beauty (Vol. 3)
Other Books in the Series
Grab the first book, Craving Beauty, for FREE! You can find your preferred
About the Author
Jennifer Silverwood was raised deep in the heart of Texas and has been spinning yarns a mile high since childhood. In her spare time she reads and writes and tries to sustain her wanderlust, whether it's the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania, the highlands of Ecuador or a road trip to the next town. Always on the lookout for her next adventure, in print or reality, she dreams of one day proving to the masses that everything really is better in Texas. She is the author of two series—Heaven's Edge and Wylder Tales—and the stand-alone titles Stay and Silver Hollow.
Tour Giveaway
PRIZE PACK #1: Print copies of Wylder Tales Vol 1-2 along with a "Gothic fairytale" themed basket. (US only.)
PRIZE PACK #2: $10 Amazon eGift Card and winner's choice of two of the author's ebooks (if a novella series is pickes, i.e. Heaven's Edge, then all three novellas will be included). (Open internationally.)
Ends December 12, 2018


text:
Your personal connection to the technology resources offered by the Division of Information Technology.
This is your personal connection to the technology resources that the Division of Information Technology offers to University of Maryland students. TerpConnect is a launch pad consolidating these tools and resources. Before using TerpConnect or any computing resources on campus please be sure to check out the Acceptable Use Policy.
Resources available through TerpConnect include:
- Personal Resources
TerpConnect provides all current students, faculty and staff on campus an Unix account with 5 GB of personal storage space. Users also have login access to the general purpose login boxes. The disk storage can be accessed from these login boxes, computers in a Division of IT managed computer lab, or from any computer on the internet with the proper credentials. This storage is backed up nightly. You are also able to create your own 全球加速器 on the TerpConnect server.
- Get started with Unix shell access
- Resources for Classes
The Glue Research and Academic Computing Environment ( GRACE) is designed to help meet some of the information technology needs of faculty, students, and reseachers at the University of Maryland. Instructors can request GRACE spaces be created for courses they are teaching, which will provide some disk and compute resources for students registered for the course, as well as some facilities for sharing files and creating password protected web pages for the course. Researchers can also apply for some modest file and compute resources for their research.
- Get started with GRACE
The following is a launching point to other services managed by the Division of Information Technology that you might be interested in.
- MyUMD Portal
- Mail@UMD
- Terrapin Tech Store
- 全球网络加速器
- 全球网络加速器
- Macintosh Information
- Windows Information
- File Transfer Software
- Password Services & Information


text:
I like to end the year doing something different. This year I got to explore Langkawi Island with family and pretty happy that Langkawi has grown so much with loads of fun and educational activities to do. The rainy season in Langkawi is in September so it is a safe destination to get a sunny vacation by the beach in December.
I would like to share 4 exciting explorations I had with my family:
1. Dayang Bunting Marble Geoforest Park
2. Machinchang Geoforest Park
3. Temurun Waterfalls by Mount Raya
4. Exploration to Pulau Rebak Kecil from Cenang Beach by foot
1. Dayang Bunting Marble Geoforest Park Exploration
You need to get a boat ride to Dayang Bunting Island. My party of 5 got a boat ride, on a sharing basis with 15 other tourists from AB watersports. The fee was RM25/adult and RM20/child below 12 years old. En Mohd Ashtar was very helpful to accommodate my booking via the internet, two days in advance. You can call his office 04-9551037 to make a reservation. He provided 2-way shuttle service from my hotel to the jetty located close to Langkawi Porta Malai Resort. We took the 9 am half-day trip. The first stop was Pulau Beras Basah followed by eagle feeding at Pulau Singa Besar. You get to see two types of native eagles; the White-bellied Fish Eagle and Brahminy Kite Eagle, flying right above the island and diving onto the surface of the water to catch fishes. You can't miss these stunning birds as they would dive pretty close to the boats. The last and the most interesting stop was Dayang Bunting Island.
You need to hike for about 230 meters from the jetty to Dayang Bunting Lake. It is quite an easy walk, educational too, featuring rock formation on the island. Once you reach the lake, you can take a dip into the lake, put your legs into the water or can rent a kayak or boat. The lake is 33 feet deep so if you are not a good swimmer, you better rent a life jacket available on the platform. You can also save a few ringgit by bringing your life-jacket from your boat to the lake. The swim was really nice as the fresh water is clean and refreshing.
After an hour on the island, we got onto the boat and said goodbye to beautiful island of Dayang Bunting.
2. Machinchang Geoforest Park Exploration
A ride on the cablecab followed by a walk on the skybridge is a must in Langkawi. You need to get a ticket (RM30/adult & RM20/child below 12) to go onto the cablecab up to the Machingchang Mountain (second highest mountain in Langkawi, 850 m above sea level). Make sure you bring your Malaysian ID to enjoy local rates. Before you reach the top, you could stop at the middle station and grab some food. They offer nasi lemak and other local delicacies at the cafe. You need to queue back to continue your ride to the top station. Below is the view of Telaga Harbour Area & Seratosa Island (far left), a little unnamed island and Pulau Burau (far right) from middle station.
After a couple of minutes on the cablecab, you would reach the 709 above sea level of Machinchang Mountain. The view from the top station is majestic.You could see Skybridge (as below), Andaman Sea, and other parts of Langkawi.
After that, we walked to Skybridge. You could walk (RM5/pax) or take the skyglide (RM35/pax) to Skybridge. If you want to burn some calories while enjoying the nature, you should walk to Skybridge. However, I do not encourage elderly, little ones and those who are not used to hiking to walk to skybridge. The steps were quite steep and can be difficult to some. It was a more-difficult walk than the one to Dayang Bunting Lake.
On the way back on Cablecab, try look for waterfalls right below you. We saw two waterfalls on the way back. Our experience was much better than the cable car rides in Hong Kong and Sentosa Island, and a lot cheaper too!
