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Colette makes some super cute patterns! Though I don't think their "block" is exactly my body type (having shoulders a bit too broad and boobage a bit too small)...and ran into some fitting issues with their Aster, I continue to adore ALL, and I mean ALL my Sorbettos!! Then, when I signed up for Seamwork online, I was offered a free PDF pattern of their York blouse - a pattern I had already been eyeing!!! My sleuthing had revealed that it was either much adored or much maligned by on-line sewists. But I kept thinking, "What's not to like????"
|Having just a bit of my lovely linen left over from my Demi Pants and a free pattern....I thought it would be a winning combo!! After checking out the pattern pieces...I decided to make a straight 6, with no adjustments, as the shoulders appeared to be plenty broad and the bust dart okay.
|I couldn't resist accenting the blue thread in the linen with some top stitching! Again!!
|I love this cuff!
|Though the pattern includes an extension of the bias tape facing to the neck as a tie closure, I couldn't resist using this lone blue button, that has resided for years in my button collection, with an embroidered loop.
A fun, easy sewing project!! I really like my pretty, York! Thanks Colette!! Sew chaotically! - les


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The Art of Falling Together
My work feels whole at the moment because there is at last a parity with the strands which define my oeuvre, finally revealing a vision specific to my actuality. These elements are simple yet become confused with my all-consuming approach, but for now my writing, drawing and sculpting feel as one, each at the same level and without discord. Likewise there is parity in the content of my work on a conceptual level as I continue to explore within the themes of equestrian composition, figurative work and of course cats, bulls, doves, goats and distorted portraits. And finally I've reached the moment of being at one with my own time frame and developmental level. It's hard to explain because it's about an arrival that you feel intuitively and to that extent it is the end of a desperate five-year struggle in which I had to climb my own mountain.
I still feel overwhelmed by the possibilities out there, but am coping well and working through many ideas to a satisfactory conclusion. It's strange, but by just working one becomes aware of the issues which are of the greatest concern, because they just appear in the work. Whilst I don't wish to force an agenda or the specificity of a narrative I feel compelled to attempt to make work of a serious and relevant nature, work which I feel deep within. After all an artist has a responsibility to society and it's one which I don't take lightly, regardless of my space, place and position.
It's never easy to define ones own modus operandi or even to recognise ones contribution with a clear and present objectivity, but I keep trying, just to achieve a level of clarity which will allow me to ascend further on my developmental arc. I do believe at the core of my work is a recognition of uncertainty in the human condition and because of this there are no absolutes. Right here, right now in my own time I feel the disconnection, the spiritual loss in a global race, where values have become confused. And so how does one reflect this, there is no right way round or single answers, facts are questionable and the whole nature of our existence is based on assumption. In fact I believe when you analyse anything with a forensic objectivity, you discover there are many layers and you enter the realms of a world of infinite possibility. And this is what art has taught me, because every stroke on a drawing, painting or sculpture is a decision and there is a reason for each one, at the end of the stroke making there is a statement. That statement may perhaps be seen as an absolute, but is it? even though it may have been constructed in an arbitrary way, whatever the origin, it will be in existence to be read by some and judged by others.
Sometimes my work may appear quite flippant, but there is a reason for this, which is that I'm trying to break down the conventional approach to creativity, the working with assumed outcomes and predictable certainty . And I do this because I'm looking to go beyond my preconceptions and the certainty of producing knowingly competent work. Exploring my discomfort and fighting my way out of the torment of living without anything to hold onto which is real and certain, this despair that can only be satiated through creative discovery. This random search for something beyond my grasp feels key to unlocking the unique potential and originality of my own existence and experience. I've always intermittently played with introducing something so random that it creates an extraordinary reaction and the incredible thing is that no matter how crazy my equestrian compositions are, they actually work, not only as sculptures and drawings but as metaphorical statements, shedding light on the human condition. In this sense my art has been a personal voyage of discovery and has made some sense out of life, but it has also allowed me to see life from a most interesting perspective, with much discomfort along the way.
To develop ideas I've really had to work outside of any mainstream practice, because there are just too many conventions, protocols and expectations which I personally find restrictive. I really need to be alone with my thoughts and meditations in order to understand the deeper levels of human existence which have little to do with the formalities of societal convention. The problem is really discovering what art actually is and I found it to be a form of human expression which didn't need to fit within the constraints of the art world or any other prescriptive narrative , because all too often in the art world, art about art is king. I also need to be allowed to fail with my work and have no pressure put upon the outcome, because the only way I can blossom is by feeling free. The way I see my situation is that my work is a speculative gesture that I believe in, but it's also transitory and subject to the process of evolving and devolving pressures. The good news is that I'm much closer to freedom now and just have to work through some more psychological inhibitions and confidence issues, which still effect the free-flowing of my drawing.
When I look back I see a theme in my approach to art, a quest for freedom and through a search for truth the opportunity to awaken and to be enlightened on a personal journey, discovering some of what lies beneath conventional wisdom. All I know is that no one could ever answer the big questions that bounced around in my brain, so I've explored them myself and even though I've found no answers my understanding of the human condition feels heightened. It's a contribution at least, which is all any of us can really offer, because being one of seven billion puts it into perspective.
Now at the age of fifty-two I think I've finally made the break through, I've realised a personal vision and a relevant philosophical approach to life and work. I'm comfortable with my achievement and I know the struggle has been worth it, yes I'm poor on a material level and live in obscurity. But in terms of my humanity I feel enriched because I followed my intuition and found that my path led me to a profound place. A place where I can realise the purpose which has been a companion to my existence, sometimes beautiful and sometimes a thorn in my side. But it's been this sense of purpose which has driven me to these extremes so that I could find moments of peace in my life.
Thanks for looking 🙂 and have a great day ❤

subset: commoncrawl


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Jermaine Abrahim
Bachelor of Creative Arts (Graphic Design and Media Arts)
Superfan, 2012
(Digital Documentary)
Journey through the Born This Way Ball
You never know what to expect when Lady Gaga puts on a show, especially when you see it 14 times! Step into the crazy world of the Little Monster. Experience what it was live to breath nothing but pure Lady Gaga madness for an entire four weeks when she was here in June-July of 2012. In true Gaga fashion, these four weeks, were filled with more denim, leather, studs and glitter than anyone could ever imagine! The ups and downs and the all of the many different people you meet along the way are all part of the epic journey these dedicated fans live for.
Contact Details:
- E: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Read an Excerpt From Amy Schumer's Upcoming Book, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo
I have had only one one-night stand in my life. I'm so sorry to disappoint anyone who thinks I walk around at all times with a margarita in one hand and a dildo in the other. Maybe the misunderstanding comes from the fact that, onstage, I group together all my wildest, worst sexual memories—a grand total of about five experiences over the course of 35 years. When you hear about them back-to-back it probably sounds like my vagina is a revolving door at Macy's during Christmastime. But I talk about these few misadventures because it's not that funny or interesting to hear about someone's healthy, everyday sex life. Imagine me onstage saying, "So last night I got in bed with my boyfriend and we held each other in a supportive, loving way, and then he made sweet love to me." The crowd would walk out, and I'd walk out with them.
Sometimes I try to convince myself that I can have emotionless sex, but I haven't even made out with a guy I've met after one of my shows. I know some male comics who say they've never gotten laid without the girl seeing them perform first. In my experience the life of a female comic is not one that results in any sort of action. I'm not in this for the dick is what I'm saying. When I'm single and one-night stands present themselves, I am usually a fairly self-protective chick. Well, except for this one time. . . .
I was on tour, traveling between Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Tampa, Florida. I got to the airport as I usually do—with zero makeup or bra on, sweatpants, a T-shirt, and flats. It was early morning and I was hung over. One way to verify for myself that I drank too much the night before is if I wake up with red-wine teeth and enough eyeliner smeared underneath my eyes to resemble a tight end for the New England Patriots. The point is, on this particular morning, if someone had put a dollar in my coffee cup, thinking I was homeless, I would have thought, Yep.
I got to airport security and there he was: a six-foot-two strapping strawberry-blond guy of about 35 years wearing a navy-blue crew-neck long-sleeved shirt that was just tight enough around the chest that you knew what was up. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen, and I was immediately turned on just looking at him. Quick side note: THAT NEVER FUCKING HAPPENS. Every day, men look at women walk by in skirts and tight jeans and get tiny erections. But for women it's a rare occurrence to see a dude and think, Dayummmmm!
I audibly sighed, and before he walked through the metal detector, he looked at me. All the blood rushed to my vagina, which was at this point beating like the Tell-Tale Heart. I smiled at him, but then immediately remembered that I looked like Bruce Vilanch. (For those of you who don't know who he is and are too lazy to Google it, just picture a barn owl wearing a blond wig.) I got through security and walked to my gate—and boom! There he was again—looking even hotter than before. I ran to the bathroom, found some blush and ChapStick in my purse, and thought, Perfect. That's all I need to take me from a 2 to a 4. I rolled my sweatpants up to half-calf height, thinking, Let's highlight my strongest zone. I walked out like I was on a runway and floated right past him. He never looked up.
I bought some gum and a few magazines and boarded the plane, defeated. I got to my tiny window seat, and there he was again. I watched him walk down the aisle, his arms bulging and his huge hands gripping his bag. Then I saw him look right at the seat next to me. No, I thought. There is no way he is in the seat next to me. But YES! Game, set, fucking match, I said to myself, IT IS ON.
I never ever talk to people on airplanes but I turned right to him.
"Hi, I'm Amy."
He smiled, revealing a tiny gap between his front teeth. I love a gap more than anything on a man. "Hi, I'm Sam," he said, in an English accent.
I soon found out that he was in the British version of the marines and was in town for just a few days. I couldn't fucking handle it. It was all too much. I felt possessed and lost all control of my voice, like Sigourney Weaver at the end of Ghostbusters. I was in heat, as they say. Who? I don't know. Shut up and keep reading about me getting pummeled by this British superhero. We took off and I pretended to be really scared of flying. There was zero turbulence yet I still found reasons to grab his arm and bury my face in his shoulder. I kept thinking of the 98 Degrees song "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)." Even though I was slightly famous at the time, he had never heard of me, which was another major plus. I told him I had a show that night and that maybe I would see him after. We exchanged emails.
I have been in this kind of situation a couple other times where I could have had a one-night stand. Once or twice, my instincts told me no. It didn't feel safe. But mostly I have decided against it just out of laziness. I will think of the practical things like, When can I leave so I can eat pasta?
All that being said, I couldn't say no to Sam. He was such a turn-on and a fantasy. Even the accent made him seem unreal. It didn't hurt that he would be returning to his foreign home in the next few days either. During the show, I prayed to every god I would hear from him. Sure enough, he sent an email afterward, asking how it had gone. I joked that I'd gotten discovered and was going to make it in this business.
He wrote back: "Who discovered you?"
I wrote: "A magician. I'm going to be his assistant."
He wrote: "Is he gonna saw you in half?"
I answered: "I was hoping you would." BAM!
We made plans to meet up at the dance club in the lobby of my hotel. We had half a beer, danced to Ice Cube telling us we could do it if we put our back into it, and then left. Walking through the bright lobby and into the low-lit elevator was a lot of reality for this sexy affair we were both trying to have. Things that were going through my mind on the elevator were as follows: Fuck me fuck me fuck me fuck me fuck me.
I really needed a boost of sexual confidence just then. I had recently learned that an ex-boyfriend—a guy I had been in love with and dated for a long time—was gay. Even though we weren't together anymore, it still broke my heart and made me question myself. When you get older and wiser, you get your confidence from within, and not from the person you are having sex with. But at that moment I was having trouble feeling like a sexual being and was wondering about my own worth.
Enter Sam, who wanted to help this Stella get her groove back. We got to my very corporate-looking room. I dropped my bag, and we stripped down to our underwear and got into bed. There was no question of what we were doing there. We both had the same goal in mind: to devour each other. Ewwwwww, I know, sorry. But it's true. Everything felt right. Kissing him felt right. His body felt right. We went for it. I can't Fifty Shades out right now and write a sensual paragraph, so I'll just tell you some facts. We were both very giving (head). We both couldn't believe it was happening (we both came a lot). He was so appreciative and excited (we high-fived at one point). Which felt amazing. (The sex, not the high five.) When we were finally finished, I said it was such a pleasure meeting him and wished him good luck in all his endeavors. He couldn't believe I didn't want him to stay. He couldn't believe it so much that he stayed and we had sex at least three more times, with little affectionate breaks in between.
I did eventually tell him it was time to go. He tried to make future plans and I let him know that I wanted this to be a onetime thing. We kissed goodbye when the sun had risen and I went to sleep with the biggest smile on my face, thinking, Thank you.
And look, I do realize that one of the best nights of my life was just a one-night stand in Tampa. But I felt like Marlene Dietrich in Morocco. We all know that one-night stands aren't cure-alls for broken hearts and low self-esteem. But sometimes tons of well-deserved orgasms from a guy looking at you like you're lunch right when you fucking need it is just what the doctor ordered.
Copyright © 2016 by Amy Schumer. From the forthcoming book The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, by Amy Schumer, to be published by Gallery Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Printed by permission.
Fashion Editor: Tonne Goodman
Hair: Kim Gueldner; Makeup: Gucci Westman
Set Design: Mary Howard; Photographed at Comedy Cellar
Watch Amy Schumer and Anna Wintour swap lives:


