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DIY Long Term Storage
The Prepared Mind › Forums › Food › DIY Long Term Storage
Tagged: canning
This topic contains 15 replies, has 7 voices, and was last updated by TN Homesteader 1 year, 7 months ago.
- AuthorPosts
- November 4, 2017 at 6:15 am #15414
What are your favorite methods of securing long term storage? Homer buckets? Freeze Dried? Canned goods? Livestock, etc…November 8, 2017 at 10:07 pm #15527
Here is how I've handled the topic within my preps. First and foremost, I look at food like all my other preps, tiered approach and following "2 is 1, 1 is none" motto. In case of food, the tiers are "shelf life" based which also allows for overlap.
Tier 1.1 (0 – 6 months): This is typically the normal "non-SHTF" situation but part of the preparations. With proper inventory and cycling
Tier 1.1 (6 months – 2+ years): Proteins are the primary target from a volume perspective, i.e., vacuum sealed frozen beef, chicken, pork, "seafood". Of course, SHTF power is necessary, in my case whole house generator. This is also a backup for potential power failure being in rural area.
Tier 1.2 (6 months – 2 years): Canned goods. These can be commercially available with greater focus on home canning. Rotation is important here to ensure one consumes the older items first. Commercially canned items will have a "best by" date which is not an expiration but should be considered for nutritional value of item. My preference is home canning, just like in the past. This opens up a world of possibilities from individual items, tomatoes, potatoes, proteins, etc. to complete meals. I will typically make up a batch of chili, beans, soup, etc. and can multiple quarts. There are a multitude of videos available on the canning subject; wet and dry canning, water bath or pressure….all good.
Tier 2 (0 – 7 years): DIY dehydrated meals. It is not that difficult but requires a means to dehydrate. Some ingredients are not as great as freeze dried version but hey, we are talking SHTF and not bad at all. For example, look at white chili, chicken, beans, tomatoes, peppers, and seasoning. Cook the chicken, cut into cubes and dehydrate, oven or dehydrator, just make sure all moisture removed. Soak, par cook and dehydrate beans. Dehydrate cubed tomatoes, chopped peppers. Now, vacuum seal the items, put into Mylar bag with favorite seasoning sack and you have a complete meal ready to add water, bring to boil and enjoy!
Tier 3.1 (0 – ?? years): Air tight, oxygen removed packaged grains and legumes. Although you can certainly fill a 5/6 gallon bucket with rice or beans, consider using smaller (few pound) Mylar bags. This will allow you to mix the items so that you can put in 1 bucket, navy, pinto, black, etc. beans. Or beans and rice in same. Along with Gamma lid and oxygen absorbent, don't have to leave exposed and rushing consumption.
Tier 3.2 (0 – 25 years): Freeze dried food, commercial or home. Here meals are an option but do not forget to get individual ingredients, proteins, vegetables, etc. This allows you to compile your own ingredients to make a meal. One item to consider to extend proteins, particularly ground meat, is TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein). Unless you are die hard vegetarian, I would not recommend them as only protein. However, adding a bit to a savory dish, chili, ragu (Italian sauce for you non-Italians), etc. makes the actual animal protein go much further without impacting the flavor. There are chicken, beef, and plain TVP versions.
Tier 4.1 (replenish): Livestock and garden. Chickens and rabbits are some of the easier livestock items to raise. Chickens of course, provide eggs in addition to meat and can be replenished with a single rooster. Rabbits are prolific and do not take up much room but also require at least 1 buck to replenish stock. Of course, as with all, there is a learning curve.
Tier 4.2 (replenish): Gardening is a great way with respectively less effort to livestock. Check out the Gorilla Gardening blog for more insight. There is a learning curve and you need heirloom seeds which will allow you to harvest new seeds for following season. Fresh from the garden vegetables are far superior in flavor that store, you just may not get the picture perfect item but you will not mind when tasted! Of course, here is where previous tiers come in as you are able to can, dehydrate, freeze dry most if not all vegetables and continue to enjoy during off season let alone SHTF!!November 16, 2017 at 5:58 pm #15756
Great info, a few things I haven't thought of. I haven't got as far as livestock of any sort but chickens are in the near future.
So many things to prep for and so little time and money lolNovember 16, 2017 at 10:02 pm #15761
Liljohn1998 – yes, there can be quite a bit to do and the list seems to grow as one item tends to trigger another. Chickens are a great way to start. Not sure how many you have in mind but starting with chicks is relatively inexpensive. Places like Tractor Supply or Rural King sell live chicks and you can order on line but beware of shipping costs if you intend to get small number. Not sure how rural is your location so look for a farmers' coop as they two sell chicks. You may also look into livestock auctions where you may be able to pick up grown chickens but a little more careful here if you are not familiar with "adult" birds. Layers peak at approximately 2 years of age and you don't want to get old birds. However, there is a learning curve advantage. You may get fewer eggs but will get familiar with behavior and other items as chick require more TLC until they are about 6-8 weeks old.November 18, 2017 at 7:18 pm #15792
We've got 15 "girls" that keep up in eggs. We harvest between eight and eleven eggs each day.
Here's the coop and run we have in the back yard.
They're a mix of Speckled Sussex and Rhode Island Reds. This is an old picture as they are fully mature now.
November 18, 2017 at 7:23 pm #15794
- This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by kmussack.
Aside from the chickens we intensely cultivate our 1-acre. We've got grapes, black raspberries, red raspberries, strawberries, asparagus and blue berries. Annually we cultivate about 1,000 square feet of garden as well planting beets, tomatoes, peppers, squash, eggplant, etc.
November 20, 2017 at 4:08 am #15836
- This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by kmussack.
Kokomo PrepperParticipant
I dehydrate fresh foods when in season and frozen when not. I cook meats to reduce oils/grease and then dehydrate. I then vacuum seal all foods as separate ingredients ( to maximize food prep flexibility) and then I seal all in food quality 5 gal. Buckets. I number each bucket and print out two contents lists one in the bucket and one in my Prepper notebook. There are more steps/details, but you get the idea.November 20, 2017 at 3:33 pm #15865
When I grew up at one point we lived with out electric and running water and heated our home by wood in one of the coldest locations in the lower 48 states Northern Michigan. Most of the food we ate was grown or harvested from the wild. I still know families that live like this today in fact 70-80% of their food is harvested from the wild and they may have electric but they heat and cook by wood. Hell to be honest I know more that a few that live 100% off the grid with no modern stuff except their car truck or boat. Johnhs 5th Wheel is like the Tajma hall compared to how these folks live. They can they smoke they dehydrate they salt cure and more. These are the kinds of people that are already prepped basically the live damn near post apoc or total collapse daily. An having lived this way and knowing these people there is no favorite type of keeping food for me because I was instilled with the wisdom of the old folks. There are things you can and can not can because if you can the things you cant and eat them later you will get sick or die. Then there are things that are better dried or dehydrated. Then there are things that are better smoked or pickled and yes pickling is a form of long term storage. Some one here posted about the different storage keep rates. Weeks, months, years, decades etc. In my opinion they were spot on with that info. You have to have a diverse storage system. Now with that all said I can say the following book is on a majority of the shelves of these and was on my parents shelves (which are now mine) as well. Hopefully the admin can come in and alter this link later so that the club can make money from any sales or how ever the club is doing that. Anyway this is the book https://www.amazon.com/Putting-Food-Fifth-Ruth-Hertzberg/dp/0452296226 So for those of you that do not have this book I would highly recommend that you get it and then actually perform the tasks it instructs you in for putting food by. Get the equipment you need if you can afford it and have the space and then get that knowledge under your belt because not only will it save you $$ today it may save yours and others lives in the future. An men do not be thinking that you have a woman and do not need to know this knowledge. Everyone from 5-60 male or female needs these skills. As my great grandma grandma and mother always said a man that can not cook, store food and know how to do the basics is not a man that is long for the world in hard times.
Essayons!November 20, 2017 at 5:50 pm #15916
LibertyShip – thanks for the book recommendation! Funny you should make comment about "men needing the shills", completely agree and funny since I'm the 61 year old (male) canner in household.December 19, 2017 at 12:45 am #16125
Liberty Ship: Thanks. Grandma gave good advice. I live in a city North of LA County California. No room for chickens. There are codes but across the street there are chickens and some horses.
We only buy and store. No much room; a full pantry of grains, beans, can food, cereals, spices and jams. Then two other supply areas. One for cans from Costco. One supply area is water and another guarded area is bulk grains.
We have a Nutri electric grain miller. I have learned to make bread and my wife has promised to make cheese. But she likes to shop.
We thank you for info and have a good Christmas. The Lord be with all of us. Hopefully I will not be forced to use my military training. California restricts weapons. Might need to buy another rifle.
Stay safe.December 23, 2017 at 2:37 pm #16187
JMED308 – In addition or replacement for some of your Costco cans, have you considered home canning? It is a wonderful way to have ready to eat food for a few years. Some say 2 years but I have opened cans (mason jar) of Lentils or Chili 3 years old without issue. Although there is an upfront cost for caners (pressure cooker and water bath) and the jars, the return is way worth it. The jars are good for many, many cycles and the caners can be used for other things, pressure cooking for one.
Bexar Prepper (<–link) is an oracle of the canning subject and there are many others to gain "book knowledge". You can certainly buy commercial, but pressure canning your own Ragu (Pasta Sauce), Chili, Soups, to name a few cannot be beat. Let alone water bath Pears, Tomatoes, and other live food when in season to enjoy off season. And let's not forget dry canning "meals in a jar", however, I like to use the recipe but Mylar bags as more cost efficient and less storage volume needed.January 5, 2018 at 3:49 am #16219
LibertyShipMGTOW, I'm glad you brought up the subject of pickling. Traditional methods of storing foods for long term is one of my favorite subjects. I love to water bath/pressure can/dehydrate BUT fermenting is my favorite method of preservation. You need very little (or none at all) special equipment other than the food itself and a container to keep it in. Plus it's generally agreed that the probiotics created during the fermenting process are beneficial to our health. Double bonus!January 21, 2018 at 1:47 am #16289
Thanks for idea on "Home Canning" still on learning curve with baking bread, cooking wheat berries and grinding grain into flour. Winter is good for Baking.
This spring will try to learn canning. No idea how to start?
Recently changed work schedule bright me closer to home and less commute. New "situational awareness " in Calif. So much to do! And learn. Thanks again. What was your first canning food?January 21, 2018 at 3:44 am #16292
JMED – I recommend starting with some of the YT videos on canning, (link–>) BexarPrepper; is excellent but has not produced a video in a while. Look at her library and pick something that looks interesting to you. Not saying this is what you start with, but to get the "feel" for it. Pick up a canning book, Ball publishes one which is a good reference and not expensive. There are better so consider costs versus long term reference. After a while, you will not use the reference book unless getting into something new. It has items to can, and you can certainly start with something there.
I kinda jumped in with both feet and first item to can was home made soup, chicken vegetable. That meant pressure canning but did the video and reference book as shared earlier.
There are 3 kinds of canning, dry, water bath, and pressure. There are two types of caners, water bath and pressure which is essentially a pressure cooker. Water bath does not require a caner but as they are ~$20 at Walmart, not too heavy of investment. The main thing is that can (jar) should not sit on bottom of pot, it needs a grate or something as a spacer and that is why the water bath caner is cheap way to start. This will let you do all kinds of vegetables and fruits but no meats as that needs pressure to prevent botulism contamination. That is where you could start. An easy one is pears if you like them.
Pressure canning is not difficult but is a step up in preparation and takes much longer from start to finish. That is were the videos and book come in, they give you written and audio & video perspective before you do it. Again, it is not difficult, just more time needed and the caner will run you ~$70.
There are 2 types of cans (jars), the smooth sided and the "mason" jar which is somewhat square'ish. The smooth sided can be used for water bath but NOT for pressure, that glass is not designed for that. You can certainly use the mason type for water bath but you are paying more for the jar than you need. The mason comes with two mouth sizes, regular and wide. There are two sized to address what you put in it, sometimes much easier to get product out of the jar if mouth is wider.
I'll stop here and we can pick it up once you have more questions. I don't consider myself an expert but aside from a few not sealing during canning process (it happens), I have not ever lost a seal or have something go bad. My preps currently include 18+ dozen quarts of home canned food; soups, meats, stew, Chili, beans, lentils, fruits, and vegetables. Heck, I've canned meatloaf, chorizo sausage, and Italian sausage and peppers!January 22, 2018 at 6:31 pm #16293
JMED – came across these YT videos on raw packed meat and Beef Stew canning. I think you'll find them informative.
Link –> Canning Meat (Super Easy Raw Pack) : Homesteading Family
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I find at the beginning of the New Year I always feel unproductive.
I want to give myself the time and space to sit and write and think but for some reason this makes me feel anxious.....like I need to get moving....I need to get on it......I need to DO. Ending my day with a notebook filled with webs and words feels like I haven't done enough. But, I know this time is so important to my soul, my art, and my business.
This year I am using some methods that I've used in the past and I'm also incorporating some new things into my planning. This is what it looks like:
1. Kudos - I sit, usually with coffee in front of my window and I write down all of things I've accomplished in the previous year both personally and professionally. I love this practice. There are so many moments when I feel like I haven't done enough. When I actually sit and write down all of the things I have done in the past year I realize that I have done tons and that I need to give myself Kudos for this.
2. Vision Planning - For this I use a tool that I got when I took one of Alyson Stanfields classes. I write out what I want in my life for the next year for my art, my finances, my personal and professional relationships, my health, my spirituality, my personal growth, my pleasure, and my contribution to the world. This is actually a tool that I use on a regular basis. I spend time working on it a few times each year and I look at it regularly. I have taken a number of classes from Alyson over the last few years and I would recommend all that she has to offer. You can find out more about her classes here.
3. My Core Desired Feelings - I started choosing feeling words and posting them to my wall after reading Danielle LaPorte's Fire Starter Sessions a number of years ago. This year Danielle has launched "The Desire Map", which I love. I have had the same core desired feelings for the past few years and this year I'm really spending some time reevaluating them and making some changes. The print version of The Desire Map is beautiful and I've been fully immersed in it for the last few days. I know a book is speaking to me when it is filled with dog ears, stars and underlines. There was even a part of it that gave me chills:
"A stranger in a bar taught me about crippling depression. "When I was standing upright, the distance between the floor and me felt too far," she told me. "So I decided it was better if I just crawled around the house. I was glad we had carpeting." A the time we met she was a high-functioning, radiant woman. I've recalled her story in my own dark nights. Radiance will happen again, radiance will happen again." Danielle Laporte, The Desire Map, p. 71
I love "Radiance will happen again" a simple phrase that I can see being most useful in those dark moments.
I would love to hear what other people use to plan during this month of renewal. Come talk to me via twitter @patsykaykolesar via instagram @patsykaykolesardesign or via facebook @pkkdesign
hmmm, why don't I use the same handle for everything? ;) maybe I should give that some thought as well!