3. Temurun Waterfalls by Mount Raya (881 meters, highest mountain in Langkawi)
If you are a fan of cold fresh water and love the feeling of water running on your back, you should visit Temurun Waterfalls. There are a few levels you could walk to, but the one at the top is worth dipping into. We were greeted by many friendly butterflies, and everyone who reached the top could not resist taking a dip. So, make sure you dress to get wet when you climb all the way to the top. The only changing area available is at the entrance.
Try the mee kuah at the stall by the entrance before you go back. The makcik cooked very good friend rice and mee kuah for us at a very reasonable price.
4. Exploration to Pulau Rebak Kecil from Cenang Beach
Cenang Beach is popular for its gorgeous sunset. Other than the gorgeous sunset, we got to experience something different, out of curiosity. But do not try this without a knowledgeable local with you. At 7:30am in the morning, during low tide, we saw a couple of sand banks close to the island across the Cenang Beach and a few people walking in the sea, towards the island. So, one morning, we decided to check it out. We walked in the knee-level water for a few hundred meters away from the beach, along with a few locals who were busy collecting sea snails on the bed of the sea.
I wanted to walk to the island, known as Pulau Rebak Kecil, so three of us kept walking in shallow waters for a few more hundred meters towards a visible sand bank. Along the way to the sandbank, I saw many interesting combination of big and small sea creatures; crabs, clams, sea-snails, baby octopus, prawn and baby leapord / zebra sharks. They were visible due to the shallow clear water. The estimated distance from Cenang Beach (A) to Pulau Rebak Kecil (B) was 0.86 km.
After a long walk, we reached the first sandbar. It was not a straightforward walk but interesting as we saw baby leopard / zebra sharks and a few others we dare not go close to. We had aqua shoes on, so we need not worry too much about risks on our feet. The path was a zig zag as we follow the shallow path towards the first sandbank.
Then we ran along the sand bank towards Rebak Kecil Island and quickly returned. At the end of the sand bank was a steep drop into the sea which we managed to escape. We then walked towards a group of people closest to us, as we could see the water level around them.
Then we walked back towards Cenang Beach. The water level was rising and the current was against our direction, so it was super tiring. At one point the water level was thigh-level. Again, do not try this. It gave me a good adrenaline rush but I would not try again unless with the presence of knowledgeable locals.
Lastly, the other activity I enjoyed practicing in Langkawi was yoga during sunset.
There are so many other exciting activities you could do in Langkawi. Some historical, sometimes mystical, mostly enjoyable. I found this map pretty useful and handy to plan my trips whilst in Langkawi. You can get one FREE at the airport. So visit Langkawi and enjoy the Geoforest and beautiful beaches!


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NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity drove down a reinforced fabric ramp at the front of its lander platform and onto the soil of Mars' Meridiani Planum this morning.
Also, new science results from the rover indicate that the site does indeed have a type of mineral, crystalline hematite, that was the principal reason the site was selected for exploration.
Controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory received confirmation of the successful drive at 3:01 a.m. Pacific Standard Time via a relay from the Mars Odyssey orbiter and Earth reception by the Deep Space Network. Cheers erupted a minute later when Opportunity sent a picture looking back at the now-empty lander and showing wheel tracks in the martian soil.
For the first time in history, two mobile robots are exploring the surface of another planet at the same time. Opportunity's twin, Spirit, started making wheel tracks halfway around Mars from Meridiani on Jan. 15.
"We're two for two! One dozen wheels on the soil." JPL's Chris Lewicki, flight director, announced to the control room.
Matt Wallace, mission manager at JPL, told a subsequent news briefing, "We knew it was going to be a good day. The rover woke up fit and healthy to Bruce Springsteen's 'Born to Run,' and it turned out to be a good choice."
The flight team needed only seven days since Opportunity's landing to get the rover off its lander, compared with 12 days for Spirit earlier this month. "We're getting practice at it," said JPL's Joel Krajewski, activity lead for the procedure. Also, the configuration of the deflated airbags and lander presented no trouble for Opportunity, while some of the extra time needed for Spirit was due to airbags at the front of the lander presenting a potential obstacle.
Looking at a photo from Opportunity showing wheel tracks between the empty lander and the rear of the rover about one meter or three feet away, JPL's Kevin Burke, lead mechanical engineer for getting the rover off the lander, said "We're glad to be seeing soil behind our rover."
JPL's Chris Salvo, flight director, reported that Opportunity will be preparing over the next couple days to reach out with it robotic arm for a close inspection of the soil.
Gray granules covering most of the crater floor surrounding Opportunity contain hematite, said Dr. Phil Christensen, lead scientist for both rovers' miniature thermal emission spectrometers, which are infrared-sensing instruments used for identifying rock types from a distance. Crystalline hematite is of special interest because, on Earth, it usually forms under wet environmental conditions. The main task for both Mars Exploration Rovers in coming weeks and months is to read clues in the rocks and soil to learn about past environmental conditions at their landing sites, particularly about whether the areas were ever watery and possibly suitable for sustaining life.
The concentration of hematite appears strongest in a layer of dark material above a light-covered outcrop in the wall of the crater where Opportunity sits, Christensen said. "As we get out of the bowl we're in, I think we'll get onto a surface that is rich in hematite," he said.
JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover project for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Images and additional information about the project are available from JPL at http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov and from Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., at http://athena.cornell.edu.


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Island Life: Burning Down the House.
48 Responses
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I don't believe we were saved by our Lady of the Blessed Sprinkler.
Shame on you for your unfounded skepticism, Mr Slack! Do you really mean to deny the divine intervention that self-evidentally saved your wretched skin?
If so, then please explain, sir, by what other means Emily Dickenson was able to predict these exact events (in every detail) more than 120 years ago in her poem 'Though the Great Waters Sleep':
Though the great Waters sleep,
That they are still the Deep,
We cannot doubt,
No vacillating God
Ignited this Abode
To put it out.Earthly fire is but winter sunlight in comparison to that which surely awaits you in the hereafter, Mr Slack. I hope you enjoy the smell of brimstone in the morning.
They had beautiful deep green leaves, and delicate branches that swayed gently in the summer breeze.
They didn't ask for much did they? There you were ready and able to annihilate. Well, well. .... ;) On a lighter note(fnah fnah) We have just saved 6 acres from ever being chopped down ('cept of course the building site.)