text: Noix de Tubereuse by British fragrance house Miller Harris is a perfume of excess and lavish nightfall skin. As a night blooming flower, tuberose (polianthes tuberosa) donates its decadent scent to darkness as an exotic gift to flatter the stars and seduce the vault of heaven. You are dancing in an empty ballroom beneath a glittering chandelier, the room echoes with the scent of mimosa, violet, creamy tonka and the fetish complexity of French tuberose. Your love has pollen on the tips of her lashes and a coronet of blushing buds. The moon floods across a gilded wall as you inhale stems, petals and boudoir green off the scented hollow of her throat. Air explodes with corollas and indolic weather. There is no need for music when you dance to the carnal swoon of Noix de Tubereuse.


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Zachary Schomburg
I'm on a new highway.
It goes forever if I want.
Then I pull off of it.
I order the first thing on the menu.
Is it Christmas?
I think that in another language.
But which one?
I'm not ready.
So, I just order the box.
I'll just have the box.
I say it like boxxxx.
It's a good thing I had five dimes.
Is it Christmas?
What? says the woman.
Is it Christmas?
It feels like I'm in an on microwave.
It feels like day two of endless war.
ZACHARY SCHOMBURG is the author of a novel, Mammother (Featherproof Books) and four books of poems published by Black Ocean. He is the editor and publisher of the independent poetry press Octopus Books, and lives in Portland, Oregon.


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[New Music] Emmanuel Gyan has released his new single "Aseda".
Emmanuel Gyan, a vocal coach, worship leader, and music director has released his brand new worship single titled 'Aseda' that features rapper Xorse. The song expresses thanksgiving to God from the perspective of a grateful heart for His Goodness, Mercy and for Who He is. Listen and download the … Read More »


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Tag Archives: Schipol
Upgraded…I wish !
Another day, another airport…why oh why can't everyone just be consistent. I was flying to Hannover via Schipol as due to the late booking I couldn't get a direct flight, nor because I hadn't booked them did I end up … Continue reading
Posted in My Ramblings Tagged Business class, Hand luggage, life, London Heathrow Airport, Schipol, travel 2 Comments


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Contribute to Good.
So much noise. So much talk about things of little relevance to the things that truly matter in the world. We anesthetize ourselves and bury our selves in the trivialities of a celebrity culture to escape our feelings of hopelessness over a world that may seem to be whirling out of control. It's not that we do not care. It may be that we care too much. We want to help. We want our lives to be of value. It is our true nature. We are often plagued by the illusions of perfection. Our desire is to make a difference. In the absence of believing that we can, we wait. We wait for the opportunity that seems to be "right." As we wait, our lives pass us by and we sabotage our joy. There is nothing that will elicit more joy than contributing to the good of the world and those around us.
Today, take the time to be silent. Go deep. Ask your self: what truly matters? How will you contribute to creating the kind of world that is in your dreams?
Success or sabotage? To define success, one must examine the core of his/her being. What does "success" really mean to you?
Is this going to be an incredible day? The day is already incredible. The question is, are you going to contribute to it?


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"The Vampire Lifting" – PRP Therapy
PRP therapy ("Platelet Rich Plasma") is one of the newest procedures used in esthetic medicine and skin rejuvenation surgery. Already well known as the Vampire's lifting, this procedure consists of taking a small quantity of the patient's blood in a special test tube, which is then centrifuged. In the end, we extract the activated fraction of plasma platelets, together with growth and tissue regeneration factors
The treatment is ideal for: skin smoothing and rejuvenation, diminishing fine line wrinkles, filling deep wrinkles, lip augmentation, reestablish neck firmness and overall appearance of the neck, cleavage and hands. Furthermore, it is one of the few therapies with spectacular effects on wrinkles around eyes and mouth. Injecting PRP is successful in acne scars, post surgery scars, post trauma, recent skin stretch marks and chronic wounds, in order to speed healing.
For optimum results, 2 to 3 sessions are required.
Advantages of the method:
- The procedure only requires local anesthesia
- It doesn't involve recovery time
- The injected product is completely natural and safe, it does not produce allergies or side effects in the organism (as it is self produced)
- It can be associated with other esthetic procedures, including own fat transfer, for face volume remodeling.
- Acceptable costs.
The disadvantage of the method: the discomfort of a small blood sampling.
MD Dana Jianu,
Plastic and Esthetic Surgeon
Proestetica Medical Center
Bucharest, 38-40 Tudor Stefan Street
Phone-fax: 004021-2305200/2317795


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Retail Apprenticeships at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai
Course description
The Retail Apprenticeship frameworks are designed primarily to develop people in employment throughout the retail sector through gaining the knowledge, skills and understanding to carry out the job role.
Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship in Retail
This framework has been designed for individuals working within a retail environment as a general sales assistant as well as those in more specialist roles, for example beauty consultants or fresh food counter assistants.
Level 3 Apprenticeship in Retail
This framework enables apprentices, who are employed in a more senior position within retail, such as Senior Sales Assistants, Team Leaders, Supervisors, to consolidate existing skills and knowledge. This will allow them to fulfil the requirements of their existing role and to support progression within the retail sector.
Course content
A majority of training is provided in the workplace, however the college will require all learner to attend college based sessions to complete theory tasks and tests.
Entry requirements
All apprentices must have an employer who can cover the NVQ criteria. No formal qualifications are required but experience in Retail is desirable.
An apprenticeship is assessed as follows:
- Completion of a portfolio of evidence
- Work-based observations
- Theory-based tasks and tests
Future opportunities
You can progress from:
Foundation Apprenticeship Level 2 to an Apprenticeship Level 3.
Further information
Work-Based Learning
Level 2 and 3
How to apply
If you want to apply for this course, you will need to contact Grŵp Llandrillo Menai directly.


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How To Wear Whyte [Studio] - P2
"Be Somebody No One Thought You Could Be." - Whyte Studio
Who is She?
Further to yesterday's post on what Whyte Studio is about and my relationship to the brand, I asked Bianca Whyte - the designer of the said brand - to tell me a bit more about who the Whyte Studio woman is. She explained that she is a female that will always feel powerful, chic and confident, whether wearing a structured jacket or a relaxed, leather jacket. She's got an attitude and a certain je-ne-sais-quoi that makes every outerwear piece look styled.
The Whyte Studio woman is powerful, chic and confident!
Why Does She Wear Whyte Studio?
She's a young professional who is looking for easy-to-style casual wear that transforms from day to night with a just a change of shoes.
She's feels empowered by both the masculine and feminine aesthetic of the brand because she's not afraid to stand out of the crowd!
Does this sound like you honey?
I know I definitely felt like a showstopper in this outfit (and the 8 random men watching me shoot this look clearly did too - thanks for making the experience so comfortable guys!). If Whyte Studio sounds and looks like your kind of vibes, make sure to check out more about the brand HERE and follow their story on HERE.