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Candice Luth Events
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Introduce yourself!
I'm a total romantic and a Disney nut that has been obsessed with weddings and parties since I can remember. I live in Seattle with my husband and love of my life, Christopher. We were married in July 2011 and it was truly a fairy tale. (It was even held at a castle!) I have a cat. I love noodles. I knit and take photos and enjoy doing arts and crafts. Nature amazes me. I think that history is fascinating. I love to travel and have a dream of someday living in Paris with a small summer cottage in Provence (a girl can dream!). I graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in English and I absolutely love to read. I am a fun, quirky girl who dreams big and loves life.
How did you get started?
I started doing holiday parties for my "day job" and then slowly got into other events and weddings from there!
What is your favorite part of weddings?
Seeing the couples faces as they light up down the aisle, and also the first time the brides/grooms see their venue all decked out. Laughter and LOVE!
Tell us a story of a wedding that you'll never forget
A wedding that I just did at The Foundry in SODO had the absolute greatest couple and vendor team. It was just a beautiful evening with a great vibe, incredible music, lots of laughter and dancing, and so much joy. The couple just looked gleeful the whole night and all their friends and family were rocking it on the dance floor until they went out the door with Taco Bell tacos for the glow stick send off. It was also so memorable because the bride was friends with 3 of my other brides and grooms, so it was like a great reunion!
What are your dreams?
I dream of creating beauty in the world. Whether this is through gorgeous flower arrangements, a lovely table display, or the beauty of the smiles on a happy couples face, I just want to surround myself with loveliness. And I would be obsessed if I could do a wedding in either Disneyland or Paris. Or both. :)
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John Mcmanus
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- Towing Capacity: 1500 lb
- Lighting: (2) Halogen (high/low beam) headlights. (2) additional auxilliary LED headlights (high/low beam)
- Overall Length: 110.0 in
- Overall Width: 60.0 in
- Overall Height: 75.8 in
- Curb Weight: 1594.2 lb**
- Wheelbase: 78.9 in
- Instruments: Multi-function display includes digital speedometer, fuel gauge, odometer, hour meter, clock, dual trip meters, 2WD/4WD indicator, water temperature warning indicator, EPS warning indicators, neutral, reverse and parking indicators, differential indicator lamp, seatbelt reminder lamps
- Color Choices: Firecracker Red
- Warranty: Kawasaki Strong 3-Year Limited Warranty
- Kawasaki Protection Plus™ (optional): 12, 24 or 36 months
**Curb weight includes all necessary materials and fluids to operate correctly, full tank of fuel (more than 90 percent capacity) and tool kit (if supplied). KAWASAKI CARES: Always wear protective gear appropriate for the use of this vehicle. Never operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Protect the environment. The Kawasaki MULE™ side x side is an off-highway vehicle only, and is not designed, equipped, or manufactured for use on public streets; roads or highways. Obey the laws and regulations that control the use of your vehicle. Read Owner's Manual and all on-product warnings. © Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. Specifications subject to change.
- Engine Type
- 4-stroke, single cylinder, DOHC
- Displacement
- 695cc
- Cooling
- Liquid
- Fuel System
- DFI® with 44mm throttle body
- Dry Weight
- Curb Weight: 1594.2 lb.
- Wheelbase
- 78.9 in.
- Ground Clearance
- 10.6 in.
- Fuel Capacity
- 9.5 gal.
- Box Capacity
- 699 lb. (600 lb. max capacity for CA)
- Towing Capacity
- 1500 lb.
- Transmission
- Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with high, low, neutral, reverse gears
- Drive System
- Shaft, selectable 4-wheel drive with dual-mode rear differential, 2WD/4WD/4WD with rear differential lock
- Colors
- Firecracker Red
- Warranty
- Kawasaki Strong 3-Year Limited Warranty