Frankly it was irresistable. -
David we have all done dumb things
"That seemed like a good idea, at the time!"
Well I have and so it would seem have you
Put it down to experience and thank theour Lady of the Blessed Sprinkler.
that no real damage was done
Reminds me of Terry Pratchett:
Whatever happens, they say afterwards, it must have been Fate. People are always a little confused about this, as they are in the case of miracles. When someone is saved from certain death by a strange concatenation of circumstances, they say that's a miracle. But of course if someone is killed by a freak chain of events : the oil just spilled there, the safety fence just broke there : that must also be a miracle. Just because its not nice, doesn't mean its not miraculous.
This was like a scene or three from the movie Final Destination.
The tree was probably going to fall on some wires and electrocute you, but it went for the 'spontaneous combust (with assisstance) ' option, now it will be plotting some other evil way. Is it poisonous?
Is it poisonous?
Heh, it's mexican. Eye for eye innit. :)
I'll echo Raymond here, but excuse my ignorance, but I just don't understand; what prompts people to plant trees in the most inappropriate of places?
For instance, planting one's Christmas pine, the poor wee thing, one metre away from the bedroom window, because, you know, poor wee pine trees stay poor wee pine trees.
Forgive my note of sarcasm here - but it's a cliche that all to often becomes ones worst nightmare. Bam! The poor wee thing becomes a 40 meter pine blocking your sunlight and creaking ever so noisly on windy nights. All for a moment's thinking how big is that thing gunna get??
David we have all done dumb things
"That seemed like a good idea, at the time!"
Well I have and so it would seem have youI don't think I need to detail the Great Smoke Inhalation Affair or the Melting Pot Incident to give you the flavour of some of the fire-related mishaps in households I've lived in. It mostly doesn't do to dwell on them too much, with the exception of making sure there's no repeat.
how big is that thing gunna get??
Hey, with all due respect Christopher ( and wee Mexican Elder) and really don't need to step in, I am sure, but, I have a few Bay trees (Portuguese Bay laurel) and in hot weather they get up to 10 metres but in cold they are considerably different, yet still grow nicely. So David may have thought south side , bit cold. less chance , limited info by the retailer etc. etc. Still, continuous pruning can reduce water consumption and clay soil will jam the doors every summer.That should be common knowledge eh? ;)
David Just be careful laddie. When the chips are down, you are committed to a be a victim of revenge. Remember that while you sleep the chippies will be plotting because as you know, "They Walk by Night!"
Christopher, we honestly gave it careful thought, but it outgrew its predicted size. This leads me to believe that Mr Haywood is correct: I failed to appreciate just Who we were dealing with.
Ah. Nearly burning down the house. Reminds me of our embarrassing chimney fire.
So Mexican Elders moved your house and then tried to burn it down. This is why we need a fence people...
There must be a word (and if there isn't, there should be) for that peculiar lurch you get in your guts, and the associated unpleasant skin-creepy feeling, when you realise that you're fine, but a few seconds ago you were inches/milliseconds/one flip of the cards of fate from something really nasty.
The time you jumped from a 10-metre cliff into a rockpool, and realised there was a submerged boulder a foot away from where you landed....
The time the rear of the car gave an interesting little shimmy, and you crossed the centre line for a second, getting yourself back on the right side of the road seconds before a logging truck came round the corner the other way...
The time you were drilling a hole in the wall to put up a picture, and there was a bright blue flash and the drill bit was suddenly half the length it was when you started...
And so on.
When I was about 9 I had a horrible dream about driving down the Desert road on a family holiday and the whole Desert road was on fire. I woke up very upset and sleepily climbed into my parent's bed for comfort.
At that point we realised the house was full of smoke...
The clothes rack in hall had been left with a heater under it to dry the large sheets of cloth soaked in detergent that Dad sold as windscreen demisting clothes. We ended up with a patch of burnt floor tiles and a hell of a scare.
I was too young to understand just how close we had come. Looking back I can understand that my father must have felt just like you David.
PS this was in the days before household smoke alarms existed.
And so on.
The time I was biking along, cutting through to the left of stopped traffic, and the front wheel slipped down into the gutter and I ended up falling onto the left front quarter panel of someone's car... then reflecting about 500m down the road what might have happened if I'd done that in moving traffic and fallen in front of a car.
There was also the time when Dad managed to shut the power cord of a toasted sandwich maker inside the hot plates while it was still plugged in and working - cue tremendous bang, a ball of blue light about two foot across, and a few reflective minutes on the part of everyone in the room.
Reminds me of a song.
You say Alder, Sophie says Elder
Lets cool the whole thing off.. -
There must be a word (and if there isn't, there should be) for that peculiar lurch you get in your guts, and the associated unpleasant skin-creepy feeling, when you realise that you're fine, but a few seconds ago you were inches/milliseconds/one flip of the cards of fate from something really nasty.
There is... Life.
Which is why, when it all turns to custard people say "That's Life" -
How does one befriend these custard people?
How does one befriend these custard people?
Oh, it's quite trifling, really.
Make suitable offerings of fruit, jelly, sponge cake, and whipped cream.
Add brandy to the jelly to taste. Garnish with sprinkles, walnut halves and grated chocolate.
Serve chilled, with more whipped cream.
I don't think I need to detail the Great Smoke Inhalation Affair or the Melting Pot Incident
My best effort is the Indoor Fish Smoking conflagration of '08. Closely followed by the Unattended Toasted Muesli Smokebomb of 1978.
How Northshore to have a 'house' fire as opposed to a hiphop one
How does one befriend these custard people?
I, for one, welcome the Yellow peril. Trade agreements may pave the way to closer ties but there maybe some cravats.
I'll get my passport.
Do you really mean to deny the divine intervention that self-evidentally saved your wretched skin?
So, I used to have this... person I was forced to interact with regularly, who was interesting. She told this story about the time she was woken by their lights flickering on and off. Thought it was one of their kids acting up. It stopped, then started again, and her husband got up to catch the offender. Nobody there, but he noticed a funny smell, went round the corner, and discovered that their fuse box was pretty much melting into a pile of slag.