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Curation. Learning the art of Digital Content Curation. It is undeniable that we live in a world of information overload.
Check out Internet Live Stats to be truly 'infowhelmed'! Just one second of internet traffic…. As busy people, it is often at precisely the wrong time that we find that fascinating article, or when we are looking for something else that we discover a great resource for the future. Storybird- Great for Visual Storytelling with Students. July, 2014 Storybird is a great platform for visual storytelling.
Students can easily use it to create visual stories in few steps. Storybird provides students with artwork curated from illustrators and animators from all around the world and invite them to use those images to create engaging stories. Besides being able to create their own storybooks, students can use Storybird library to access and read a wide variety of books written by others.
They can also interact with these works through hearting and commenting on books they like. Storybird is free for educators and the best thing about it is that students can use it without having to create an account. Pearltrees. Pearltrees refers to itself as "a place for your interests".[8] Functionally the product is a visual and collaborative curation tool[9][10][11][12] that allows users to organize, explore and share any URL they find online as well as to upload personal photos, files and notes.[13] The product features a unique visual interface[14][15] that allows users to drag and organize collected URLs, and other digital objects.[16] that themselves can be further organized into collections and sub-collections,[17] (URLs).
Users of the product can also engage in social/collaborative curation using a feature called Pearltrees Teams.[18] Pearltrees was founded by Patrice Lamothe, CEO,[22] Alain Cohen, CTO,[23] Nicolas Cynober, Technical Director,[24] Samuel Tissier, Ergonomy/UI[25] and Francois Rocaboy, CMO.[26] History[edit] Development of Pearltrees began in 2007. EduTip: Content Curation with Pearltrees – UAA EduTips. EduTip: Content Curation with Pearltrees by Linnea Sudduth Ward Content curation tools—or tools designed to collect, store, and share ideas on a particular topic—are great tools for allowing your students to delve more deeply into a given concept.
Perhaps the most well-known content curation platform is Pinterest, which boasts 1.36 unique visitors a day. HOW TO USE PEARLTREES.


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Happy Thanksgiving to all those celebrating today! I have so many things to be thankful for, I never know where to start.
1. My wonderful, supportive family is right up there without a doubt. They're in good health (knock on wood) and spirits. My son is doing well his first year of college, and my daughter is exceeding in her 7th grade classes and has made a lot of new friends this year.
2. I'm thankful for those who pointed me to a life of better nutrition and body building. I'm in the best shape of my life right now thanks to TST, Tyrone Bell and Legion Training.
3. Arsenal is at the top of the Premier League and Bayern Munich is at the top of Bundeslegue. If the Columbus Crew had made it to the playoffs, it would have been quite the trifecta, but I'll take what I can get!
4. And saving the best for last, I'm most humbly grateful for the support of all of my friends, family and fans. Without your encouragement I never could have quit the day job in the corporate world (which I'm now convinced was slowly killing me) and begun this new journey as a full-time writer and author. My sincerest gratitude to each and every one of you!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Shay Savage


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I can never be a movie star. I will never be able to adapt to the unpredictable and crazy sleeping pattern of these people. That will surely give me wrinkles. Then I have to use my earnings on the most expensive of the best wrinkle creams that I can get my hand on.
|photo: careupdates


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Prague Czech Republic
Dances Choirs / Songs Orchestras Habits Authentic Processed Styled
Director: Zoran Strezovski
With pleasure we INVITE you (Folk ensembles, Choral groups, Brass bands, orchestras, balroomdance groups, modern dance group, majorette teams), (children, youth and adults groups) to participate on VIII International music & Folk - dance festival "PRAGUE FESTIVAL DAYS" 28 – 31 March , Prague, Czech Republic 2019
The Festival light motive is to present the cultural tradition of different countries and to provide an opportunity for the members of groups to get together, to establish friendships and culture presentation trough dance and music.
The Historic Centre represents a supreme manifestation of Medieval urbanism (the New Town of Emperor Charles IV built as the New Jerusalem). The Prague architectural works of the Gothic Period (14th and 15th centuries), of the High Baroque of the 1st half of the 18th century and of the rising modernism after the year 1900, influenced the development of Central Europe, perhaps even all European architecture.
In the course of the 1100 years of its existence,
21.00 - 22.30.00 Welcome reception with leaders of the groups in hotel
18.30 – 21.30 Festival evening and after that closing ceremony of the festival – organizer will give certificates and presents for the group
21.00 - Free time in Prague
11.00 Departure of the participants
General rules:
- Festival is a non-competitive sample of traditional and modern dances, choral groups and majorette teams.
- Every Folklore, Choral group and majorette Teams has the right to participate. Children's ensembles (2/3 of the participants must be 16 or younger), Youth ensembles (2/3 of the participants must be 25 or younger), adult ensembles (1/3 of the participants must be older than 25).On the festival may participate folklore dance groups, modern dance groups, vocal groups, instrumental groups and soloists, as well as groups and performers from other art styles.
- The number of participants are limited (only 3 groups from each country).
- Each group should consist of most 50 members including dancers, managers and musicians
- Ensemble should have prepared program, 10-12 minutes each with orchestra or CD
- To send us short CV and 2 – 3 photos of the group
- To take a flag of the country
- Folklore groups should have there own transport for arrival and departure
Participation fee:
- 109 Euro per person - Accommodation at Top hotel ****
- 99 Euro per person - Accommodation at Hotels like Olympik hotel ****,Olympik Tree Star ***, Fortuna West ***
- 85 Euro per person - Accommodation at Hotels like A&O Prag Metro Strizkov 3 ***, Hotel Globus ***, Hotel Rhea ***, Hotel Duo ***
Participation fee includes:
- For 25 dancers – one gratis,
- Certificate for attendance,
- Souvenir and gift for each group,
- Drinks during the performance,
- Advertising of the festival (press release, radio and tv channels, posters and flayers).
Personal responsibility and health insurance are within the other obligations of the groups. First Aid and Medical Hospital will be available, medical services must be covered by the group.
On your request, You can continue your stay in Prague. Price will be from 28 from 37 Euro per day per person HB – price depends of selected hotels and it is special for the participants in festivals that we can provide.
After Groups arrived in Hotel will be given detailed program of the festival and each group will have guide during festival. After the festival finish organizers will send you DVD from the festival program for each group and photos.The copy right of all video materials and pictures are ownership of the Organization of the Festival.
The festival will organize the transport for the groups coming by plane by picking them up from airport, during the festival days and back to airport. The cost of the transportation will be covered by the group and will be additionally agreed according to their number. Payment can be done on several parts.
By applying you confirm that you accept all festival conditions. All detailed information will be supply after your confirmation for participations.
In 2018 were participated 350 participants from 7 different countries.


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It seems that no matter what the actual reported weather conditions are in Scotland, I always manage to get soaked. It wasn't raining in Glenfinnan when we arrived, only misting, with some occasional determined rain drops dancing on my hood and making their way down the cracks in my sleeves. Honestly I don't mind the rain. I feel like rain gets a bad rep because it's cold, there's mud, and shoe choice is limited. But rain is life. It is a revealing and determined force of nature that breathes life and clears the air. While waking up to a gray sky and water droplets blurring your bedroom window can cause dismay for some people, I find it to be one of my favorite scenes. It makes me wanted to linger in my cozy bed just a minutes more, and enjoy the warm spaces of home. It encourages me to spend the day doing something I love -i.e. baking a pie, or wandering around museums and indulging in an afternoon latte. It also provides an unbelievable and dreamy backdrop to places I remember mostly from the scenes of some of my favorite childhood stories of fantasy and friendship.
We did the tourist thing of course, climbed a hill to get the perfect view of the viaduct, took some loving group pictures, and made some "Harry I think I found the train" jokes. Then we made our way to the base of the viaduct, not only so that we could say we touched the bridge, but also to locate the beginning of the trail we would walk along for the next hour. While I did some hiking and camping as a child in San Francisco, living in Brooklyn hasn't exactly provided too many opportunity to frolic in wilderness or sweat it out on a long woody trail; most of my hiking was done walking from one end of Manhattan to the next. But my new life in Vermont has opened up a love in me for mountains, hiking boots, and fresh air that I didn't know I had. Some of my best memories of Vermont so far have been of solitary moments walking along a leafy path in the back country of Vermont, in two day old clothes and a 20 pound pack on my back. So it was a relief after nearly 2 months of not seeing Mt. Mansfield from my dorm window to finally be back in a familiar environment, surrounded by a never ending landscape, lifting my feet up and pulling myself along the trail.
I love hiking with friends. I know there's an value in being able to follow a trail completely in solitude and not feel overwhelmed by vast open spaces, with nothing but your mind to keep you company; but sometimes it's the scene of marching along with a group of people, one after the other, the harmonious sound of crunching the cold wet ground beneath our feet, the in and out of all of us breathing in the cold air, that I crave. Being able to be silent while together, as you continue on. When everyone suddenly stops to take in what is right in front of them. Being able to smile at each other, revel in the beauty and collectively say "wow, look at this, I am just so happy right now" -that is a special moment.