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Was contemplating radio silence for a while, but then I realized that it's too boring. So here's a photo of my dinner last night, and then let's just do this thing called life together, okay?
Have you read Haunted Futures yet?
I've got a story in the science fiction/near future anthology Haunted Futures, together with the likes of Warren Ellis and Tricia Sullivan. Check it out!


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commercial hotel furniture suppliers
"Best of Exports" is one of the best wholesale restaurant furniture manufacturers in India. We provide high quality commercial and industrial Restaurant Furniture, Bar Furniture, Hotel Furniture Suppliers, Cafe Furniture, Live Edge Furniture and Fabric Sofa / Leather sofa to our most reliable customers which are arranged all round the country. We deliver furniture as per your custom choice all these Bar Furniture available in reasonable cost at Best of Exports.
|Related Link: Click here to visit item owner's website (0 hit)
|Target Prov.: All Provinces
Target City : Jodhpur
Last Update : Feb 05, 2019
Number of Views: 71
|Item Owner : Best of Exports
Contact Email: (None)
Contact Phone: 9829383706
|Friendly reminder: Click here to read some tips.


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I once witnessed a young woman pull down her top in the smoking area of the Casbah and twirl rapturously, her breasts angled and horizontally elongated under the influence of centrifugal gravity. Bored indie rockers, for a moment, gawked in delight. Save for appearances by Peaches and Har Mar Superstar, that was as sexed-up as San Diego's iconic rock cavern gets.
While most humans presently blessed with active blood flow enjoy sex, and the whole survival-of-the-species thing depends on its regular execution, the punk/alternative/ underground society has long acted as though its loins are on sabbatical. Which makes sense, figuring that mainstream singles bars are oft packed with cleavage-happy socialites with "predator" or "prey" written in their eyes.
In reaction to such slobbering pursuits, the men and women of the underground tend to embrace less lascivious forms of personal expression-artistic acuity, anti-commercialistic fashion, intellectual sustainability. People at places like the Casbah still fuck-they just don't tend to "freak" many strangers on the dance floor or speak loudly of their desires and/or conquests over designer cocktails.
They'd rather silently drink their Steinlägers while smugly ignoring their classless friend's attempt to glean coital particulars.
Such pseudo-chaste environs are the reason why the arrival of Suicide Girls' Live Burlesque Tour on the dingy Casbah stage is such an aberration: the sexless are about to get sexed up.
Or, at least teased.
Assuming you're not one of the 500,000 unique weekly visitors to suicidegirls.com, and that you don't count among the 24 million page views the website registers each month, or that you haven't read about the site in Wired, SPIN, Rolling Stone, Elle, Punk Planet or seen reports regarding the site on MTV, HBO's Real Sex, ABC's Nightline or Insomniac with Dave Attell, allow me to waft the smelling salts under nostril.
Since its inception in 2001, suicidegirls.com has spearheaded a revolution in sexual media-recasting mainstream erotica as the artistic self-expression of women who are a boob job, a nose job, a butt tuck, face lift... ah, hell, a spiritual and physical reincarnation away from Pamela Anderson.
Now, mind you, the 200-plus Suicide Girl models are hardly victims of brutal ugly stickings. But it's not uncommon for them to have multiple facial piercings, studded labia, purple hair or tattoos the size of wall posters.
"There's such a reality about the girls that have the piercings and the tattoos," says Suicidegirls' co-founder, Missy Suicide. "Everybody that I know has a piercing or a tattoo. I wanted a place for my friends to be themselves and be appreciated for being themselves."
Punks, goths, emo girls, indie chicks, weirdos, freaks-call 'em what you will, but on suicidegirls.com, they're called pin-ups.
"I wanted to do a site where the girls would be viewed the same way that the pin-up girls of the '40s and '50s were," Missy explains. "I'd always loved the Bettie Page photos and the Alberto Varga drawings. I always thought they had such class and treated the girls with such respect and the girls had this air of dignity and grace and beauty.
"I wanted to capture the punk-rock girls-the girls that were my friends-with that same sort of beauty and dignity. I thought that was missing in mainstream media."
Little did she know it would spark a worldwide phenomenon. The site is no longer just a site-it's described as "a contemporary lifestyle brand" that is part fashion boutique and part modeling agency, with a DVD and a coffee table book on the way.
For Missy and her co-founder Sean, the glorification and empowerment of women is tantamount. The models on Suicide Girls, she explains, "have full control of how they're presented. They pick out their outfits, they do their hair, they pick out the setting. They decide how much they're showing and what they're showing."
Perhaps it's this girl-friendly business model that accounts for the fact that 52 percent of the website's subscriber base is, indeed, female. And though the site is very friendly for gays and bisexuals, most of these female subscribers mark "heterosexual" in their personal profiles.
Siren, a Suicide Girl model, explains that the 44-city Live Burlesque Tour that she is choreographing and spearheading for the company is also female-focused.
"It's not often that you can go to a sexy show or a strip club or even a sexy movie and have it be made for a female audience," she explains. "Generally that stuff is targeted towards men.
"[Our show] is for men, too, but we want it to be comfortable for young women and girls-that's why it's all choreographed and done by women."
While the tour is something new for the Suicide Girls, live performances are not. For the past two years, models from the site have put on a similar "punked up and Suicide Girls style" burlesque show, Siren explains, in the clubs of Portland, Ore., where the site was formed.
The approximately 45-minute show is a partial throwback to the times when women couldn't get nude onstage, and thus had to rely on the intimation of nudity, a strong act of flirtation and the art of tease. The girls will wear homemade costumes, decorate themselves in tape and perform to songs by both Shirley Bassey and The Ramones. Expect the use of duct tape, pastries and possibly whipped cream, beer and chains.
Missy hopes that the show in San Diego-the fifth city on the tour-will be pulled off with enough panache to embody how she feels about Suicide Girls overall:
"It's art and it's beautiful."
The Suicide Girls Live Burlesque Tour teases the Casbah, 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 11. $10. 619-232-HELL.


