text:
The follow-up to the winner of multiple Game of the Year awards in "Oblivion", The Elder Scrolls series returns to much anticipation on 11/11/11 from role playing game fans. Will Skyrim meet the high expectations of franchise fans?
First Impressions: Whenever possible, we try to give our loyal website viewers the most video footage and most in depth unbiased reviews imaginable. Part of that development is our "initial impressions" where we offer up our first impressions of the title that we are playing.This gives our website visitors more of clear understanding of what to first expect out of the game when they initially pop it into their consoles. If you scroll to the bottom of the page in the Rent vs. Buy section of the review and do not see the "final impressions" assessment then it's safe to say that you are reading our initial impression of the game. Once the final impression is up, there will be no further video or review done to that particular title.
Final Impressions: The final impression is just that, our completed breakdown and overall thoughts on the game based off of our entire game playing time.You can locate the final impressions assessment in the "Rent vs. Buy" section of the review (always located at the very end of all of our reviews). Here you will be able to read our final thoughts on the title and also see any potential grade changes that were made to the game as well (higher or lower). Should a grading change occur, it will be clearly noted with the previous grade, the new grade, and why the change occurred. Although this approach is more time consuming and requires many more man hours, our entire goal has always been to provide the best and completely unbiased reviews possible and we feel that the inclusion of the Initial Impressions and Final Impressions sections will give you a better view of what to expect from a new game. All that we ask in return is for you to continue to support Krakrabbit.com by visiting the site and letting others know about our cause. Together we can supply our fellow gamers with the most impartial information so they can make an informed decision on whether to buy or rent this particular title.
A Story Unlike Any Other: The Elder Scrolls V (five, for those who didn't know), takes place roughly 200 years after the previous installment "Oblivion" took place. The story revolves a lot around the area of Skyrim, an environment much farther north than anywhere "Oblivion" took you.After the King died 200 years ago (in Oblivion), the defenders of the king (The Blades) began to die off or seclude themselves from the world due to having no job left for them. Soon after the King's death, the Empire begins to relinquish the lands it once ruled, taking away some of the independence of the cities and areas around the world. When Skyrim's king is assassination, leaving the throne vacant, a civil war breaks out amongst the people between rebel-like freedom fighters (Stormcloaks) and the Empire. Add in the fact that you are the last "Dragonborn", who is blessed by the Gods and tasked with killing dragons, and you've got yourself a stellar plot. The main plotline of Skyrim is actually very engrossing and as is usually the case with an Elder Scrolls game, can span hours upon hours taking you from numerous vastly different cities. As well as that, the ability to take on the main quest at your own leisure is truly something great, as you are not forced to attempt and "beat" the main storyline in any amount of time.
Molding Your Clay: A large aspect of the Elder Scrolls series returns in the character customization. Since your character begins as a nameless, faceless prisoner you will be able to name and mold the appearance of your new warrior.The character customization is very similar to that which was featured in Oblivion and Fallout 3/Fallout: New Vegas. You can choose from "preset" appearances, but the fun is in molding every detail of your protagonist's face. The customization revolves around being able to use sliders to adjust your appearance. From making your nose or jaw longer and wider, or changing the shape of your eyes and lips, the sliders do change your appearance noticeably. What could be an issue for some though, is that you cannot distort your character's face in any significant way. You could make 20 completely different looking characters, but none of them will be grotesque or seriously misshapen. In addition to changing up your facial features, you can also add "warpaint" and dirt to your character's face. Some of the warpaint looks pretty silly, and there actually aren't too many options to choose from, but if you want to have your entire face covered with a mask-like design then you can. Dirt is similar, but less radical as you can adjust the amount of dirt on your face and choose from looking like a clean prisoner, a dirty hobo who fell face first into mud, or in between. Aside from altering your face, you can also change your entire race! Returning are the races that were available in Oblivion, but their appearance is noticeably different this time around. Argonian, Orc, Khajiit, High Elf, Dark Elf, Wood Elf, Imperial, Redguard and Nord are all available, and each race has distinctive characteristics and areas where they excel or lack in. For example, Argonian's can breathe under water and have a resistance to disease, whereas High Elves excel (but are also vulnerable to) magic. Dark Elves on the other hand excel at magic, have a resistance to it and are also adept in combat arts.