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Do You Really Have a Food Allergy?
Let's say that recently you began eating organic whole-milk yogurt. After you eat it, you don't feel so well. Your stomach feels upset a bit. So what do you do? I can't tell you how many people instantly assume they are lactose-intolerant. Well, the first fact you should know is that there is no lactose in yogurt. That's right - all the good little bacteria has eaten it up because it's a sugar, and sugar feeds bacteria. That is also why yogurt is so healthy for you. Because it contains all that wonderful bacteria with full bellies! But that doesn't tell you why you don't feel well after eating yogurt. Well one answer might be that it is a therapy food. Anytime you introduce "therapy" into the body environment, you will get change. Change generally means a shift, which can bring up painful memories, pull toxic material out of cells, replace garbage with nutrition and even rev up a body system that has been on vacation.
Discomfort doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong. We have become much too enamored of the idea that if something is painful or difficult or challenging, then it's not right for us. Throughout history, including the history of medicine, moving from an unhealthy place to a healthy place was not a pleasant experience. And that's not even counting the leeches! When you embark on a healthier path, you are introducing foods and lifestyle elements that are of higher quality, which are intended to replace those of lower quality. This will increase the vital energy that your body uses for all its functions, including replacing worn-out tissues and cells.
Think of any healing process. There is the original injury, illness, problem, etc. At first you feel OK, then you start to not feel great, then you feel downright awful (this is actually when the most healing is taking place), followed by a gradual return to feeling pretty good! During the healing process, in order for your body to move to a healthier point, it has to process each impediment to health along the way and neutralize it, change it or remove it.
Inflammation, skin breakouts, pain, swelling, fever, nausea, constipation, headaches, mood swings, fatigue, restlessness ... these can all be the signs that what you have eaten is actually pushing the body into a healing crisis, the realization that change needs to take place. Often the food is so therapeutic that it is providing long-forgotten nutrients that the body is now taking advantage of. The rusty machinery is beginning to move again.
These symptoms may return when you eat these foods for a while, until the change has become sufficient for symptoms to diminish. However, you can often know if this is the case simply by the food itself. If it's heavy pasta, then it's probably not a healing journey, potato chips, definitely not ... but if it's broccoli or yogurt or more protein, then it's worth giving it a little time. Another option is to temporarily take some high-grade digestive enzymes just to help things along. My favorites are Standard Process Zypan for protein and Multizyme for everything else.
So anytime you experience symptoms, don't automatically run for the hills. Give it a little time and a little patience and you may discover that real change is upon you!


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"What has worked best for me in recovery, is talking. Meeting other sufferers and obtaining mutual support, understanding and insight has also been central to my recovery journey."Read More
"I started eating less and less, and even the little food I had in my tummy was still making me nervous so I made myself sick."Read More


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HHSC will not Process MDCP Contract Applications Postmarked after June 30, 2016
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is expanding managed care to include services provided to children and young adults enrolled in MDCP beginning Nov. 1, 2016. Because of this transition to managed care, HHSC will not process MDCP contract applications postmarked after June 30, 2016. MDCP contract applications postmarked on or before June 30, 2016, will continue to be processed.
The managed care expansion is a result of amendments to the Texas Healthcare Transformation and Quality Improvement Program 1115 demonstration waiver.
Questions can be emailed to email@example.com or you may contact the CSC voice mailbox at 512-438-3550.
For any questions regarding STAR+Kids or how to contract with the STAR+Kids managed care organizations (MCOs), you may visit the STAR+Kids web page.
Contracting to Provide Services
To be eligible to provide services and receive reimbursement for these services, a provider agency must meet certain eligibility criteria. Rules regarding program and contracting requirements can be found in Title 40 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) as follows:
- Texas Administrative Code , Title 40, Part 1, Chapter 51, Subchapter D: Provider Requirements
- Texas Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 1, Chapter 49: Contracting For Community Care Services
For more information about provider enrollment process and requirements, please click here.
An individual or provider agency must complete an application to provide services in the Community Services programs. Once you have met the minimum eligibility criteria, you may review the required application documents at:
The forms may be downloaded for completion. Completed forms and any additional required information should be mailed to:
Regular mail
Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services
Community Services Contracts Unit
Mail Code W-357
P.O. Box 149030
Austin, TX 78714-9030
Overnight/Express delivery
Department of Aging and Disability Services
Community Services Contracts Unit
Mail Code W-357
701 West 51st St.
Austin, TX 78751
Should you have any questions regarding the enrollment process for these programs, contact the Community Services Contracts Unit at 512-438-3550. Please be advised that contract applications must be submitted by mail to the address above and may not be submitted electronically or by facsimile.


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Abstract Expressionism
Mark Rothko. No. 15, 1957. Courtesy of The Royal Academy of Arts, London.
On the 27th of December De Kooning, Pollock, Rothko, and Kline echoed in my head as I entered the Abstract Expressionist show at the Royal Academy of Art. This is the second show at the RA I have seen and neither have disappointed. The beginning of the show starts with a room of early works by the Abstract Expressionist. I enjoyed this room particularly, because it allowed me to see little glimpses of the path these brave artists would take. For instance, Gustin's painting showed the future possibility of the red, white, and black color palette he would come to be known for. Pollock's painting showed the beginning of his love affair for the heavy, thick, gestural painted lines. And Rothko's early painting show a slow embracing of light.
Mark Rothko. No. 4, (Yellow, Black, Orange on Yellow, Untitled) 1953. Courtesy of The Royal Academy of Arts, London.
After this first introduction room, the fun began, with a room of Gorky paintings, then Pollock, De Kooning, and Still. Newman and Reinhardt sharing a big long room. Speckled amongst these greats were lesser known Abstract Expressionists, such as Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler, which were greats in their own right. Not only did their paintings hold their own, with the strength of the male painted canvases next to them, they also offered a unique voice to this exhibition.
Willem de Kooning. Pink Angels, 1945. Courtesy of The Royal Academy of Arts, London.
In each room I stood. I was challenged by the scale of the paintings, the emotion of the paintings, the physicality of the paintings and the images the paintings portrayed. An experience I soon will not forget. The Abstract Expressionists had an ability to convey emotions in a way that hits you straight in the face and heart all at once. All reflecting a time in history of overwhelming emotions brought on by the Great Depression, the two World Wars, and the Cold War. What their paintings did was challenge their own emotion about these times and helped themselves and the viewers of that time, come to terms with these incredible difficult emotions of the world around them. All while challenging the art world and what the art world would accept as art. Great art always comes from challenging what has gone before while always reflecting the world around you.
Franz Kline. Vawdavitch, 1955. Courtesy of The Royal Academy of Arts, London.


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Bernanke outlines three options for additional economic stimulus
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernarke said in a speech this morning that the Fed still has several "tools and strategies for providing additional stimulus." The words are a strong indicator that more economic support is due by the Fed and to perhaps serve as a counterargument to recent claims that the US government is running out of bullets in its gunfight against a flagging economy. Speaking at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Bernake said that the zero interest rate policy (ZIRP) is unlikely to change in the coming months. He also doesn't see any short-term risk of deflation. However, federal economic stimulus can only drive recovery temporarily. For a sustained expansion to take hold, growth in consumer spending and business fixed investment needs to come more into focus, he said. "Notwithstanding the fact that the policy rate is near its zero lower bound, the Federal Reserve retains a number of tools and strategies for providing additional stimulus," Bernake said. "I will focus here on three that have been part of recent staff analyses and discussion at Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meetings: conducting additional purchases of longer-term securities, modifying the committee's communication, and reducing the interest paid on excess reserves. I will also comment on a fourth strategy, proposed by several economists--namely, that the FOMC increase its inflation goals." Bernanke added that Fed strategy relies on the presumption that different financial assets aren't perfect substitutes in investors' portfolios, so changes in the net supply of an asset available to investors affect its yield and those of broadly similar assets. In the same speech last year, Bernanke was more bearish, instead choosing to focus on how federal government interventions lessened the blow of the recession, despite irresponsible activity in the private financial sector. There seems to be less finger wagging this time around, and more fist pounding. "Our purchases of Treasury, agency debt, and agency MBS likely both reduced the yields on those securities and also pushed investors into holding other assets with similar characteristics, such as credit risk and duration," Bernanke said Friday. "For example, some investors who sold MBS to the Fed may have replaced them in their portfolios with longer-term, high-quality corporate bonds, depressing the yields on those assets as well." Bernanke said that reinvestment in Treasury securities is more consistent with the FOMC's longer-term objective of a portfolio made up principally of Treasury securities. "We do not rule out changing the reinvestment strategy if circumstances warrant, however," he added. "By agreeing to keep constant the size of the Federal Reserve's securities portfolio, the committee avoided an undesirable passive tightening of policy that might otherwise have occurred," he said. "The decision also underscored the committee's intent to maintain accommodative financial conditions as needed to support the recovery. We will continue to monitor economic developments closely and to evaluate whether additional monetary easing would be beneficial." The annual speech is seen as an indicator of the Fed's activity for the coming year and every word is scrutinized by economists. Already the reaction is somewhat incredulous: "Changing the language on the near-zero short-rate commitment is still a possibility but, again, do we really think that driving the longer end of the yield curve down a bit is going to save the economy?" asked Paul Ashworth, senior US economist at Capital Economics. "In sum, don't expect any Fed action soon. If economic conditions get a lot worse, the Fed would announce a new program of Treasury bill/bond purchases and probably put more weight on explicit monetary targets, in the same way the Japanese did, Ashworth said, adding that such an option would have a limited impact on the economy. Write to Jacob Gaffney.