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In this book, Grove explores traditional veneering techniques, then expands on those possibilities with a range of unconventional methods that he has developed. He presents a comprehensive overview of how to create, lay out and apply veneer, before stretching the boundaries through innovative designs.
Useful for repairs and other situations where you want to conceal the work, he shows how to use wavy contour lines that are less conspicuous than the usual straight seams. To create spirals and other bold, eye-catching patterns, he explains his straightforward system of developing complex asymmetrical compositions.
Illustrated throughout with clear, step-by-step photos that demonstrate the techniques, while offering plenty of creative ideas you can adapt in your own work.
Hardcover, 9" x 11", 176 pages. 2011.


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What might museums and archives reveal about the history of collecting? At the Victoria and Albert Museum, Dr Hannah Young has been investigating some of the links between British slave ownership and the development of the museum. Absentee slave-owners used their wealth to invest in collections in the metropolis, and many of the objects once collected by them and their descendants can now be found at the museum. They've just appointed Victoria Adukwei Bulley as artist-in-residence to explore how this history has been 'hidden in plain sight' within the museum and how its legacy continues to shape the way in which we see the world today. Over a period of three months, she'll seek to challenge the way in which visitors think about the collections.
Victoria is a British-born Ghanaian poet, writer and filmmaker based in London. In her own words, she aims:
to respectfully unearth the names, lives and experiences of individuals whose enslavement is ineffably tied to items housed within the V&A's collection.
She'll be drawing closely on Dr Hannah Young's research and the extensive Legacies of British Slave Ownership compensation database, using text, film and photography to provide a human face to this history in ways that archives are incapable of doing. This programme of exploration will be linked with a selection of public-facing events under the title A Series of Unfortunate Inheritances. Why not go along to one of these if you're in London?


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Remote work
I can also work from home.
If you want to present your strategy to b in a single image, or present your company to new potential clients in a quick, visual and fun way, I can translate a simple Word document in a colorful image.
If you are going to be present at a trade-show with your company stand and would like to communicate faster and more effectively, why don´t you ask me to create postcards or roll-ups?
You are throwing an in-house, but not compulsory, workshop for your employees. Have you tried with something different than an email? I can draw the invitation for you and help you with the "calling".
You will be presenting at a conference. You will use Powerpoint. But this year you don´t want to copy paste images from the WWW. Call me and I can help you spice your presentation up, maybe with a little humor.
Once I even translated a Phd thesis in an image. It. Took. Time. And the new Doctor was very satisfied.


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I announced in a previous blog post that i will be attending the YCP Job/Entrepreneurship Fair 2017. So on Saturday 25th March, myself and other young Nigerians converged at St. George's School Compound, Falomo for the second edition of the Job/Entrepreneurship Fair organized by the Young Catholic Professionals (YCP) of the church of the Assumption Falomo, Lagos and it was EXCELLENT!
This year's event was themed, "Maximizing The Moment" and indeed the moment was maximized as there were inspiring talks from industry leaders, engaging questions and answer session, CV collection, job interviews, opportunities for networking and plenty of refreshments.
This year's speakers were Dame Winnie Akpani (MD/CEO NorthWest Petroleum and Gas Limited) the keynote speaker who spoke on "maximizing the moment". Senator Mike Ajegbo (Sen. Federal republic of Nigeria) a guest speaker who spoke on "Reposition for Maximum Impact" and Mr. Ike Chioke (GMD, Afrinvest West Africa Limited) the second guest speaker who spoke on "Beginning with the end in mind".
Speaking to the hundreds of attentive youths in attendance, Dame Winnie Akpani started by saying that; "Every day is God's gift to you and how you use it is a gift to yourself". She differentiated between intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship, took us on a journey through her challenging beginnings to the joy of her mega corporate success. She admonished participants to start small (gutter level) as it will provide a history and track record for achievements. She revealed that many people doubted her ownership of NorthWest Petroleum and Gas Limited, but her "days of little beginnings" spoke for her.
A representative from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs Badejo, talked about Nelex (National Electronic Labour Exchange) and reiterated the federal government's plan to reduce unemployment drastically. While "Uncle" Emmanuel Ijewere a chartered accountant and Agripreneur in his talk encouraged participants to tap into Agribusiness as it is the "oil and gas" of tomorrow.
The job fair proper was fast, fluid and had many more diverse companies and HR consultants present. The question and answer session was fun, engaging and educating. Insights were given as to why recruiters prefer certain classes of degree and why they include age limits in job vacancy requirements.
The YCP Job/Entrepreneurship Fair 2017 was a success as it had many more participants in attendance and I noticed improvements in timing, number of recruiters, arrangement/aesthetics of recruiter's stand, collection of feedback from the participants and the food (Jollof Rice, beef and nourishing moi-moi to top it).
Kudos to Young Catholic Professionals (YCP), Falomo and Patfam Investment Limited (technical partners) for an awesome experience and a moment maximized. The event was relayed on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram with the hashtag #YCPJobFair2017
The Young Catholic Professionals (YCP) is open to graduates and they meet every Thursday at the conference room (above the chapel of perpetual adoration) of the church of the Assumption, Falomo, Lagos by 7pm.
Success in your job search... and career!
Be social. Share. Connect. Like and Follow: Facebook / Twitter


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ON the evening that Gender Ministry Permanent Secretary Pius Bigirimana was launching his book 'Corruption: A Tale of Wolves In Sheep's Clothing', I was the surprised, proud and excited recipient of a book written by another Ugandan few of you have heard about.
And whereas I will certainly buy Bigirimana's book one day and give it an enthusiastic read, my eyes are now poring over 'Huumura: Ebyokurya n'Omubazi gw'Amagara Gaitu', a 143-page book by one John Arinaitwe.
I must immediately declare that Arinaitwe gave me the book free of charge, and that he has not solicited any publicity from me at all, poor fellow.
He handed two copies of his book, which retails at Ushs15,000 per copy (I'll explain later why this detail is important), to Richard Barungi and I because we're both members of the Board at the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation where he is employed as Manager of UBC West 'Empikahoona'.
He was moved to make the donation at the end of a Board and Senior Managers' Retreat this week for reasons I won't go into now; if he had been only a poultry farmer perhaps he would have handed us a tray of eggs or a rooster.
Back to 'Huumura: Ebyokurya n'Omubazi gw'Amagara Gaitu', on the inside cover of the book is a quotation from the Greek physician Hippocrates (460-370 BC), who is so essential to the world of medicine that medical professionals the world over swear an oath in his name, the 'Hippocratic Oath'.
But this quotation, as presented by Arinaitwe, is in Runyakitara; which made me muse over the possibility of someone in Western Uganda studying medicine in vernacular and how that would increase medical coverage significantly!
"Hindura ebyokurya omubazi gwawe, kandi omubazi gwawe gube ebyokurya byawe." (No, I am NOT translating it into english, and I will tell you why in a couple of minutes).
A couple of pages later, after the National and East African anthems (I stand while writing this – and mentally applaud him!) I realised that the ENTIRE book was in Runyakitara.
As the realisation struck me and my reading slowed down, my admiration for Arinaitwe went a few notches higher on finding his very first entry taking a quotation from BOTH the Bible and the Quran, to explain the benefits or virtues of greens & vegetables.
And while I was squinting at a couple of words that appeared to be translated into the Runyakitara pronunciation of the english version of the same words, Barungi mentioned that the language of the book was much more complicated than his own native Runyankore.
We immediately took Arinaitwe down a line of questioning that he was ably handling when another colleague of his interjected with, "Wait! Do you know that the author of Katondozi (y'Orunyankore-Rukiga) commended Arinaitwe for coming up with some words in the language?!"
'Katondozi y'Orunyankore-Rukiga' is the Runyankore-Rukiga thesaurus written and published last year by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Manuel Muranga, Alice Muhoozi and Gilbert Gumoshabe.
These were the same words I was squinting at right then – Enkorera-mubiri (Enzayimu – Enzymes) and Entegyeka-Mubiri (Hormoni – Hormones). Arinaitwe explained that he came up with the words in Runyankore because he looked into the importance to the health of the body, of both enzymes and hormones, and decided to define it for ordinary people so they could understand them fully rather than just use the words.
It would have been unbecoming for me to stand up and clap my hands into his face, so I kept calm and questioned him some more.
My eyes popped when he said he had already prepared manuscripts translated into Lugbara and Swahili, and English! All these, he noted, had been done by his colleagues at work, quite kindly, I might add.
"I haven't done Luganda yet because they have asked me for money which I don't have," he said, in passing, but we stopped him there.
"How much?"
"They asked me for three hundred (300). So I will wait until I have that…"
We all paused for a while and looked incredulously around at each other till one person had the courage to ask, a little silently and in awe of the value of Luganda in general: "300 million…?"
"No!" he responded, totally missing our incredulity and the reason why we were so mistaken, "Three Hundred thousand."
The courageous one plunged in again with: "Shillings?"
We paused again for a few seconds to try and understand how three hundred thousand shillings had stopped this life-changing, societal-improvement project from going to the next level.
That's when he told us how when he finished the first manuscript he was a little unsure of his Runyakitara and so went to the Department of Languages at Makerere University to get them to proof-read and endorse his work, but was asked for ten times his current predicament with Luganda.
It was way out of his reach, and he tried to negotiate his way lower but couldn't see how it would work so he turned round to leave, dejected. But one person couldn't bear the sight and offered to give the manuscript a quick look-over. Shortly thereafter, the volunteer reader, a PhD Linguistics candidate, summoned him in excitement; this gentleman, Dr. Celestino Oriikirizar, had suffered non-stop migraines for an inexplicable period of time but while reading Arinaitwe's manuscript had started following some of his nutritional advice and the headaches had gone!
Long story. Cut short. Book cleared and published. Now in my hands.
But then the man needs "300" to come up with a Luganda version – so I am going to mobilise that; YOU don't even need to get involved, besides buying copies of the book (at the Uganda Bookshop). I am also going to buy up a few copies – a copy for each of my own children so that one day they pick it up and learn some vernacular even though it is heavier on Runyankore-Rukiga than Runyoro-Rutooro.
They will also be healthier, and will learn that another child, Arinaitwe's own son, Allan Roy Arinaitwe, inspired his father to finish and publish the book – but sadly passed on before it came to print.
Rather than buy up tomes and re-publications by Dr. Atkins and others with diet plans of foods that don't even grow in Uganda, let alone get to supermarket shelves here, Arinaitwe will be their nutrition and personal health guide.
Thankfully, the government itself recognises the book and presents a foreword signed by the Commissioner for Health Service (Planning), Dr. Francis Runumi; who rightly (yes – in Runyakitara) lauds the book for addressing lifestyle as a health issue.
In fact, I am sending a few copies to some people in a village I know, in the hope that this Ushs15,000 spent will save me having to spend a lot more in medical aid for preventable illnesses and ailments. And if this book found its way into every household upcountry in one language or another, just after UPE…