Battlearchermage: Soon after molding your character to your liking, you will be thrown into the gameplay. You do not experience the best of Skyrim until you get out into the real world, but the first and really only "level" of the game does well at introducing you to the basics.You will be able to battle some weak enemies with swords and shields, and later bows and arrows, check out some low level armor types and just play a little bit to see what works for you and what kind of weaponry (or magic) you gravitate towards. You will also get to experience searching around for random goods (looking in barrels and searching bodies for anything of use), as well as the redesigned lockpicking system. Well, somewhat redesigned anyway. The lockpicking system of Skyrim is essentially identical to the one used in Fallout 3/Fallout: New Vegas. Instead of trying to manipulate the tumblers in a lock, you will now use the left and right thumbsticks to lock pick. The right thumbstick is used to move the lockpick around inside the lock, and the left thumbstick is used to twist the actual lock. If the lockpick is not in the precisely correct location, your lockpick will rattle and eventually break, forcing you to use a fresh one. Lockpicking in Skyrim isn't "original", since it was used in two Bethesda games already, but I do feel it as a solid improvement over the "tumbler" system that was used in Oblivion.
I Believe I Can Fly...I Believe I Can Touch The Sky: Once you escape from your capturers, you will be thrust into the massive world where seemingly endless lands await you. You don't have many quests to do off the bat, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot of action waiting for you out in the open world.The incredibly vast world has a lot to offer, even without quests and the fact of the matter is that there are a multitude of "games" within this massive one. It is easy to simply explore the forests and snowy mountains looking for animals (and other things) to hunt for hours on end, and the amount of time you spend doing "nothing" is astonishing. In addition to hunting (and eating!) your prey, you can go off and search out and discover new settlements, camps, mines, dungeons, secret hidey-holes, houses, towns and random people walking in the wilderness before you even complete a single quest. And in case anyone was worried, the game is "scaled" similarly to Fallout 3. When I say "scaled", I mean the difficulty of the game. There are many areas where you can explore and be able to defeat your enemies, but there are also some "zones" where you will be severely outmatched for the time being. Obviously as you become more powerful, you will be able to take on those previously difficult enemies with ease, but when you first start out you have to be mindful of what you are walking into. Of course, the beauty of Skyrim is that you do not have to be mindful at all. If you want to go skeleton-slashing in unknown mining shafts not knowing where you are going, you are completely free to do so at any and all times. The thing that makes The Elder Scrolls V (and previous Elder Scrolls titles) so special is that you can truly do almost anything, and go almost anywhere. If you see a mountain in the distance, you can trek there on foot and scale it as you battle monsters along the way. There is no set path in the game, and the world is so expansive that you can spend the first 10, 20, 30 hours not even touching the main quest...simply exploring, talking, killing, looting and eating. In fact, it is somewhat difficult to even verbally describe everything Skyrim offers in one review. There is a seemingly endless amount of things to do and most reviews of this game will not do it the justice it deserves, and if you combined all the reviews you could find I believe there will still be areas, weapons, quests, and exploration options that were never mentioned. There are many paths you can take with your character, even early in the game that helps shape what you excel at. Gone are the days where you had to choose your "Major" and "Minor" skills before you even had a chance to get into the game. This time around your character will become proficient in everything you constantly use, and areas you neglect will be where you are weak. If you are a fireball-throwing, bow and arrow wielding ranged fighter, then you will find yourself leveling up in "Archery" and "Destruction" but lacking in, say, "one-handed" weapon skills. I feel this is a change for the better, if only because you are not tied to one play style. In Oblivion if you had a character who "Majored" in Destruction magic and Blade, then you would have trouble using a bow and arrow or other magical arts besides Destruction.