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Our school has a target to achieve 97% attendance over the course of the year...help us to achieve our target by coming to school every day you possibly can!
In order for children to get the greatest benefit from their education in school, it is important that they have good attendance and that they arrive on time for school each day. As children grow and prepare for the next stages in their education, and in employment in years to come, children need to see good attendance and punctuality as important values that should be valued by themselves, their parents/carers and by those around them. At All Saints' we will do all that we can to encourage good attendance and punctuality. We will recognise 100% attendance (and very near misses) both termly and annually.
The school governors set a target for whole school attendance of 97%. This target has consistently been met over the past three years. Where families are unable to meet our high expectations for attendance and punctuality, we will discuss this with families and put into place effective strategies to support in bringing about improvements. It is worth noting that as from September 2015 the government defined a persistent absentee as a child with attendance of 90% and below.
End of Autumn Term Attendance Data 2018
At present our whole school attendance is 97%
Class attendance is as follows:
**Sapling: 98.8%**
Acorn: 96.5%
Willow: 96.2%
Maple: 97.2%
Hazel: 96.4%
Beech: 97.2%
Sycamore: 95.8%
Elder: 97.6%
Oak: 97.2%
Certificates for those with 100% attendance, and without lates, have been sent home today. Well done to the 102 children who have been in school everyday on time this term!
Whole School and Class Attendance Information
We finished the 2017-2018 academic year with the lowest attendance for a number of years. We know that many absences have been unavoiadable, due to children being unwell, but there have also been absences which could have been avoided. Please do try your very best to book holidays outside of term time , where you able to so, to minimise disruption to children's education and ensure children are given the best possible chances to learn and achieve their best.
Can we also please reiterate how very important it is that children are in school on time each day. Learning begins from the very start of the day, missed minutes are missed learning opportunities and missed social times with friends.
If you require any support in improving your child's attendance, please make an appointment to see a member of the school leadership team
Attendance at the end of 2017-2018
Sapling: 96.5%
Acorn: 96.3%
Willow: 96.9%
Maple: 97.3%
Hazel: 97.8%
Beech: 96.2%
Sycamore: 97.5%
Elder: 96.1%
Oak: 97.8%
Whole school: 96.9%


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The Petzl Avao Bod Fast is a Full Body Harness that is ideal for Working at Height.
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Up and UnderCentre Cag Junior 2
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Old TownDiscovery 158
The Old Town Discovery 158 features a tough and durable three layer polyethylene shell. It is then fitted with durable vinyl gunwales, plastic end decks that incorporate moulded in grab / carry handles. It then...
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DaggerKatana Club
The Dagger Katana is a basic entry-level kayak, ideal for more adventure than the Dagger GT Club Series. The Katana C is available in two different sizes for a near perfect fit. It has a large easy access cockp...
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TootegaPulse 120 Tandem Club
The Tootega Pulse 120 Club, a two person sit on top kayak. This tandem sit on top kayak is suitable for carrying up to 185kg and it built to a very high quality. Designed and manufactured in the UK, this sit on...
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PyranhaMaster TG Rapid
The Pyranha Master TG Rapid is a mid range kayak that's suitable for use in Outdoor Activity Centres and Kayak Clubs. It's perfect for kayakers in the 45-100Kg-weight range and is more than suitable for paddlin...
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PyranhaMaster TG Lite Rapid
The Pyranha Master TG Lite Rapid is a mid range kayak, it's great for smaller paddlers in the 30-75kg-weight range. The boat is suitable for up to grade 3 white-water. It incorporates an easy access cockpit tha...
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DaggerAxiom 6.9 Club
The Dagger Axiom 6.9 Club is a great entry level junior kayak, ideal for paddlers between 29-54kg in weight. This kayak is perfect for use in Canoe Clubs, Schools and Outdoor Education Centres. The Axiom 6.9 cl...
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DaggerDynamo Club
The Dagger Dynamo Club, a great entry level child's kayak. This junior kayak is suitable for paddlers between 20-60kg. It features a high quality plastic shell that is moulded in the UK. This kids kayak is perf...
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Islander KayaksCalypso
The Islander Kayaks Calypso is an entry level sit on top kayak that's perfect for beach kayak rentals. This sit on top kayak was designed in the UK and is based around a self bailing hull system for the highest...
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OlympicCordage Meter
Acuratly measuers the length of a rope
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TootegaPulse 85 Club
The Tootega Pulse 85 Club is a beginners sit on kayak that's ideal for beach kayak hire. This entry level sit on kayak has the same great potential levels of performance and is still made from the same high qua...
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TootegaPulse 95 Club
The Tootega Pulse 95 Club is an entry level sit on top kayak. The beginners sit on top kayak is designed to have the same great levels of performance while being made out of the same highest quality materials a...
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Ocean SignalPLB1
The Ocean Signal Rescueme PLB1 is a small compact personal locator beacon. It is ideal for people who seek adventure and adrenaline rushes in remote areas. This Rescueme PLB comes with a 7 year battery life and...
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White Water Consultancy has been a popular name in the world of Canoe and Kayak retail for many years now. Sadly, with the excessive floods that were seen in Llandysul and Bronwydd in late 2018, they've had to close their doors for the final time. More on White Water Consultancy (International) Ltd »
Patagonia Sample Sale with all proceeds going to the Cam and Bear Fund for Adventure in memory of Up and Under and Patagonia staff member and friend Andrew Foster. Thursday 22nd February 2018 12:00-20:00. Providing huge savings on Patagonia Fall 2017 product and supporting a great charity.More on Patagonia Sample Sale »
Please read the attached for our statement about the loss of our friend. Includes link to Cam and Bear Fund for Adventure in Andy Foster's memory.More on A very sad day for Up and Under »


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iPhone X review video
My good friend Tyler Stalman has had a great last couple of years blowing up on youtube as a photographer/tech reviewer. I've been lucky enough to collaborate on many things with him including being on his podcast a few times now.
With this video, he knew the iPhone X was going to be a big deal so we decided to make what we thought would be the best review video possible. Including several shots that I created in Cinema 4D and rendered in Octane. They are entirely CG and the most people said about the shots was that they were original and cool. Almost nobody in his large audience knew it was computer generated due to the fully photorealistic result.
The shots we worked on were the opening, closing and rotating shot on the cove.
The 3D model I used included all internals of the phone and could be assembled, animated however one would want. Shown are some still renders.
May this lead to much bigger and even more amazing works of art in the future.
Smarter Every Day
Although I've moved mostly away from Social media, it can still be a wonderful thing sometimes. One example is this.
Destin from 'Smarter Every Day' had followed each other on Twitter for about a year when he ran into a timeline issue for a video he was working on. He needed some animations done in a single night to help hit the release deadline. I offered to do it and here we are.
These were very simply animations to help with another brilliant video from Destin.
I'm honoured to know him and to have contributed in even a small way to the Smarter Every Day youtube channel. I make sure to watch every single video, and I would suggest you do as well :)
May this lead to much bigger and even more amazing works of art in the future.
I was tremendously lucky to be a part of this film.
It is one of my fondest memories thus far on this path into filmmaking.
The great and talented Khalid Mohtaseb is a good friend of mine thus I was naturally connected to the intention of this film from the early talks. I didn't know I was going to be directly involved at all until very late when all the details fell into place. Ultimately my leap into the project was more about getting past the fear of moving forward than anything. But after meeting everyone involved I knew it would be this exact type of scary leap forward for everyone, not just myself.
The talent from top to bottom of this project is exceptional. So much so that I have a hard time thinking I had any contribution at all. My tireless efforts to motivate and build momentum amongst the team ultimately made me realize how important people are all throughout the cast and crew. The directors were both extraordinary and Khalid worked his magic throughout but I saw so much below the surface that showed me how something like this ever becomes a reality. The passion has to be running throughout and be constantly replenished if a passion project is ever going to be manifested.
May this lead to much bigger and even more amazing works of art in the future.
Below is from the behind the scenes blog. Salomon was kind enough to share these words with the huge group of followers keeping their eye on the progress of film.
I owe so much to these guys. They make me believe I can do it.
With enough work and most importantly... patience.
^ The Teaser
^ The full length film
DAWN: Part One
Director of Photography, Editor and Colourist
My first work as a DP and a gigantic leap forward for both myself and director Olaf Blomerus. From Script to finished project was a magical process that was filled with surprises both positive and negative. Our first big step into the world of VFX and the full control of the entire film making process. I was involved throughout but my main titles were as listed above. I'm so proud to be friends with Olaf.
May it lead to much bigger and even more amazing works of art in the future.
8 Hours in Brooklyn
Brooklyn NY. 2011
A few friends agreed to shoot a commercial campaign for a small clothing brand for not much money. We agreed to shoot it under one condition, the shoot would be on a Saturday. It would require a fully insured high speed Phantom Flex camera. The one day shoot on Saturday meant that all of the gear would still be rented and unused on Sunday due to the rental shop being closed.
Thus leaving a group of friends with 8 hours in Brooklyn to shoot as many different types of high speed clips as we could.
Turned out the world liked our idea.
Beyond Varanasi: Cale Glendening and Joey L
Editor and Colourist
The first absolute Wow moment in my film making career. After reaching out to Cale almost 6 months before, I found myself slowly becoming a part of the conversation surrounding this amazing piece of film. I'd know Cale was special since the second I met him and had been following Joey's work since I was in photography school.
After jumping into the industry and working with Vincent Laforet on a few projects, it gave me the confidence as an editor and beginner confidence as a colourist. It was a huge step going from shorter 2-5 minute projects to something almost an hour long but definitely exciting a worth it.
Be sure to check out the entire project. It's exciting and fulfilling throughout.
May it lead to much bigger and even more amazing works of art in the future.