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The Writer - Cthulhu playing cards
About the game
Only one player will prove to be the Writer by publishing the Cthulhu Mythos books using cards. Use the cards abilities to reach your goal and complete your Library Card without losing your points to win the game.
[ Ver el juego y las instrucciones en español → ]
Details of the resin Cthulhu Altar:
Details of the cards:
Pawns on the Altar:
Use the cards abilities to reach your goal and complete your Library Card without losing your points to win the game.
Each card represents part of a story. In the game there are 8 unique stories represented by a color and symbol. You can complete a story by getting 5 cards with the same symbol.
The game has different rounds. The first round's aim is to get one story, on the next 2 rounds you must complete 2 stories; and the next rounds 3. However you always start to play with only five cards, so you will need more cards to complete the stories, but beware, once you get them you will have to get rid of all the ones you have left! You will need to decide on your strategy!
Each card has a unique ability, represented by its top icon. This ability enables you to get additional cards; to repeat your turn; to take cards from the discard pile or to get rid of your own cards. You will use the abilities depending on your strategy, the game's progress and the aim of the round.
A round ends when a player meets the defined aim and manages to dispose of their remaining cards. The winner will mark their stories on the library card and the losers lose sanity points for the cards remaining in their hand.
The first player who completes the eight stories on their Library Card will be declared the true Writer and win the game!
A game lasts approximately 60 minutes and is for 2 to 4 players. You can also play a fast-play method for 20-minute games, or you can combine two games to play up to 8 players.
A provisional (unformatted) rulebook is now in translation progress to different languages. You can read and leave your comments on the public doc now.
Add 15€ to get the EXTRA PACK, it comes with extra cards and components to play up to 6 players and a special Cthulhu "Glow in the Dark" dice!
You can add more stuff to your pledge:
- Add 19€ to get a full additional game +5€ for extra shipping costs (+24€ total).
- Add 19€ to get 8 extra Cthulhu pawns: 4 extra color pawns in translucent resin and 4 extra solid resin pawns. Only for Collector or Deluxe reward levels
As with our previous projects, we ship internationally, to both the USA and Europe as well as the rest of the world.
Cthulhu Project was born on Lovecraft's 75th anniversary to share his work and create products for fans and cultists. We already publish Lovecraft news on the web and offer the Cthulhu Shop as a guide to find Lovecraftian items. More recently we successfully completed the design and production of the Secret Idol and Cthulhu Talking Board collectables. The aim is to continue creating games and unique products based on the wonderful Lovecraftian universe... but this will only be possible with your help!
Alberto Cano: Cultist & founder of the Cthulhu Project, the designer of this game. He has designed some mobile games in the past, and he is the instigator of some rare lovecraftian products.
Daniel Ritthanondh: The resin pieces are made by the talented artist Daniel of Teptec Studios. All the resin pieces are produced in Germany by the artist so you can expect the same high quality of the Talking Board planchettes or the Secret idol. Daniel has been collaborating with us before and his work is well recognized.
Jericho Benavente: The art of the cards has been made by the talented Serathus, he is now involved in Wills and Wonders Strategy RPG game.
Stapleton McTavish: He is the author of the Cthulhuian font, we are using it under McTavish permission.
Previous products on Kickstarter
We have successfully created, produced and shipped products from Kickstarter before, so we have experienced all phases of the campaign and our estimates are quite accurate. Take a look at our Secret Idol, the Cthulhu Talking Board or the recently launched Where's Cthulhu: Arkham Parade projects to see.
Risks and challenges
We have successfully created, produced and shipped other products, so we have experienced all the delicate stages of a campaign, from the original idea to delivery of the final product. We will produce the game in Europe, where we achieve high quality and avoid delays that often occur when working with other countries. From here we have complete control over all phases of production.Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
Funding period
- (24 days)


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The UK video game charts have been published today including the sales after the Christmas holidays, and the Game Industry is reporting that Nintendo Switch game sales have managed to increase over 90% in 2018 over what it did in 2017.
Category: Nintendo Switch
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Best Selling Game On Amazon In 2018 (US)
2018 saw the Nintendo Switch's first full year which meant high hopes for another successful year following 2017.
Amazon has released it's list for the top selling video games from last year with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate managing to come up top.
Here is the list:
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Super Mario Party
- Marvel's Spider-Man
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Super Mario Odyssey
- Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
- God of War
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Nintendo eShop: January 2019
It's the start of the month and that means one thing – New games arriving this month! Here are some of the games set to release this month on the Nintendo Switch eShop:
3rd: Pic-a-Pix Pieces (£6.99)
11th: New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (£49.99)
17th: Build a Bridge! (£13.49)
24th: Doodle God: Evolution (£6.29)


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at The Walpole Bay Hotel 5th Avenue, Cliftonville, Margate, Kent, CT9 2JJ
Tel. 07971324347 email [email protected]
Services and price list:
Cut and styling
Cut and blowdry short hair 1h £59.
Cut and blowdry long hair or restyle 1h30m £65.
Blowdry short hair 1h £39.
Blowdry long hair 1h15m £45.
All the above prices include a high quality Organic colour systems haircare treatment customised to each individual need.
Hair up ,party or retro style 1h £55.
Bridal in salon 1h £68.
Bridal on location £68 plus £20 per h.
Root tint 1h £52.
Full head tint 1h15m £58.
Toner 15m £26.
Extra tube of colour £14.
T section high or low lights 1 h £68.
1/2 head high or low lights 1h30m £85.
Full head high or low lights 2h £120.
Full head bleach or creative colour 1h15m £95 ,(price includes an Organic colour systems pre treatment).
Root bleach 1h £58.
Windle and Moodie high fashion ethical products,
Organic colour systems (Free from ammonia, silicones, mineral oil artificial fragrances) animal cruelty free and vegan products are used for all colour services.
Cut and style 1h15m £39.
Colour 25m £34.
Gents cuts and colour include a luxury treatment.
Please note ,
For all colour services a sensitivity test must be carried out 48hours before the appointment.
P O A quotation only
Different make up brands will be used as Jerome works with what he thinks is the best to get different results.
Please note times are allocated to give you the best service possible. Prices have been calculated to be competitive considering the high level of expertise. A full cancellation charge apply if you allow less than 48h notice.
Thank you for your understanding.