It was of course, a miracle. Because you see God had made their lights flicker, to warn them that they were in terrible danger from their electrics. There is, after all, no other possible explanation.
Post your response…
This topic is closed.


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P.S. — Bring back the railroads!
Dear Word Detective: I recently searched for a phrase and was amazed that one which appears more than once in old "Pogo" comic strips (of which I've been a fan since my grandmother read Pogo to me when I was very young) by the master of ink-brush art, Walt Kelly, is not readily found in any online dictionary of slang or phrases, except one. Yes, that's right. I've already found it, but I thought I would write you a note about it since it was so hard to find. The phrase is "sleeper jump," and I found both its general meaning and vaudeville interpretation at a site run by Wayne N. Keyser and Ross MacRae (the latter of which, I believe, is a veteran magician and clown) at www.goodmagic.com/carny/vaud.htm. It means, generally, "an overnight train trip," and in vaudeville, a theater dressing room so high above the stage that it would take a "sleeper jump" to get up to it (those dressing rooms being relegated to the least-known performers). I think it is sad that phrases and slang from the past are not as easily accessed as the words in dozens of dictionaries devoted to slang that is in popular use today. Part of our heritage is the way in which language has been tailored by people in various locations and occupations throughout our history, and we lose something when we can no longer trace the lines back to their colorful, and useful, meanings. Perhaps you could enlighten me as to the hallowed halls where these things are studied and preserved. — Stu Mathews.
Thanks for an interesting note. I too grew up with Pogo, and my childhood Christmases wouldn't have been complete without a few rousing family renditions of "Deck Us All with Boston Charlie."
There are a few dictionaries of slang that do list older terms such as "sleeper jump," including those of Eric Partridge, although his compilations tend to have a British focus. The Historical Dictionary of American Slang also covers many older terms, although the HDAS is a work in progress and only up to the letter O at this point.
The prospect of losing terms such as "sleeper jump" as their original users pass on is indeed distressing, but there is hope of slowing or even stopping the loss of yesterday's slang and occupational lingo. One recent development is the internet itself, which, as in the case of the website you found, can collect and share this material with the whole world.
Another is the American Dialect Society (www.americandialect.org), which since 1889 has been collecting and studying American English, including just this sort of vanishing vocabulary. You don't have to be a linguist or lexicographer to join the ADS, and even non-members are welcome to join their email list and browse its archives. If you do join, however, you'll have online access to the archives of American Speech, the Society's scholarly journal, dating back to 1925. In fact, I just searched the American Speech archives under "vaudeville" and came up with 59 articles, including a glossary of "American Stage-Hand Language" from 1927. So, fortunately, the ADS is paying attention, and has been for a long time.


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Sister Logical and Sister Mathematical
There were two clever nuns walking back to their convent after spending the day working at a soup kitchen.
One of them was known as Sister Mathematical (SM), and the other one was known as Sister Logical (SL).
It is getting dark and they are still far away from the convent.
SM: Have you noticed that a man has been following us for the past
thirty-eight and a half minutes? I wonder what he wants.
SL: It's logical. He wants to have sex with us.
SM: Oh, no! At this rate he will reach us in 15 minutes at the most! What
can we do?
SL: The only logical thing to do of course is to walk faster.
A little while later…
SM: It's not working.
SL: Of course it's not working. The man did the only logical thing. He
started to walk faster, too.
SM: So, what shall we do? At this rate he will reach us in one minute.
SL: The only logical thing we can do is split. You go that way and I'll go
this way. He cannot follow us both.
So the man decided to follow Sister Logical.
Sister Mathematical arrives at the convent and is worried about what has happened to Sister Logical.
Then Sister Logical arrives.
SM: Sister Logical! Thank God you are here! Tell me what happened!
SL: The only logical thing happened. The man couldn't follow
us both, so he followed me.
SM: Yes, yes! But what happened then?
SL: The only logical thing happened. I started to run as fast as I could
and he started to run as fast as he could.
SM: And?
SL : The only logical thing happened. He caught up to me.
SM : Oh, dear! What did you do?
SL : The only logical thing to do. I lifted my dress up.
SM : Oh, Sister! What did the man do?
SL: The only logical thing to do. He pulled down his pants.
SM: Oh, no! What happened then?
SL : Isn't it logical, Sister? A nun with her dress up can run faster than
a man with his pants down.
And for those of you who thought it would be dirty, now, say two Hail


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By Batir Tursunov
September 5, 2018, the CACI Analyst
At its June 22, 2018, plenary session, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on "Strengthening regional and international cooperation to ensure peace, stability and sustainable development in the Central Asian Region." According to Uzbekistan's Foreign Ministry, all UN members unanimously supported the draft document, developed by Uzbekistan along with other Central Asian states.
By Farkhod Tolipov
April 10, 2018, the CACI Analyst
On March 15, 2018, the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and the speaker of Turkmenistan's parliament gathered in Kazakhstan's capital Astana for a long-awaited meeting. Notably, the meeting was five-lateral, not four-lateral like previous meetings, and was consultative. Over 10 years have passed since the latest regional meeting of the Central Asian leaders. Not least for geopolitical reasons, the regional integration process that started in 1991 has since declined. This consultative meeting signaled a possible revitalization of regional cooperation, while the region remains in the shadow of great power politics.
By Johan Engvall
March 22, 2018, the CACI Analyst
Something is stirring in Central Asia. The past two weeks have seen a flurry of bilateral and multilateral get-togethers, starting on March 9, when Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived with great fanfare in Dushanbe for the first state visit of a president of Uzbekistan to Tajikistan since 2000. Less than a week later, on March 15, the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as the speaker of Turkmenistan's parliament gathered in Astana for the first exclusively regional "summit" in almost a decade. What do these meetings, each producing several intriguing bilateral and multilateral agreements and statements, mean for the prospects of Central Asian countries finally embarking upon a path of development through cooperation?