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Delicious Turkey Soup on an Elimination Diet
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The Ultimate Smoothie for the Elimination Dieter
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Construction has started on three new buildings in Alachua.
ALACHUA - The biomedical field is riding a wave of momentum in Florida, and Alachua County is at the crest of the wave with numerous companies spinning out of University of Florida research.
Growing and startup companies will have more room to grow with construction beginning on three new buildings in Progress Corporate Park in Alachua and two parcels fronting U.S. 441 under contract.
Developers, UF officials and guests marked the occasion with a groundbreaking Wednesday.
Win Phillips, vice president of UF's Office of Research, said more than half of the 134 biotechnology and biomedical device companies in Florida were founded in the past six years.
Many of those are in Alachua. Developer Jim Shaw said the largest physical cluster of biotech companies is at the park.
Phillips credited former UF President Bob Marston with the vision to create a corporate research park more than 20 years ago. But progress was slow, until about five years ago.
That's when UF made a concerted effort to turn more research into commerce, Shaw said. He pointed to a 60,000-square-foot office building on the campus that is fully occupied, a 32,000-square-foot building completed this year that is fully occupied and interest in the space under construction.
He also attributed the efforts of UF's Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator, which helps biotech startups.
"The (center) is absolutely bursting at the seams with startup companies coming out of the university," he said. "They're graduating them out. They're having to have a place to go and there's no better place to be than right here in Progress Corporate Park in Alachua."
The new space will include two 32,000-square-foot buildings identical to the one completed this year and a 4,000-square-foot building that will house a P'diddle's restaurant and offices for support businesses like lawyers.
Shaw's partner, Phil Hawley, said two parcels fronting U.S. 441 are under contract and will house a restaurant, retail and more service providers.
Across the street from the groundbreaking, construction is under way on a 4,000-square-foot expansion of Pegasus' chemical research facility.
The growing cluster of biotech businesses is increasing UF's ability to recruit venture capital and experienced leadership to the businesses, officials said.
Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper said the park's companies raised $222 million in venture capital in the last year.
Shaw said the best example of the importance of a cluster of businesses is the recent merger between park tenants Regeneration Technologies Inc. and Tutogen Inc.
Brent Christensen, president and CEO of the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Council for Economic Outreach, said economic developers have been called "smokestack chasers" who try to lure industries away from other communities, but the biotech industry is an example of a new strategy of "growing our own companies" that tend to stay.
The park is solving a problem of providing space for such companies to grow, he said.
Hawley said the park has about 100 acres developed and about 50 usable acres remaining.
Anthony Clark can be reached at 352-374-5094 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Black Hole was a mysterious ride that was hidden away from the prying eyes of riders and spectators alike as the almost 600 metres long ride took place in almost total darkness, with the only illumination coming from stars and asteroids.
Fact File
Location: Fantasy World / X Sector
Manufacturer: Schwarzkopf
Model: Jet Star II
Length: 560m
Speed: 45mph
Drop Height: 13.4m
Weight: 175 tonnes
G-forces: 2.5G
Duration: 3 mins 42 secs
Capacity per train: 12
Capacity per hour: 1022
Opening Year: 1984
Closing Year: 2005
The ride was a vast undercover roller coaster which first opened in 1984 on the site of the former Dinosaur Land. Guests traveled through helixes upwards until completely disorientated and then suddenly dropping straight down a 44ft drop into the Black Hole itself.
Because the ride was totally hidden from view, guests didn't know what to expect until they had ridden it, so for first time riders the queue was quite intimidating not knowing what they were queuing for. In the station was the first time guests could see the trains with passengers sitting in twos, one behind the other rather like sitting on a sledge. Spiraling upwards the train climbed fairly high, before a voice said 'sit back – hold tight' and then guests were plunged down large drops and around tight corners before a quick return into the brakes. The ride had a very poor through-put, because of this queues often built up.
To build this ride, the rail framework had to be covered completely with a canopy, but not before a quarter of a million tonnes of soil had been dug away from the hillside. The tent the ride was housed in was originally green and yellow, but in 1998 when Oblivion was installed it was rethemed and painted blue.
Black Hole took its last riders in early 2005 before remaining SBNO the following season with the coaster itself then being removed in February 2007. The tent remained standing for a number of years afterwards, being used as a venue for Carnival of Screams and The Boiler House during Scarefest 2011. However, in 2012 the tent was finally demolished in order to make way for a new rollercoaster, The Smiler.
Although the ride's whereabouts were unknown for several years, since May 2011 it has been operating as Rocket at Furuvik, a Swedish theme park.
Were the Beast and the Black Hole the same ride?
The simply answer is no.
This misunderstanding comes from the fact the two rides are very similar in design, and at a casual glance it would be fair to assume they are identical, though they are not. The similarities came about because the two rides come from the same series of rides from Schwarzkopf, the Jetstar series.
The Black Hole, the older of the two, was also the smaller of the two models, being a Jetstar II. The Beast on the other hand was a Jetstar III, the main difference being a extra tier on the spiral lift hill, which made the ride taller than the earlier model and also allowed for an extra drop in the ride.
As the rides were similar models they shared many similar parts, such as the coaster trains, which were near identical. When the Beast arrived at Alton Towers it was second hand and came with no trains. It's arrival also coincided with the upgrade of the Black Hole for 1988, and because of this the park decided to run the old Black Hole cars on the Beast and purchase brand new trains for the more high profile Black Hole.
If more proof were needed that the two rides were not the same the footprint taken up by the Beast was significantly larger then that of the Black Hole. This, combined with the addition height means that it would be impossible for the Beast to fit into the tent which contained the Black Hole for the duration of its life.


text:
Hi babes! I had the pleasure of sharing a ColorPrint Workshop with some wonderful creative colorists in San Diego a few weeks back, and wanted to share these photos from the day full of hand painting hair with dreamy colors.
It was so fun to see how unique and different everyone's designs were! Such artists:)
Thank you to Jess from Salvage Salon in La Jolla for hosting, and to the lovely stylists from Raven and Sage, Ultra Lux Salon, and Robert Jeffery who attended.
For our upcoming workshop schedule, click here, and if you are a salon interested in booking a workshop, please contact me directly at howtohairgirl@gmail
xo, HTHG


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Become a Member
Join Austin-Saltillo Sister Cities and become part of a long-standing network anchored in formal city-to-city agreements between Austin, TX and Saltillo, MX. As a member of Austin-Saltillo Sister Cities, you can enjoy international access, opportunities and resources pertaining to foster the friendly relationship between our two cities and countries.
Membership benefits include opportunity to participate in delegations that meet with international, political and business leaders, arts and culture professionals and government, education and technical experts. You can welcome international delegations to Austin, and host delegates in your business and home. Throughout the year, you can attend exciting, information-rich cultural programs and participate in economic and educational, events and exchanges.
$50.00 (Individual)
$75.00 (Non-profit Group)
$100.00 (Small Business)
$200.00 (Corporate 1-Member)
$500.00 (Corporate 3-Member)


text:
Fruity celebration cake
What better way to celebrate than with this healthy 'cake'. Watch the video on how to make it.
4-6 large serves, or 10-12 small serves
1 large watermelon
1 melon (rock melon or honeydew, or half and half)
2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced into rounds
2 Tbsp blueberries
Cut the rock melon/honeydew melon in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place on a board and slice into pieces, 0.5 – 1 cm thick.
Using cookie cutters, cut melon slices into a variety of shapes. Save the off cuts (see tip).
Cut two large cross section slices from the watermelon so they are about 6 cm thick. Remove visible seeds.
Cut the larger slice into about a 20 cm round and the smaller one into a 15 cm round (see tip). Remove the rind.
Place the larger watermelon round on a platter or board. If it has cracks in the middle, you can fill these with off cuts. Top with the smaller round.
Decorate the cake with melon shapes, kiwifruit slices and blueberries.
Save the fruit off cuts to make salads, smoothies, popsicles or a fresh fruit platter.
Use plates as guide for the circles (e.g. a small dinner plate and saucer).


text:
EFG, Enterprise Finance Guarantee with Loan Finance
The Enterprise Finance Guarantee is a government-backed loan guarantee scheme that is aimed at businesses with insufficient security to secure a traditional bank loan.
It allows businesses with a turnover of up to £25million to apply for loans between £1,000 and £1million to support new loans, refinance existing loans or to convert all or part of an existing overdraft into a loan that is repayable over a period of up to 10 years to meet the business' working capital demands.
The Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme can also provide a top-up guarantee on invoice finance facilities to support the advance that was agreed with the funder.
- Businesses in most sectors are eligible to apply for the
Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG)
- Supplied through a lender, the government initiative guarantees 75% of the loan to lower the risk to the lender, increasing the likelihood of lending through the Enterprise Finance Guarantee. (EFG)
- The EFG can be provided alongside other funding solutions such as an invoice finance facility.
In addition to regular capital and interest payments to the lender, plus any arrangement fee, a premium will be payable to the Department for BERR.
This is equivalent to 2% per annum on the outstanding balance of the loan, assessed and collected quarterly in advance throughout the life of the loan.
Typically,you will need to provide all the information normally required by a lender in connection with a loan application, which will generally include the following supporting information:
- a current business plan, including details of the purpose for which the loan is required and details of other investment in and financial commitments of the business;
- financial projections;
- historic trading figures;
- statutory and management accounts;
- Information on any other publicly funded support received by your business within the past three years.
To find out more about the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Contact us today via our online enquiry form for a confidential talk. We'll show you a positive way forward.
The Aftersales Network – "We can do that for you"


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SHYFT will be screening alongside some other Jersey City filmmakers!
Let's watch some scary movies outside, in the dark, in an deserted part of town! WHAT COULD GO WRONG???
OK, not all the movies are scary, but they are all local--shot in Jersey City, or made by a Jersey City resident.
FREE screening and Q&A with the filmmakers. Bring a beach chair and your own booze, Stu from Pacific Flea is providing the popcorn!
FEATURING SHORT FILMS FROM: Jacqueline Arias, John Dunstan, Brooke Hoover, Jenna Laurenzo, Christian Moran, and Guy Patton.
Meetup starts at 7:30. If you happen to be a film or TV pro, or aspire to be, great! Come on out and meet your peers. If not, come anyway, all are welcome. Films start, as they should, at dark.