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Jalie Sewing Pattern number 3669
Raglan Tee
Includes 27 Sizes (See size charts)
Boys' Chest sizes 22-32" and Men's Chest Sizes 33-50"
Pattern condition: Uncut, factory folded and complete with instructions printed in French and English
~ Item for sale is a sewing pattern, not a finished garment ~
Fitted raglan tee with short, three-quarter or long sleeve and a straight or curved hem. An everyday classic for boys and men.
I accept payments through the site's direct checkout and PayPal.
Packages are shipped through USPS within one business day of receiving your cleared payment.
Just contact me within: 14 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 30 days of delivery
Request a cancellation within: 2 days of purchase
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
Please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
If there are any problems with your purchase, please let me know within 3 days of receiving your item and I will do my best to resolve the issue.
Returned sewing patterns must be in original uncut and factory folded condition. Jalie and other patterns sealed in plastic or sealed envelopes must be UNOPENED. Please include a copy of your receipt and cardboard backing to prevent damage in the mail.
Returns must be made within 7 days for a refund. Sorry, but I can not refund original or return postage.
To International buyers: Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding or buying.
I do not ship to Russia.


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We're sure a ton of you have been wondering what's been cookin' at The Refiners lately. Aside from our alumni companies raising millions to product launches and business partnerships over the summer, school is back in session with our next group of companies in Fleet #5.
But first, please take a look at this awesome boomerang of Fleet #5…
In order to secure this wonderful group of foreign entrepreneurs, our General Partners (Carlos Diaz, Geraldine Le Meur, Pierre Gaubil) personally interviewed 400+ startups to end up accepting 11 startups to join our seed accelerator in San Francisco.
If you're only finding out about The Refiners now, we are more than a basic accelerator model. We designed a program focused purely on companies with foreign founders.
We believe entrepreneurs deserve an equal shot in Silicon Valley regardless of their origin. We recognize that innovation is everywhere and not just in the U.S.
But we are aware that if you want to make a global impact, you must make your imprint in Silicon Valley's ecosystem as soon a possible. But this is a daunting task for immigrant founders because of the enormous cultural gap, fierce competition, and absence of their own network with the local community.
That's why we exist as a company. We exist to give foreign entrepreneurs a landing platform including an established network upon arrival. Our network consists of over 300 Silicon Valley's finest experts and investors who have joined forces to select, advise, and invest in the world's most promising startups.
Before we get to the nitty and gritty, let's talk a little about some success stories from our alumni companies over the summer.
Quick alumni update
Now that we have helped 48 startups to date, we are having more and more big news to share every month. But for the sake of this post, we'll sum them up for you.
Alumni startups were hella busy this summer raising an aggregate total of $5.2m
Adok (raised $1m) — Adok turns any surface into a digital interface.
Inmemori (raised $2.5m) — InMemori is a digital service that helps grieving families gather their community to celebrate and remember their loved ones together.
Snipfeed (raised $200k) — Snipfeed is a recommendation system product based on AI, which recommends instructive, personalized information to users through chat.
Wisebatt (raised $1.5m) — Wisebatt is a unique simulation platform for electronic engineers developing IoT devices
Summer seemed like the right time for these Fleet #4 to launch their products:
Heroes launched on Product Hunt and was voted #1 Product of the Day (921 upvotes)
Tempow is bringing Tempow Audio Profile (TAP), installed in Motorola's Moto X4, to TVs and set-top boxes
That's a quick summary of how our alumni companies have been comin' in hot this summer break. Now let's talk Fleet #5...
Hello, Fleet #5
Last program marked a proud moment in our program sparking interest from startups from all over the globe, 11 nationalities in Fleet #4.
Guess what? We've grown even more.
In Fleet #5, we are proud to welcome international entrepreneurs with 17 nationalities -- Belgian, British, Canadian, Czech, English, French, Finnish, Irish, Israeli, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swiss, Tunisian, Ukrainian, and American.
In addition to the diversity of the group, there is wide range of diversity in industries as well. This batch we are diving into projects in 3D Tech, Autonomous Tech, Beauty Tech, FinTech, Food Tech, eSports, Health and Wellness, HR, Maps Tech, and Open Source.
All right, Ladies and gentlemen. It's time to publicly announce the companies in The Refiners Fleet #5!
Aware — Platform as a Service for infrastructure monitoring combining 3D imaging, mesh networking and machine learning.
Dunforce — Dunforce brings smart automation to the cash collection process so SMBs never face unpaid invoices.
Elsi — We combat the rise of skin sensitivity by developing clean, science-backed products that respect our skin's natural ecosystem
Okaya — A marketplace using biometrics and environmental analysis to monitor a user's fatigue in real-time and match them with the most appropriate wellbeing professionals.
Ovio — We empower change-makers by accelerating tech volunteering and connecting big ideas to the skills they need to succeed.
PocketConfidant — A digital confidant that brings clarity and perspective to people's daily decisions.
Pona — Connecting families through a marketplace for home-cooked food.
Trailze — Trailze starts where Google Maps ends, creating the first Outdoor Mobility layer for solution developers.
Wild AI — Wild AI empowers humans to reach their goals.
Workali — Workali uses artificial intelligence to ease and improve the job search experience. We are a new kind of Careers page that engages, filters and organizes applicants.
Zar — Zar helps eSport gamers improve while they play thanks to actionable insights and in-game guidance powered by machine learning.
The Refiners Program
Our program is broken into three parts: Silicon Valley acclimation, network building, and fundraising. Take a look at what this batch will learn in an accelerated speed in their program.
32 Mentor Masterclasses — to educate and raise global knowledge
9 Fireside Chats — open conversation with high-profile executives, entrepreneurs, and industry experts
6 Investor Grills — group sessions grilling the startups like a real investor meeting
7 Investor Panels — Gathering 35 investors (VCs or Angel Investors) on a panel to offer constructive perspective in an intimate and open environment
7 Office Hour Sessions — 2hr sessions with industry experts during the program
6 hours of accent reduction coaching — to improve the CEO's pitch delivery
Unlimited access to The Refiners Partners
Pitch Night aka Demo Day open to the public
The first few weeks of the program focuses on getting the founders acclimated with Silicon Valley. We do this by helping the founders unlearn what they've learned in their home countries. To bolster this uneasy transition with Mentor Masterclasses from foreign experts like Jeremiah Owyang, Pascal Brochier, Rob Lebras Brown, and Romain Serman.
Special shoutout to our newest masterclass mentors in Fleet #5: Alex Dayon, Ben Larson, Denis Vacher, Elizabeth Yin, Julia Horiuchi, Liran Rosenfeld, Marcus Tallhamn, Mark Charkin, Michelle Paitich, Sean Ho Lee, Sophie Durey, and Quang Hoang.
One month two, we redirect our focus on growing each company's network by introducing them with the right industry leaders and experts to advise and help their business. More importantly, mentors who, at most times, are foreign themselves so are able to connect instantly with the founders in our program.
Finally, for the third and final month, we assess each company's fundability to ensure they're investor ready. Before month three hits, we had the honor of having institutional investors and business angels host masterclasses on fundraising. In addition, we host weekly events where startups have mini demo days in front of a panel of investors including such funds as Cota Capital, Hewlett Packard Ventures, Ridge Ventures, Creandum, Newfund Capital, Bee Partners, YesVC, and more.
Feelin' FOMO?
Totally understandable.
Good news is, you'll have a chance to meet the startups too!
Join us at our program's finale event, Pitch Night, on Dec. 6th at Parisoma in San Francisco. For those who don't know, Pitch Night is our accelerator Demo Day, and it's open to our lovely supports and general public.
Want in? Subscribe to our mailing list below, and an invite will be sent straight to your inbox soon.
Want to be involved in our program?
The Refiners cannot do this alone, nor do we want to. That's where you, our valued and respected community, come into play. We want to encourage those with the time, expertise and motivation, to join us and give foreign founders the best Silicon Valley has to offer.
Please drop us a line if you'd like to be involved. From kindergarten to corporate, there's always a way to help. Thank you for promoting opportunity and equality in the startup ecosystem. We're also here to answer any questions you have, just post it in a comment below!
Important dates and details
400+ applications received
11 startups selected
$50,000–$100,000 invested in each startup
200+hr program curriculum
Oct. 1st: Program launch
Oct. 10th: Mentor Mixer Private Party
Dec. 6th: Pitch Night
Dec. 21st: Program concludes