By Richard Weitz
August 3, 2017, the CACI Analyst
The June Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana marked the SCO's first membership expansion since its creation in 2001. By finally ending this logjam, the SCO has raised expectations of continued enlargement and increased geopolitical weight. However, major obstacles to further growth persist; meanwhile, more members deepen the mutual tensions and rivalries within the institution.
By Farkhod Tolipov
June 6, 2017, the CACI Analyst
In April this year, Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbaev made it clear that Kazakhstan intends to change from the Cyrillic to the Latin alphabet. Thereby, this country took a new step in the overall course of its post-Soviet development as an independent state. Kazakhstan became the third state in Central Asia after Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan that decided to undergo such a change. Kyrgyzstan will supposedly be the next country to move in the same direction. The change of alphabets was met with geopolitically saturated aversion in Russian political circles and media, in contrast to the relatively peaceful manner with which it is being introduced in the countries themselves.
The Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst is a biweekly publication of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Program, a Joint Transatlantic Research and Policy Center affiliated with the American Foreign Policy Council, Washington DC., and the Institute for Security and Development Policy, Stockholm. For 15 years, the Analyst has brought cutting edge analysis of the region geared toward a practitioner audience.
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Flirty, dangling faceted Green Tourmaline gemstone, hammered flower 14kt gold filled earrings. Bringing a little bit of sparkle and swing to your wardrobe. These earrings hang a total of 1 3/4 inches long. You will receive the exact earrings pictured.
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Cyber Monday shoppers may also want to consider refurbished gifts.
Monday, U.S. PIRG released its "Fixed for the Holidays" update. It found the variety has expanded greatly since the last report two years ago.
There are options like refurbished smartphones, vacuums or professional cameras.
"The deals and the quality have gotten a lot better, and in fact some of the refurbishers have told us that they've seen a significant increase in their operations over the course of the pandemic," said Nathan Proctor, Director of U.S. PIRG's Right to Repair campaign.
Refurbished products can be a great alternative for new devices that are hard to find amid manufacturing disruptions caused by the pandemic. Plus, the savings can be significant. Most of the time, they're even better than the discounts on Black Friday.
Buying refurbished is also a green option because it cuts waste.
Many of the big retailers do their own refurbishing. There's also certain websites U.S. PIRG recommends, like The Store, Back Market, and Gazelle. They have extensive quality checks and great coverage options.
"We recommend some of the retailers we do because the warranties are so good. I mean you can get a product with a longer warranty from the refurbisher than the new equipment manufacturer provided," said Proctor.
When shopping refurbished, learn how the site differentiates its products. Then, decide what balance you're looking for.
Some products may be less expensive but have more cosmetic issues like scratches and dings. Others were returned without ever being opened.
Look for brands with a reputation for higher quality.
A good rule of thumb is if it was cheaper when it was new, it's higher risk as refurbished.


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Stripped Down Patchwork by Erin Gilday of
I got to know Erin through her great projects
in Stitch magazine which are always so unique and vintagy.
Have you seen her biker wrap skirt in there? So cute!
What I found later is that she is not only super creative
but also fun and friendly, which you know if you are
a reader of her blog for sure :)
I love the way she combines solids with other fabrics
in such a clever way with a vintage twist, so I was
really glad to see all her 12 practical projects in her book use
solids somewhere. Also, all these projects feature Seminole
patchwork technique. (Not sure what it is? She has
explained it very well here over Craftzine.)
You are not the only one if you thought these projects
would take forever to make - I thought so too until
I read in the book how you can save lots of time using
Leisure Arts Blog – Monday, May 16
Sew Daily – Tuesday, May 17
Craftzine – Wednesday, May 18
Craftypod – Thursday, May 19
Whipup.net – Friday, May 20
Burdastyle – Saturday, May 21
Pink Pinguin - Sunday, May 22
A Green Banana – Monday, May 23
I Think Sew – Tuesday, May 24
Happy Zombie – Wednesday, May 25
A Mountain Hearth – Thursday, May 26
Sew News - Friday, May 27
Pat Sloan's Blog – Saturday, May 28


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Jan-Michael Vincent, 'Airwolf' Star, Dies at 74
Jan-Michael Vincent, who had a lengthy career in film and television across several decades and became famous in the 1980s as the star of the action series Airwolf, has died. TMZ reports Vincent passed away last month after a heart attack:
Jan-Michael actually died back on February 10 after suffering cardiac arrest while a patient at a North Carolina hospital ... according to the death certificate. We're told no autopsy was performed and he was later cremated.
Airwolf became a hit on CBS in the mid-1980s, with Vincent as Stringfellow Hawke, the pilot of the show's highly-advanced helicopter. The series is remembered for its big action scenes and its iconic '80s opening credits and theme song:
Before Airwolf, Vincent appeared in The Mechanic opposite Charles Bronson, and the action thriller White Line Fever among many other productions. Sadly, Vincent also struggled with drugs and alcohol which severely hindered his career, particularly in the years after his version of Airwolf left the airwaves in 1986 (one more season aired on the USA Network, sans Vincent and the rest of the original cast). TMZ specifically mentions that Airwolf lasted on CBS for "only a couple seasons largely in part to the star's cocaine abuse." Despite his personal struggles, Vincent will be remembered as one of the signature television stars of the 1980s.
Gallery — The Best Television Series of 2018:


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Columns Retired Columns & Blogs |
Cary Audio Design SLP 05 preamplifier
RCA's time-honored 6SN7 may be the coolest tube of all. The octal-based dual-triode has its own Wikipedia entry—something not even the 2A3 or 300B can boast—along with its own website. The 6SN7 is chunky, rugged, and handsome. Best of all, it's available, probably because people keep coming up with very good uses for it. In that sense, the 6SN7 is the Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup of the tube world.
Developed in 1939, the 6SN7 appeared just in time for America's involvement in World War II, and its use in a variety of military settings spurred a remarkable level of demand, the influence of which continues to be felt in the new/old stock (NOS) tube marketplace. Later, in 1943, the engineers who developed the first ENIAC computer specified the 6SN7 as their dual-triode of choice—and because the 18,000-tube ENIAC contained more than 6000 6SN7s, with a weekly maintenance regimen that required frequent tube changes, demand and production remained high. As if that weren't enough, the 6SN7 became a popular choice among designers of television receivers, for use as a vertical amplifier—and, again, the RCA bean-counters smiled.