text: [ The following text is in the "Windows-1252" character set. ] [ Your display is set for the "ISO-8859-10" character set. ] [ Some special characters may be displayed incorrectly. ] Yes? you were right, I forgot to do the qconf ?mconf and set the parms, would I need to restart the qmaster daemon or the sgedbwriter? /or both?/ Bill From: Jana.Olivova at Sun.COM [mailto:Jana.Olivova at Sun.COM] Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 2:37 AM To: users at gridengine.sunsource.net Cc: Dan.Templeton at Sun.COM Subject: Re: [GE users] Arco db running multiple in cells on same master node Hi, if you only see one cluster in the drop down menu, it is probably because you did not enter during the reporting installation 2 database connections but just 1. To reinstall reporting - just run the installation again and make sure that you enter connection parameters for both databases. If you do not have any data in the database it might be because yo did not enable reporting (qconf -mconf) See the documentation fro installing reporting: http://wikis.sun.com/display/gridengine62u5/How+to+Install+Reporting Regards, Jana wagoodman wrote: Thank for the replay? However when I use the drop down only one cell it there. So maybe it?s my installation because neither cell(s) are writing to arco db, How do you uninstall ARCo or do you just blow away the directories and run the install scripts? Bill From: Jana.Olivova at Sun.COM<mailto:Jana.Olivova at Sun.COM> [mailto:Jana.Olivova at Sun.COM] Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2010 7:02 AM To: users at gridengine.sunsource.net<mailto:users at gridengine.sunsource.net> Cc: Dan.Templeton at Sun.COM<mailto:Dan.Templeton at Sun.COM> Subject: Re: [GE users] Arco db running multiple in cells on same master node Hi, You do not need to change the URL, in the upper right corner is a dropdown that allows yo to switch between different clusters. The reporting console does not care about your SGE_CELL, it cares about database connection inforamtion, which you entered during the installation of reporting module. So, if yo configured on MySQl multiple db's (one per each cluster), then yo had tro enter those connection parameters during isntallation. Jana wagoodman wrote: No... As per: "Prerequisite for performing cross-cluster queries is that you have configured your database with multiple schemas (not necessary for MySQL)" So I am using MySQL, I just created different databases and allowed arco_read and arco_write privledges to all databases. (example databases: arcodevel, arcotest and Arco) Bill -----Original Message----- From: Dan.Templeton at Sun.COM<mailto:Dan.Templeton at Sun.COM> [mailto:Dan.Templeton at Sun.COM] Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 2:40 PM To: users Cc: Goodman, William Subject: Re: [GE users] ARCo db running multiple in cells on same master node When you created the databases for the different cells, did you set up different schemas in the same DB server? If so, you can just run cross-cluster queries as described here: http://wikis.sun.com/display/gridengine62u5/Creating+Cross-Cluster+Queri es Daniel On 03/05/10 11:32, wagoodman wrote: Hello, I'm new to sge and I have installed the ARCo accounting and reporting software and configured it in my devl-cell and test-cell, now I would like to put it in my production cell, all the cells are on the same master. The issue is how could I view different cell through the web browser GUI, how can I change the https://<hostname>:<port#> to view each cell? or is this possible? ------------------------------------------------------ http://gridengine.sunsource.net/ds/viewMessage.do?dsForumId=38&dsMessage Id=247226 To unsubscribe from this discussion, e-mail: [users-unsubscribe at gridengine.sunsource.net<mailto:users-unsubscribe at gridengine.sunsource.net>]. ------------------------------------------------------ http://gridengine.sunsource.net/ds/viewMessage.do?dsForumId=38&dsMessageId=247232 To unsubscribe from this discussion, e-mail: [users-unsubscribe at gridengine.sunsource.net<mailto:users-unsubscribe at gridengine.sunsource.net>].