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9 Amazing Stones & Crystals You'll Want For Witchcraft
Stones and crystals are a huge part of my craft. I carry them in my pockets, meticulously place them on my altar, and, in all honesty, spend way too much money shopping for them online. I love working with stones and, maybe most importantly, I find them very effective. Beautiful and effective.
When I started to get more into collecting them and began hunting stones for their specific traits, I was flooded with information about crystals in terms of healing and energies. This was good to know, but it wasn't the knowledge I was after. Namely, I wanted stones that would help me improve my craft and add power to my spells.
After about a year of experimenting, I finally came up with my own stone set and today, I'd like to showcase the stones that I've found add more power to spells. If you're not already familiar with the power of crystals and stones, I hope this post inspires you to investigate further and take your craft to a new level.
Find Your Grounding Stone
My grounding stone is agate. Long ago, even before I started down this winding path of witchiness, I always had agate on me in some way, either jewelry or just a little stone I'd picked up at a shop. Agate, and tree agate, in particular, embodies everything I love. It looks like trees in the snow, which reminds me of my home. It is said to help one care for plants and animals, which is how I spend the majority of my days. Incidentally, it happens to be my birthstone, a fact that thrilled me when I first found out. It is a calming stone and also helps one be more in tune with the natural world — two things I strive for daily. But I learned all that later. Before I understood agate better, I simply knew I liked it the best.
Your grounding stone will "speak" to you in a similar way and to find it, you simply have to poke around a bit. Gem shows are great places to search, but not nearly as convenient as hopping online and searching there. I can't help much in finding your grounding stone, but I can say you will definitely know when you've found it.
The grounding stone is important to your witchcraft because it can represent you in spells, as well as protect you and help you focus. If you take care of this talisman, its unique qualities will grow stronger and it will work better with you and for you. You should keep it with you almost always.
Building A Stone Set
You'll recognize the first one on the list. Clear quartz — a clear crystal named after ice — is considered the most powerful and useful stone a witch can have. It is so powerful, it can be substituted for any other stone in a pinch. It is "programmable," meaning you can charge it with any intention you wish by simply holding the stone and charging it with your energy. Clear quartz is both protective and healing, and vibes well with humans. Being an immensely talented stone itself, having one or five around will also enhance your talents.
This is the wisest stone, the calmest, and will guide you well. It's the perfect first addition to your stone set, and if you only get one stone, make it a clear quartz.
Next on the list is black tourmaline. Used frequently in warding, black tourmaline is your soldier stone, protecting against negativity aimed your way. While this makes it a great stone to carry with you, it's also great for… questionable spellwork. I've recently seen it referred to as "the wall," and I think that perfectly summarizes how black tourmaline works for you.
Now onto the power hitters of your stone set. These stones have worked for me to both supercharge spells and bring clarity when a spell isn't going quite right and I need to rethink things. These stones should be placed on your altar and can be incorporated into any spell as a way to add more "fuel to the fire," so to speak.
Bloodstone, also known as heliotrope, is dark green with red specks. It is a type of jasper, which is a lucky stone. Bloodstone is associated with fire and lifeblood, bringing the energy of both to your spells. It's also said to be good for heart and blood conditions. Bloodstone will work especially well for those born in March, though I've found that this courageous stone is not choosy. This is the dragon of your stone set and will allow you to win against enemies.
Garnet is a stone named after the Latin word granatum, which means pomegranate. Because of its deep red color, garnet is used often in love and binding spells. Alternatively, you can view it as a stone of attraction, as it will work to bring what you seek into your life. Garnet will also assist in tapping into your hidden potential. Thanks to its association with fire, it will naturally add more power to spells, but will also make the spellcaster more attractive — either to a lover or potential employer, for example. Garnet works with you to help you attain goals, a perfect spellcasting aid.
Moonstone is a pearlescent, peach-colored stone. This one is for the ladies. Moonstone is connected to the tides, the phases of the moon, and all the power and peace that comes along with feminine power, including intuition. If you are a woman, it will be particularly beneficial in strengthening your spells. Specifically, it will add a gentler edge to your casts and work to protect you while you work — though not in the same way as perhaps tourmaline. Moonstone keeps you grounded and helps bring balance. It will let you see all options, showing you the wisest and safest ways. But don't think of moonstone as soft just because its power doesn't lie in brute force. Moonstone is subtle, just, consistent, and unstoppable.
Petrified wood is ancient wood that has transformed into stone over time and one of my favorites. Its power is wisdom from a long life and it is said to impart this knowledge unto its owner. Petrified wood also represents transformation, and growing stronger with time. This stone will not only help you learn from mistakes but will assist you greatly when trying new spells and learning new things. This is your teacher stone. Ask it for guidance in troubling situations and carry with you for patience and insight.
Unakite is a moss green stone with splashes of pink — it looks like a delicate floral print. This is a peaceful stone that will center you during spellcasting and help you see opportunity instead of roadblocks in your daily life. If you've lost something and wish to reclaim it, unakite is your go-to. Unakite is also used for connecting to the spirit world, so it's a good stone to use when seeking guidance from beyond. It's a remover of obstacles, which makes it great for spells that move you forward in life or remove harmful things that hold you back. Think of it as your support system while casting. It will empower your spells by making you stronger.
Lastly on the list is my favorite of all, smoky quartz. It can be dark brown to almost clear, sometimes with slashes of gold running through it (particularly lucky). Smoky quartz is protective; it will redirect negative spells aimed at you back at the caster. It is also said to be a great healer. Smoky quartz is often used in scrying.
Some time ago, I was told that smoky quartz was the essential stone for witches because of how it improves spellcasting and, intrigued, I bought a few tumbled stones. Turns out, this advice held true! By all accounts, smoky quartz is supposed to be a calm stone used for healing, but its addition to my altar and spells has had such a noticeable effect, I'm wondering if this sleek little stone may be hiding some secrets… I recommend this stone above all others when casting. Decorate your altar with smoky quartz points, keep loose stones nearby for all spells, and carry with you for casting on the go. This beautiful and mysterious stone will surprise you.
Finally, smoky quartz is a cleansing stone that does not require cleansing itself. If you're like me and worry about cleansing — when to do it, how, on which stones? — smoky quartz solves the problem for you. By merely having it near your other stones, it will cleanse and charge them regularly, while never holding any negativity.
Whenever possible, shop for stones in person instead of online. There's absolutely nothing wrong with buying online, except that someone else has chosen the stone for you. There is something to be said for finding a stone that really "speaks" to you and you can only do that by seeing the stones in person and choosing the perfect one yourself.
After obtaining a new stone, it's smart to give it a quick cleansing as you can never be sure exactly where it came from. Again, smoky quartz will do much of this work for you, but I always like to be extra cautious.
New to witchcraft?
Sign up for my FREE Witchcraft 101 course!
by SL Bear
I grew up in the Sonoran desert, then moved to Colorado where I spent my 20s and early 30s morphing into an adult in the shadow of the Rockies. My life has been a quilt of extraordinary landscapes and wild terrain, and I have seen some beautiful, impossible things. I credit this upbringing for my ability to see beyond the regular day-to-day, and find the hidden magic that is ignored by so many. I work mainly with art, sigils, candles, stones, weather, and moods. With my articles, I will always try to be positive and find ways to bring new experiences and new ways to practice a craft we all love so dearly. I hope you enjoy.