Today, the 6SN7 remains popular among high-end audio engineers, having surpassed the otherwise ubiquitous 12AX7—the miniature dual-triode that RCA developed in 1946, ostensibly as a replacement for the 6SN7—in some parts of our own community, if not the more lucrative industry of musical-instrument amplifiers. In particular, the single-ended-triode movement embraced the 6SN7 and its variants for use as a small-signal voltage amplifier. And no one exemplifies that movement more than Cary Audio's Dennis Had.
The latest result of Had's fascination with the 6SN7 is the Cary Audio SLP 05, the company's newest line-level preamplifier ($7500). In fact, the SLP 05 uses eight of them: not quite ENIAC, but more than I'm used to seeing in one place.
The SLP 05 is a two-box design in the usual sense: one chassis dedicated to the power supply, the other to the audio circuitry itself. The former uses a hefty R-core mains transformer with two sets of secondaries. Current from the 170V windings is rectified by a 5AR4C tube (chosen because that tube's cathode arrangement allows a horizontal installation), then smoothed with a pi filter and tied to the preamplifier's high-voltage rail. Current from the trannie's 14V secondary windings goes to a 35-amp full-wave rectifier bridge, after which it's sent to two sets of TO-3–style 12V regulators and complementary smoothing circuits: It's dual-mono from that point forward. That current is used to energize the filaments of the preamplifier's tubes, in a series arrangement (an important distinction, given that the heater requirement for a single 6SN7 is just over 6V).
Beyond those necessities, the SLP 05 power supply contains a rather nice luxury: a pair of English Sifam meters, for monitoring rail voltage and rail current. Thus, the most anxious audiophiles are given new freedom to worry (although, as Thelonious Monk might have said, You needn't).
A 6'-long, eight-conductor umbilical cord, made by Kimber Kable using Teflon-coated, oxygen-free copper, brings all those useful currents to the main preamplifier chassis, where the 6SN7s do their thing. The first half of the first dual-triode provides voltage gain for the left-channel signal's positive-going half, while the second half is an anode-follower buffer. The first half of the second tube provides voltage gain for the negative-going half of the same channel's signal, while its second half is also an anode follower buffer...and so on and so forth, across four tubes and two balanced channels.
The fifth and sixth tubes are used as input buffers, solely for the SLP 05's balanced throughput: When driving a stereo amplifier from the Cary preamp's single-ended outputs, you could pull either or both of those 6SN7s from their sockets without hearing a bit of difference. (Ever the wiener, I didn't try.)
Finally, the last two tubes comprise the SLP 05's cathode-biased, push-pull headphone amplifier—for which Dennis Had claims "almost a watt!" of clean output power. Those 6SN7s are driven by the balanced output from the line stage. (Flipping the headphone switch diverts a portion of the balanced output to the grids of those tubes, but does not disable the preamplifier's balanced-output jacks.) A ¼" phone jack is provided on the Cary's front panel, and Had says that his headphone amplifier is comfortable driving loads ranging from 40 to 300 ohms.
A final note on construction: The SLP 05 benefits from a tidy mix of old and new construction techniques—circuit boards share real estate with terminal strips and nicely dressed wires—and continues the recent Cary tradition of having its exterior adorned with genuine Jaguar automotive paint: in this instance, Anthracite Black Clear Coat. The faceplate is solid aluminum alloy, anodized silver. The combination looks positively stunning.
Installation and setup
The SLP 05 had nothing up its sleeve as far as installation was concerned: My task was a simple matter of coaxing eight tubes into eight sockets (the power supply's 5AR4C is installed at the factory), connecting the two boxes together with the aforementioned umbilical, and plugging in.
In standard Cary practice, soft elastomer feet, somewhat larger than average, are fitted to both enclosures. The top surface of the power supply has four round indentations, corresponding with the four feet of the preamp unit: clearly an invitation to piggyback them. Despite the ostensibly well-thought-out isolation feet, I nonetheless found that the addition of three Ayre/Cardas Myrtle Blocks under the power supply (when stacked) or both components (when separated) resulted in a slight but definite increase in the naturalness of the sound, solo voices and instruments exhibiting the greatest gains in that regard. (The Blocks' are just large enough to get the Cary's big, soft feet off the ground.)
Most of the front-panel controls reminded me of the time I'd spent with earlier Cary gear, such as the SLP 98P preamplifier I reviewed for Stereophile's February 2004 issue (and which remains in the Cary line, complemented yet not displaced by the flagship SLP 05). A nice-feeling rotary switch lets the user select among two balanced inputs and three of the single-ended variety, and toggle switches are provided for muting, tape monitoring, and switching an effects loop in and out, if so desired—as well as activating the aforementioned headphone amplifier. As suggested earlier, flipping that switch did not automatically disable the preamplifier's main output jacks; to enjoy music without waking the family, I could either silence the outputs by activating the effects-loop switch, or remember not to switch on the amplifiers.
As usual with Cary preamplifiers, each of the SLP 05's channels has its own attenuator, for adjusting left/right balance; they're effectively out of the circuit when not in use. The master volume control—an Alps two-channel potentiometer—is motorized for use with the SLP 05's remote handset, a palm-sized unit shaped like a mayonnaise jar in silhouette, with buttons only for Volume Up and Down, and Mute. As to the latter function, the SLP 05 differed somewhat from its predecessor: With the older SLP 98P, if the preamp was muted using its front-panel switch, it could not be unmuted with the remote; here, the use of the Mute button on the remote required the panel switch to be in the Mute position, and if the preamp was unmuted using its front-panel switch, it could not be muted with the remote.