text:
Do you hear that?
My wife's voice could barely compete with the sound of a plastic hammer smashing plastic building blocks and the delighted squealing of our two year old boy. My face was buried in budget tables and despite all the noise, the numbers were louder.
Of course I do, I mumbled. How could I not?
No. That. Her long, slender finger was pointed towards the basement door, slightly ajar.
I set down my pen, closed my laptop, and turned to face the stairway. All I could hear was the pounding. She stood with her arms crossed, waiting.
My eyes, bloodshot, met hers, focused. No, what is it?
You really don't –
Shhh. I cut her off quickly, standing. In between the sounds of the human noise machine that the two of us had handcrafted, I heard a far-off mewing.
The cat had been missing for a few days, which isn't unusual for cats, but was unusual for this particular cat, which seemed to think fresh air was poisonous. I pulled the loose string that ignited the bulb at the top of the creaky wooden staircase. She scooped up our boy, who dropped his toys in a clatter on the floor, and I descended behind her. Her bare feet barely made a sound, and the small slap of flesh on concrete when she reached the bottom snapped me back from a mind that wanted to wander to figures and numbers. She set the boy down on the floor and he began to scoot around.
He's going to get all dirty.
He's a toddler. Let him.
He stood and stumbled over to an old chair and tried to climb up. She stood still, pushed her long dark hair back from her ear, and cocked her head. Nothing but silence.
The basement was virtually unused except to store shit we didn't need but didn't want to get rid of since we'd moved in a year before. It was damp, dirty, full of old furniture and boxes that the previous owners had left behind. I meant to get down there and clean it but as it goes, a year had passed and it was still untouched. I wiped a box caked with dust with my bare hand and inspected the dull lack of color.
They say dust is mostly dead skin cells.
The lid barely resisted and the box exhaled a puff of ancient air into my nostrils. Unfamiliar feelings, wisps of unremembered memories swam in my brain as I lifted out discolored and worn photographs. A family, unsmiling, on a front porch, one figure slightly more blurry than the rest. A man, sitting atop a tree stump, smiling but with eyes unfeeling. Two children on a swing set, one laughing, one crying, or so it seemed. An adult standing behind the one laughing. A clear sky, an ancient tree. Picture after picture, there were hundreds of them. Faces became familiar, the same faces at national parks, baseball games, thanksgiving. In one, they all sat on a blue and white blanket, under a giant lone, leafless tree in a grassy field, enjoying a picnic from a basket, a picture of Americana.
Who took the picture? I said aloud. I turned to show my wife and could see she had been watching me. She put her finger to her lips as I began to speak again, tiptoeing towards the far wall. She crept back and forth, ear cocked, until she reached a large wooden bookshelf and put her hands on the side, straining, pushing, turning red. Her breasts swayed in her loose shirt as she put more effort in and I felt a stirring in my chest. The shelf gave a few inches and she glanced over her shoulder at me, caught me looking at her with the lust only she can spot. Her eyes narrowed, mocked me.
Are you going to help or watch?
As the wood scratched along the concrete, several books fell out like baby birds from a nest. The mewing renewed, still faint, but more audible. A cold rush of air moved past our legs out of a small hole the size of a shoebox, an open maw into the cinder brick wall.
Roger! she called, her hands and knees clapping the concrete floor. Roger! she called into the hole.
I ran upstairs and came back with a flashlight. Our boy was playing with a leather ball he found somewhere amongst the accoutrement. When I got back, she was still on all fours calling for the cat, who had begun mewing more frantically.
Do you think he's stuck?
She flipped on the flashlight and shot the beam into the hole. Hm. I joined her on hands and knees and pressed my head up against hers. The light shone into a tunnel that went about six feet and then began to descend into darkness, into the earth. A crashing sound snapped us back and we turned to see our son standing next to a can of paint spilling its red guts onto the bare floor. Tears filled his eyes. The can's contents spread, seeping across the concrete, lapping burgundy at his tiny feet.
You should have been watching him. He could have been hurt.
I went to him and righted the can, dusting him off and checking him over. My wife grabbed some towels from upstairs and began wiping the pool as my son giggled and pressed red footprints into the floor. She wiped his feet tenderly and I set him to sit on the bottom stair as we cleaned up the rest of the mess, the mewing not letting up. When we were done, what was left was a deep red smear and tiny footprints.
Spooky, she said, reading my mind, as she tore open a can of cat food. She walked it to the hole and set it down, pushing it a foot inside the darkness.
Maybe he just needs some encouragement.
The next morning the cat food was still there, and Roger was still mewing, though it sounded further away. On hands and knees I called quietly, whispering affections to the cat. Affections I was reluctant to admit. Nothing but the same mews in return. My arm reached as far as it could but my hand only came back with dirt and dust.
Before I left for work I crept into my boy's room and leaned over the crib. His smooth skin, his dark eyelashes. He was the best thing I'd done with my life. He smiled, dreaming his pleasant dreams. Small stains of red paint remained on his tiny feet.
The carpet padded my entrance back into the bedroom. I crawled into bed, suit and black shoes and all, to the surprise of my wife. I embraced her, pulled her close, kissing her on the cheek as she murmured words I couldn't understand. When I got up I watched my imprint lift from the mattress before closing the door behind me and making my way to work.
My headlights illuminated the front porch of my house as I pulled into the driveway, the pop of gravel under the tires competing with the crickets shrouded in the deepening darkness. I slid my key into the front door of the house and stopped as a sound wafted to my ears. A muffled thud, like two heavy object colliding. Then another. When the lock clicked and the door swung open I could hear my boy crying and the strike of another thud. A jolt, a wash of hormones swept through my body, igniting my skin and pushing a metallic taste into my mouth. My briefcase hit the floor and the thump released me. I was in the kitchen. My feet crushed a plastic toy left underfoot. Another thud. More crying. The basement door was wide open. Without thinking I was at the bottom of the stairs, and before me was my wife, hammering chunks of concrete from the wall with my sledgehammer, tears streaming down her cheeks and a wild look in her eyes. The red stain on the floor seemingly the only color in the basement.
Our flashlight rested on the floor, its beam disappearing into the dark hole the bookshelf no longer hid. Joining the sound of the mewing floating out, was my boy's crying. She hadn't noticed me yet, and she paused, gasping, breathless, between strikes on the wall. I rushed in and put my arms around her.
Honey. Slow down. It's ok. He's ok. I'm going to call the fire department. She wriggled out of my grasp and got on her hands and knees and peered into the growing hole. She saw only darkness, heard only the cries. As I ran upstairs I heard the sledgehammer thud into the wall again, again.
The phone rang once, twice.
Rick Stanton, volunteer fire department.
Hi Rick. It's Steve.
Hey Steve, everything ok?
I paused. Well, no. I need you and some guys to come over and help.
As I put the phone back on the receiver, I noticed a silence. The pounding had stopped. I reached the bottom of the stairs just in time to see my wife's pink bare feet disappearing into the hole. A wild sound escaped my lips as I leapt across the room and dropped to the ground, now barely big enough for her to crawl into. The flashlight illuminated her toes as they disappeared, wriggling like tiny worms. The crying and mewing, meanwhile, persisted. There was a knock on the door as my wife began to scream.
Four of us on our stomachs, three flashlight beams inhabiting the now-bigger hole, gaping, with jagged cement teeth, screaming, crying, mewing at us. Goosebumps raised on necks and arms. Sirens arrived outside and flashing red lights poked through the basement window wells. As the men deliberated, heavy footsteps lumbered across the floor above, shaking dust loose from the rafters, before lumbering down the stairs.
Hi Steve. His voice was louder than normal, to be heard over the noise.
Hi Rick
We're going to get them out, ok?
I tried to sound convinced as a hopeless feeling suddenly swallowed me completely and the screams and cries like tiny drills penetrated my skin and tendon and bone. My cheeks flushed and my fists clenched. The smallest fireman of them removed his gear and his colleague helped work a harness onto his hips. They double-checked the walkie talkies and fed rope into the hole as he wriggled his body into it. His shoulders, his hips, his legs, and finally, his feet.
What do you see? An officer asked into the black walkie hooked to his chest.
Just darkness, crackled a reply. The rope had a marker every ten feet. A half an hour passed and three of the markers slowly disappeared into the hole. The taut rope danced like a fishing line with a catch.
Any sign of them?
No, he replied breathlessly. But through the crackling, the screams sounded closer. One more markers passed and the rope slowed, stopped, went slack.
Status report? A fireman called into his walkie. Everyone stood still and listened. Strained to hear over the screaming of woman and child and feline. One of the fireman picked up the rope that lay slack like a dead serpent. We reeled it in and as the empty harness came into view, a deep throaty scream joined the cacophony.
Wide eyes and silent mouths. Despite the screams that seemed to fill the basement, fill every corner, every scrap of old furniture and every dusty box, a silence, an emptiness took hold. Walkie talkie static broke through, waking a red-eyed fireman from his stare into a void. He whispered back, and soon more men arrived. The men pounded away at the wall together with hammer and shovel. It didn't seem to matter, the stone got harder and the hole in the wall didn't seem to change in size. The men labored through the night, fought for every inch as the screaming continued, began to reside in their skin, stick into their minds like burrs. Exhausted, sweating, drenched, muscles protesting, Rick pulled Steve aside.
We need rest.
I don't think I can.
One by one the fireman and police climbed the stairs, a faraway look in their eyes.
We'll be back with more equipment and more men in a few hours.
The door closed behind them and I stood in the entranceway. Normally the mass exodus of guests would come with a sense of calm, relief, but a panic, unsettlement, seemed to unravel like a spool. I crept back down, bathing in the symphony of screams, and lay on the hard concrete floor. Somehow, sleep took hold.
Knocking. Pounding. My bony hips bruised from the concrete floor. The red stain beneath me like forgotten gore. I rose. The screaming seemed more distant, less urgent, yet, still there. Always there. I made it to the top of the stairs just as the men came down without welcome. They carried bags, dark and heavy, rope, lights. More men than before. New faces, hard and clean.
I brought help. We'll figure this thing out. Did you sleep?
I stood back as the men set up pulleys, ropes, fed a camera into the dark maw and monitored what it saw on a small dancing screen. One camera after the other disappeared into the hole only to send back a blizzard of static. Nothing. Microphones sent down never seemed to find the source. The screams only sounding further away, as if there were trap doors. Exploratory measures exhausted, the men labored a jackhammer down the stairs. They chiseled, the pounding the only reprieve from the screaming. Hours of work made only a few feet's progress and the tunnel clearly kept going.
Three young fireman whispered to each other in the corner of the basement. Another night passed as I slept on the couch, dreams filled with falling, dreams of heaving stones into a deep well, dreams of being buried alive, dreams of more and more screams added to the chorus. I awoke to the fire chief shaking me, his wide face pale, his eyes wet.
Three of my men are gone.
We walked down the creaky steps and I saw ropes attached to anchors placed into the far wall. The ropes lay solemn, still. The screams coming from the hole now muddled, nearly anonymous.
Somethin ain't right. This ain't natural. His hands were shaking. He looked up from the ground into my eyes.
I'm gonna go, an' I'm gonna take what's left of my men with me. We ain't comin' back. You call me if that hole spits them back up. But please Steve, don't call for no other reason.
I nodded once, staring at the red stain on the floor. Out of my peripheral vision I saw his boots move towards the stairs, heard the front door close. Where there should have been silence was anything but. I lay down on the floor and fell into a troubled sleep, waking and dozing. I got up and turned out the light and lay back down.
For a time I slept and woke, slept and woke, only going upstairs into the light to open a can of beans, a can of corn, and descend back down the wooden planks anew, spooning the contents into my mouth before dozing again. Sometimes my boy seemed louder. Sometimes my wife. Sometimes the men. And somehow, I could still hear the cat.
I dreamt I was on a beach, a nameless beach, with my wife and child. Only our child was older, a teenager. He was strong and laughed as the waves tackled him and skidded him across the sand. A storm seared the sky with lightning miles away, but on the beach the weather was perfect. The distant thunder meshed with knocking at my front door, waking me. Wiping the drool from the corner of my mouth with my arm, I rose and climbed the stairs.
I could see a figure standing on the porch through the frosted glass.
Steve! You in there?
I'm comin' Rick
The door swung open and Rick's frown deepened. He instinctively put his hand to his face to cover his nose for the smell and then wiped his mouth, playing it off. Despite being a little quieter from upstairs, the screams persisted, and Rick had to raise his voice.
Steve. Just wanted to come by and see how you're managing. If there's anything new.
A flash of anger, then nothing. My eyes didn't leave his. I either couldn't form words or didn't want to.
Mhmm. Look, I know we left you high and dry, but –
What do you want? I croaked. He looked at me for a long time.
Right. Your house doesn't get much traffic, but you can kinda hear the screams from the street. We've had a few people call in. I tell them we're aware of it, but I'd like you to put this sign on your door.
He pulled his hand from behind his back, revealing an oversized yellow sheet of paper. I took it from him without reading it.
He opened his mouth to say something and closed it again, turning and walking back down the steps. He glanced back one time, before climbing into his truck and driving away. The paper felt heavy in my hand as I turned it over to read it. I went into the garage and grabbed my hammer, a nail, and pecked the sign to the front door. Peck peck peck, until the nail could go no further.
Taking in the view from my front door, I inhaled deep breath. The cool, fresh air filled my lungs, fed my blood. The trees swayed from side to side, clouds passed behind them, the sun was full and high. I looked straight at it, for the first time. Your whole life, everyone tells you not to. I turned, stepped inside, and closed the door behind me. I stood at the top of the basement stairs, staring into the darkness, listening to the screams. Deep longing, deep aching in my chest swallowed me whole as I picked out my wife's voice, my child's. Feeling their pull, I descended.
Do you hear that?
Hear what?
That. She said, pointing towards the lone yellow house they were passing on the aged sidewalk. He cocked his head, listening. A breeze brought the faint sound of a chorus of voices, perhaps a movie too loud, or a group shouting.
Yeah, what is it?
I don't know, can you go see what that sign says on the front door?
Sure thing. He jogged up the walkway to the front steps, paused, scratched his head, and jogged back.
Really strange. It said, "Stay out. Policed notified. Do not risk your life. Thank you."


text:
For the past 19 years, Keith has created memorable and award-winning work for clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to local non-profits. Along the way, he's built and managed teams, championed diversity, and mentored dozens of young creatives. His work has been recognized by the Cannes Advertising Festival, the Effies, Art Directors Club, National Addys, and Communication Arts Advertising Annual just to name a few.
In addition to advertising, Keith has also directed commercials with production company Anonymous Content, is a contributor to humor website McSweeney's Internet Tendency, and is a published author. He holds a Master's of Science degree from the VCU Brandcenter and loves writing in the third person.
Keith currently resides in Seattle, where he spends all his free time with his lovely wife and beagle/blue heeler son.
You can hear the wrong way to pronounce his name here.
You can check out some of his writings here:
I Hope You Enjoy This Artisanal Knuckle Sandwich
The Gingerbread Housing Report


text:
Passion Narrative
City: Phoenicia, Tyre
Date: 107/106 BC
Denomination: Shekel
Obverse: Melqarth
Reverse: Eagle
Reference: Hendin 917
In Matt 26:15 we find that Judas was paid 30 pieces of silver. There is no mention in the text what type coin or denomination it was. But there have been arguments made by Scripture scholars that when you encounter the generic word "silver" in a context like this, what was being referred to, would be the shekel of Tyre.
If we look at Exodus 21:32 we find that the full silver shekel was a compensation for the death of a slave. So it is the amount of money given for one who died and therefore as "blood money" it has been connected with this passage. The Exodus text may have had some influence on this specific amount. With this in mind we can see that what is being said of Jesus with 30 shekels is that his life is worthless but in reality, as the Gospel unfolds, His life is priceless!
It is hard to put a dollar figure on the worth of 30 shekels. A silver shekel is what an ordinary worker would get paid for four days of work. They did not have hourly wages but rather daily wages at this time. So the 30 pieces of silver would be equal to 120 days pay for an ordinary day laborer. Despite the fact that this can be seen as a considerable amount of money there is some evidence that in nearby cultures at this time the term 30 shekels was a slang phrase meaning completely worthless


text:
JaneFinds is the worlds foremost luxury bag Curator, Collector and luxury market pioneer. Specializing in unique, impossible to get and vintage authentic Hermes bags and accessories. With access to the worlds finest and rarest bags and a worldwide cult following, JaneFinds can grow your Investment Bag collection or rotate it. Jane also invented the The Baginizer, the premier handbag organizer designed for Hermes bags and other luxury bags - Investment Bag Protection.
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