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Raajnett very worst of services, I always complaints, Net not working , no connect long time
>> From 5/8/2016 to 24/8/2016 – Only 1.0 mbps to 2 sometimes 2.54 or 2.89 mbps speed of raajnett broadband speed… BUT I PAID FOR 40MBPS – Rs.1264/-
>> Last 9 days no net ( Error 651 – modem error – 15/8/2016 – 24/8/2016 )
>> if net connected, 10mins to 1 hour only UPTIME of broadband connection after error 651 – i had 40mbps plan
>> if net connected very very very low speed – i had 40mbps plan
PFA for our Proof of issues…
Raajnett very worst of services, I always complaints, Net not working , no connect long time ….( At the time called TOLL FREE 1800 123 3113 – Only Repeated voice – No Response ) No proper resolves from back end team till now…
At the times of no net connection in RAAJNETT BROADBAND, I recharged for my airtel 4G Data plans @ 8/8/2016 – Rs.47 Night data plan for 1GB… After Evening of time issues frequently no net ( 8/8/2016 10:51 PM), not using and wait for long time no connection from your Raajnett Braodband service.
So, once again ( Bucaz From Our client issues ) not trust with Raajnett … I recharged 10GB Data plan from airtel 4G net plan for my service…
So Raajnett very very worst service, Refund money…
Frequently no connection & lost – 40mbps plan – Pls Refund Money
Frequently no connection – 40mbps plan but 1-2mbps speed only – Refund me
RaajNett — Fraud internet providers
Raajnett is a complete fraud. They take your money and never respond to your complaints. The customer representatives make fun of your complaint to their in-room colleagues while taking your call. Just stupid rude.
If people are looking for a decent internet provider, go for limras eronet. They provide cable as well as fibernet to homes and are spot on with their service. They provide through agencies throughout places.
Somebody has to file a lawsuit against this company and shut them down.
The uploaded picture is a subscription of a 40mbps fibernet plan. Which shows the maximum peak of the transfer speed is 4.8 kbps. For a 40mbps plan, the speed should be (40÷8 = 5mbps). But give or take the transfer loss, i would atleast expect 2-3 mbps transfer speed. The customer service responded to complaints first time but did not execute any actions to rectify it. From the 4th or 5th time the complaints section never picks the call, even if then line is on hold for 20-30 minutes. When u try their new connections line or extend services line, an agent immediately picks up the call. How is this even a fair service. This company has to pay for its fraud acts.


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Ready to expand your herb garden beyond typical culinary herbs? In this class, we will explore a variety of beautiful, medicinal herbs that are easy to grow and can be used for a variety of health issues, including insomnia, anxiety, cold/flu, digestive issues, wound care and more. As part of this class, Rachel will help you decide which medicinal plants are best suited for your garden and your health needs and explain how harvest and use them. As part of this class, everyone will get to take home a medicinal herb start.
Cost: $10
*Space is limited. To register, please email Dixie Lee Greenhouse firstname.lastname@example.com or call 865-675-5812.


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3 great stocks for low-risk investors
While many investors take comfort in the possibility a setback to their nest eggs might be short-lived, the Wall Street sell-off feels shocking to others. Sam McElroy, co-founder of @Financial, says how to react depends on your age. (Feb. 6) AP
These three incredible stocks shouldn't disappoint you if you're a risk-averse investor.
There's no such thing as a riskless investment, especially when it comes to stocks. You can, however, mitigate the risks associated by opting for "low risk" stocks, which, in my opinion, typically belong to companies with strong competitive advantages, rock-solid balance sheets, and a prudent management team that can steer the company just as well through downs as ups to generate strong shareholder returns year after year. Such companies also usually pay steady dividends, further adding to their appeal.
Think 3M (NYSE: MMM), Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK), and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE: BIP) — all three are great stocks that would fit any risk-averse investor's portfolio.
A brand powerhouse
If you've ever used hand and power tools to repair your home or car, you've probably heard of Stanley Black & Decker. What started as a bolts and hinges company in 1843 is among the world's leading diversified industrial machinery manufacturers today and has built a brand that's hard to replicate. Stanley, DeWalt, Black & Decker, Proto, and Porter Cable are just some of the brands owned by the industrial house. More recently, the company added Lenox, Irwin Tools, and Craftsman brands to its portfolio via acquisitions.
It hasn't been an easy ride for Stanley, but the company has played its moves well by mixing organic with inorganic growth, leaving little room to complain.
SWK Net Income (TTM) data by YCharts
Most importantly, Stanley is one of the best dividend stocks in the industrials sector, having increased its dividend for 50 consecutive years. There's one big reason for this: Stanley is more a defensive industrial company than a cyclical one, given that the tools it manufactures are used widely for essential services such as repairs and security. That's also why I consider Stanley to be a low-risk stock.
If you're wondering whether you should invest in Stanley right now, the company's long-term financial goals should help you decide. They include 10% to 12% growth in revenue and earnings per share each and 100% or more conversion of net income into free cash flow (FCF). That should give you enough reason to trust this stock with your money.
Expect a lot from this dividend champ
Stanley and 3M have a lot in common. Both manufacture ubiquitous products, own world-renowned household brands, fall on the defensive side of industrials, boast solid operational and financial track records, and are Dividend Aristocrats.
3M may not ring a bell until I tell you it manufactures Post-it notes and Scotch tapes. In fact, 3M is much more than that, with a portfolio comprised of more than 60,000 products that serve the needs of diverse industries, including industrial, consumer, healthcare, electronics, and energy, among others.
On the operational and financial fronts, 3M has an impeccable track record. It was no different in 2017: 3M sales grew 9.6% and generated free cash flow above net income, thanks to robust performance from each of its five business segments. 3M's also unlocking value from its recent $2 billion acquisition of Scott Safety from Johnson Controls even as it continues to divest low-margin businesses in areas such as communication markets.
Much like Stanley, the biggest evidence of 3M's resilience and strength is its dividend track record. Heck, it's even better than Stanley's: Last year, 3M increased its dividend for the 60th consecutive year, and it was a 16% hike.
I am very bullish about 3M and believe it will continue to earn shareholders rich returns for years, just like it has in the past, backed by strong growth in earnings and cash flows. For perspective, if you'd invested $10,000 in 3M shares 10 years ago and reinvested its dividends all along, your money would've grown to nearly $38,500 by now.
OK, now what if I tell you about a stock that has more than quadrupled in the past decade, offers a dividend yield of 4.5%, and aims to generate consistent double-digit returns on equity in the long run? Read along.
A business with a difference
By now, you've got a hunch that I like defensive stocks when it comes to weighing returns against risks. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners is another interesting defensive play that has what it takes to earn you solid money for years.
Brookfield is one of the largest infrastructure asset companies in the world with high stakes in utilities, transport, energy, and communications infrastructure sectors. So power transmission lines, toll roads, gas pipelines railroads, and telecom towers are just some of the kinds of assets the company owns.
Brookfield stands out because of its business strategy though -- it acquires distressed assets, turns them into cash-making machines, and resells them opportunistically to invest in other assets. To give you an example, Brookfield took a big leap into utilities last year when it acquired a natural-gas pipeline worth $5.2 billion from Brazil-based oil major Petrobas, which sold it to raise money to deleverage.
Brookfield has proved its mettle so far, having grown its funds from operations at a compounded average clip of 21% and dividends by 12% since inception in 2008. When you factor in Brookfield's plans to grow its dividends annually by 5% to 9% in the long run backed by calculated investments in its portfolio, you can be hopeful this stock's returns will outweigh its risks.
More:More employers offering Roth 401(k)s: Why you should save in one
More:This common retirement advice could make you run out of money
More:Ask a Fool: Should I invest in index funds or actively managed mutual funds?
Neha Chamaria has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends 3M and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.
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The invitation to step in.../
Why do you not have the life that you want?
Do you know?
Image my own
I know that ANYONE can create the freedom-centred, joyful, fun-filled and adventurous life that they choose.
See, I've been through all the excuses myself - I don't have enough money, time, motivation, knowledge - whatever to get 'THERE'.Read More