In addition to my own Fi Preamplifier—a new version of which is reported to be in the works—I've been lucky enough to enjoy several genuinely great preamplifiers during the past year or so, including review samples of the EAR 912, DNM 3-C, Audio Note M2 Balanced and M3, Blue Circle Galatea Mk.II, Lamm LL2 Deluxe, and the Cary SLP 98P referred to a few paragraphs ago. With that in mind, I'd like to begin with an admittedly subjective observation:
Once a certain level of performance quality has been met, different preamplifiers exhibit the least significant sonic differences among various components in my system—certainly less than power amplifiers, and even less than different CD source components. It's been a long time since I've heard an egregiously colored preamp, or one that failed to convey at least an acceptable semblance of correct rhythms and pitch relationships, or that suffered an egregious lack of sonic naturalness or musical flow.
That's not to say I haven't liked the sound of some top-drawer preamps better than others. I remember the EAR as sounding exceptionally lusty and dramatic. And the Lamm—a sample of which I recently borrowed back for the sake of comparison in preparing this review—was and is an almost uniquely clean-, clear-, and natural-sounding player of music.


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Saturday, December 11, 2010
Day 8 Tag and My Cowboy Santa
36 comments:
- Janet Ghio said...
I'm very impressed with your wood carving!
- December 11, 2010 at 7:20 AM
- indybev said...
I LOVE your cowboy Santa. I used to sketch vintage Santas on 1-inch pine, cut them out with my band saw and paint them with oils, (I'm using a pair for my Sunday Postcard entry, but my one attempt at carving was less than successful. BRAVO to you for your cowboy. He's a charmer!
- December 11, 2010 at 7:56 AM
- Terry said...
Love your tag! The blue color choice is fantastic. Adorable Cowboy Santa! Have a great weekend!
- December 11, 2010 at 8:03 AM
- Helen said...
Love your carved cowboy santa, you are so clever! That tag looks amazing in blue - and do get the houses, they are fab!
- December 11, 2010 at 8:27 AM
Wow, I can't believe you carved that yourself... amazing! So much detail, he is beautiful and he looks just like I always knew Santa really looks. You should do more carvings..you are very talented.
- December 11, 2010 at 8:45 AM
- Paper Paradise said...
The tag as always......lovely, but the Cowboy Santa!!!!!!! He is just amazing. I find it so hard to see how someone can be so talented as to carve this out of wood!!!!! I am totally amazed! Sue x
- December 11, 2010 at 8:59 AM
- Martina said...
Ha-ha-ha, this cowboy Santa is so funny, Lynn! And your tag above is fabulous as always! Beautifully created!
- December 11, 2010 at 9:06 AM
- Susan said...
Lynn I love your cowboy Santa. He is so adorable.
- December 11, 2010 at 9:32 AM
- Tracy Evans said...
I love the tone on tone of your tag Lynn, very effective and wintery. I'm so impressed with your wood carving, I can't believe that was your first attempt, amazing. Tracy Evans x x
- December 11, 2010 at 9:49 AM
- Sonya Badgley said...
Wow! Lynn, your carved Santa is fantastic! I love his stick horse! . You are so talented. And I love your tag too!
Sonya - December 11, 2010 at 9:58 AM
- Netty said...
I love your wood sculptures and this is no exception, you must have a wonderful collection. Wood is such a pleasing medium, far better than metal. I really like your tag as well Lynn, great choice of colour. Annette x
- December 11, 2010 at 10:47 AM
Is there no end to your talents Lynn?! Your cowboy santa is fantastic! I love your blue version of Tim's tag too, a much better colour choice than Tim's! Great stamping too! x
- December 11, 2010 at 10:47 AM
- ScrappyDandyDoo said...
Your tags gorgeous, love that you kept it monotone:D
but OMG howcoolis your santa!!! I love him!!! clever you :D
Julie xx - December 11, 2010 at 10:53 AM
- misteejay said...
Lovely colour choice for your tag Lynn. Your Santa is amazing and such fun.
Toni :o) - December 11, 2010 at 11:16 AM
- Daniele said...
the tag looks gorgeous, so much better than Tims I have to say
hugs - December 11, 2010 at 11:33 AM
- Minxy said...
Your tag looks so pretty in blue, and as for the wood carving, i'm very impressed, its fab :D x
- December 11, 2010 at 12:34 PM
- Unknown said...
Happy Saturday and love your version of Tim's tag. Really, really loving your hand carved Western Santa, and I cant believe that is the first piece you ever did as he is just awesome.
- December 11, 2010 at 12:52 PM
- Jo said...
omg!!! there is no end to your talent ... what a crazy, wonderful, adorable cowboy santa, looooove his little horse!
- December 11, 2010 at 1:02 PM
- Evelyn S. said...
"Yee Haw" is right! Wonderful carving, Lynn.
And your blue tag....wowee! I did NOT like Sir Tim's version (I know that's probably heresy to many women..but it's the truth!)... yours is fabulous! - December 11, 2010 at 2:36 PM
- Louise (KardKrazy) said...
Well, let me just say right off the bat that it amazes me that your FIRST attempt at woodcarving turned out so impressively.
Secondly, I love the way you stamped the snowflake design on your santa and sleigh (Tim's Tag) and the little sentiment you included. What a great idea to use that OI house in the background. Love when we can use stamps from Halloween sets for Christmas. - December 11, 2010 at 3:00 PM
- The Dolphin Inn said...
Well I was all ready to comment on your gorgeous tag ( annd I totally agree I wasnt enamoured with Tims colours on this one either) and then wham bam thankyou mam, that wood carving blew my socks off - surely it is not fair that one woman can have so many talents !!!! He is the most fabulous looking santa I have seen, cute, funny, whimsical and amazingly well done - love love love him xxx
- December 11, 2010 at 3:19 PM
- she dreams big! said...
You carve too? What creative talents DON'T you possess? Your tags really put me in the mood to make some of my own but I won't. Love the poinsettia one the best so far!
- December 11, 2010 at 3:44 PM
- PetraB said...
Both your tag and your carving is most impressive.
- December 11, 2010 at 4:57 PM
- Kim B said...
I love the cowboy Santa, you just amaze me more everyday! Could I come live with you for the summer and you mentor me with all the types of art you can do!!! Fantastic Lynn.
Cute tag also,
Kim - December 11, 2010 at 5:16 PM
- Lori said...
I LOVE your version of Tim's tag, using the blues makes all the difference, it's just fabulous! And that hand carved cowboy Santa is just too awesome for words..
- December 11, 2010 at 5:34 PM
- Lori Saul said...
A beautiful tag and what a great Cowboy Santa- fantastic work! I hope you are feeling a lot better and the best to you and yours this Holiday Season. I love seeing all of your beautiful art in the somserset magazines- I don't know how you do it all!
- December 11, 2010 at 6:16 PM
- Lisa Somerville said...
Beautiful take on Tim's tag, love the mix of AO imgaes! FAB carved piece - you are so talented!
- December 11, 2010 at 7:21 PM
- donna said...
Love your carving! You were so clever to change the colors and create such a wintery magical card!
- December 11, 2010 at 9:18 PM
- Sue said...
Lynn, trying to do some blog catchup tonight. Your tags are so wonderful - so creative! LOVE your cowboy Santa! My God girl, you are amazingly talented!
Sue - December 11, 2010 at 9:34 PM
- Sandy said...
Oh wow so wonderful blue Tag Lynn.
Fantastic design. Love them. - December 12, 2010 at 12:47 AM
- Sarah said...
Yee haw is right...that is one awesome Santa! And you are one multi-talented gal!
- December 12, 2010 at 10:55 AM
- Vic said...
Your tag is great - I love the color scheme!
Your Santa is fantastic! The only thing I ever carved was a snowman out of Ivory soap - when I was about ten! (Oh, except pumpkins! LOL) - December 12, 2010 at 11:23 AM
- Christine said...
Love your tag but that Santa is gorgeous!!! My dad would have loved it! It really reminds me of the years he played Santa for the grand kids. He was smart enough to change out of his cowboy boots or it would have given him away for sure!!!
- December 12, 2010 at 1:54 PM
- Suzanne C said...
Love your colors on this tag and that you stamped the train station in the background. Your carved cowboy is fantastic! Very multi-talented are you!
- December 12, 2010 at 8:20 PM
LOL! My brother would have loved this ;) it's darling for sure. Thanks for sharing him with us. Linda Duke
- December 13, 2010 at 9:45 PM
- Marva Plummer-Bruno said...
Oh this is awesome! I tried carving once, decided it was not for me...
- December 17, 2010 at 8:05 PM
Blog Archive
- Paris Couture
- So I've been Thinking....
- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmoose
- Ave Maria Ornament
- Tag Tuesday -gold or Silver
- Tag Tuesday
- Rock Candy Stickles- CCC & The Artistic Stamper
- Victorian Christmas Ornaments
- Victorian Christmas Ornment
- Day 12 - Thats All Folks
- Tags Day 10 & 11
- Day 8 Tag and My Cowboy Santa
- Tag ??? What day is it now?
- Vintage Ornament
- Tag day 7 and Frosty Friends
- Day 6 Tags of Christmas and a little Holiday decor
- I'm interrupting my the 12 tags of Christmas for a...
- Day 5 Tim's Tag
- Tim's tag Day 4
- Day Three Tim's Tags
- Day 2 -Twelve Tags of Christmas
- Christmas Wrapping!
- 12 Tags of Christmas


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A very short guide to Ramadan, from dates to Vimto
Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. It marks the time the Prophet Mohammed received the first verses of the Koran. All Muslims are required to fast for daylight hours, for 30 days. It started today and it will last until around 7 July – right through the longest day of the year. It might sound difficult – and it can be – but it's also a time of celebration and reflection for many Muslims.
Who's fasting?
The 1.6 billion Muslims around the world, although there are some exemptions for children and the ill among others. Sadiq Khan, London's new mayor, will be observing as he beds in to the job – he says he'll miss coffee the most.
Are you allowed water?
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdSo it's just about banning food and water during daylight hours?
Food, water, smoking, sex and masturbation are all disallowed. Many Muslims also take part in extra prayers nightly, and give to charity beyond their religious obligation. It's generally a time of religious devotion, and some Muslims report a communal feel: everyone in it together.
But it's almost the middle of summer, the nights are short
They are, but that's no excuse for most people. Because of the way the lunar calendar lines up with the Western, solar calendar, Ramadan gets 11 days earlier every year, and it just so happens that this year it has fallen during the part of the year with the longest days and shortest nights.
What about people even further north? How do the Finns do it?
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThat's a real problem. In some Scandinavian cities, the sun is down for less than four hours, and for those in the Arctic Circle, it may not go down at all. Classical Arabia, where Mohammed lived, had much less variety, being closer to the equator. Some Egyptian scholars say that if the day is longer than 16 hours, it's permissible to follow the times of Mecca or the nearest Muslim country – Turkey or Morocco in European cases. But some Muslims, including some in Finland, persevere through the long hours as best they can regardless.
And what's all this I hear about Vimto?
It's not caffeinated, it's sugary and it's strongly flavoured, so it's popular at Iftar, the evening meal after a day of fasting. Manchester imam Asad Zaman told Radio 4: "After a day of fasting your stomach has collapsed and your body is really low on energy. Anything sweet is a quick fix in terms of energising your body." And it's even more sugary, reportedly, in the Middle East.
What else is on the menu?
Tradition has it that the Prophet Mohammed broke his fast by taking a sip of water, eating some dates and praying, so many Muslims choose to emulate this. However, the table for Iftar varies around the world, with all sorts of traditional, home-cooked food available on those 30 or so nights. Nutritionists recommend slow-burning carbohydrates like rice or pasta to keep observers full, but you can forgive anyone who opts for a quick blasts of flavour and energy after a long day.
What about sports people preparing for the Euros and the Olympics?
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Hide AdMany observe the fast. Mo Farah postponed his fast while preparing for the 2012 Olympics, making up the fasting days later in the year. This is something pursued by other British Muslim athletes such as rower Moe Sbihi. Former Tottenham striker Mido, from Egypt, fasted during the season, tellingGoal: "When I was in England I was eager to fast all the time and keep praying and also reading Quran in my spare time. I fasted on every day and I don't think it affected my performance – actually I think I got stronger. I have played many matches on days which I have fasted."