Change Is Good: In addition to pure exploration, Skyrim also features a number of noticeable and completely new features ranging from helpful to just plain interesting.One of the first additions you will see is the remodeled menu system. Instead of the menu system featured in Oblivion that took you away from the game as you managed your spells, inventory and map, Skyrim features a brand new menu system that is more transparent and doesn't take you out of the moment. When you open the menu you will still be able to see around you (the game is paused though, so no deaths while you access your menu) and even when you open your inventory you will be able to visibly see the items that you possess. You can see what gear, weapons, food and anything else look like before you equip/use it, which is a very nice addition. Not only that, but you can zoom in on and look at every detail of any item you have, and some items even have special clues hidden on them (look closely at a particular item and you may see something like a door-opening code on it). When you open your map, it no longer looks like a piece of paper that has locations marked on it. This time around you will see a zoomed out version of the world, complete with mountains and cities for you to see. The map system this time around is much more interesting and as you look around the map, you will actually see the locations change from snowy mountain areas to more lush grassy areas. There are also a few other improvements that have been added to Skyrim. One of them being the ability to have followers and take gifts from certain NPCs. If you are friends with select NPCs, you may have the option to accept (and even give) gifts. A related addition to the game is being able to have followers that help you on quests and can even carry things for you (since every RPG player knows being over encumbered is a big issue). Not everyone can be a follower, but there is an opportunity to recruit certain people you meet around the world that are willing to help you (for free or for a cost), each with their own strengths, weaknesses and skills. As well, you can even command some of your followers to open locked chests or doors, attack people or stay put amongst a couple other options! Another fairly small, but nonetheless very interesting new portion of the game are the "tanning", "smelting" and "cooking" abilities that can be used in conjunction with smiting and crafting. You can kill animals and take their hide to turn into leather stripes, which can then be used as ingredients to make armor. "Smelting" is a process that can be used when you find raw ore around the world, as smelting will turn those ores into "Ingots", which can also be used for armor and weapon production. Cooking is pretty self-explanatory as you will be able to add ingredients together to make concoctions that give you specific temporary boosts of attributes. Cooking takes the place of using a "mortar and pestle" in Oblivion. There is also the ability to learn and use "Dragonshouts" (a blend of dragon language), which can be learned from "word walls" scattered around the world. You can only learn new Dragonshouts at a word wall when you have a Dragon soul in possession while at the wall, and slaying a Dragon is no easy task. Dragonshouts come much later in the game but are a very interesting addition to the game. The Dragonshouts act almost like spells, allowing you to do specific things when you "shout" such as slow down time. They are not permanent and you have to "recharge" after using one, but can dramatically change the tempo of a battle, even when waging war against Dragons. In addition to all of that, a whole lot of new things added into the game, even something as simple as sneaking as been changed. Taking the place of the indicator used in Oblivion (an eye that got brighter or darker depending on if you are being seen by anyone) is a new system that again uses the eye, but in a different way. Instead of being brighter or darker, the eye-indicator is fully open, slightly open, or completely closed.
A Moving Masterpiece: Another strong point of Skyrim is the visuals and sound effects in the game, both of which are very impressive.The Elder Scrolls V has surprisingly detailed sprawling environments, with little things like flowers, streams and snowy rocks on mountain sides looking incredible. Not to mention other, even smaller details such as butterflies floating around (that you can catch and eat), fish swimming in streams (another edible item) and blood on your sword after you kill somebody. The audio portion of Skyrim is also stellar, with all of the characters I encountered having great voice actors attached to them, putting life into even unimportant NPCs. The sound effects such as the sound of your weapon sheathing are more subtle but nonetheless visceral and eerily lifelike. In addition, the musical score of Skyrim is fantastic and fits perfect into the setting of the game. From casual music playing as you explore to the music slowing down, changing or even stopping when in combat, the music in Skyrim is outstanding through and through.
Rent vs. Buy: As I mentioned, words don't do this game a lot of justice. It is a truly epic adventure from the start and the amount of things you can do is breathtaking. Everything is very well done and this is about as well thought-out a title possible.Even from the start, Skyrim is a thrilling game where you often find yourself taking pleasure in the smallest things ("I found a Ruby that's worth 100 gold...nice!"). It only gets better as you begin to level up and experience an entirely new aspect to the world around you. Speaking of leveling up, even that system has been radically overhauled in what I believe is a huge improvement upon the old system. Whereas Oblivion forced you to sleep in a bed to level, and you could only pick three attributes to increase (such as Strength, Willpower, etc.), Skyrim has taken an entirely different approach to it. When you level up, you are no longer forced to sleep. You simply select "Level Up" from the menu, and you look up to the heavens and choose what you want to improve yourself in. When you first level up, you will be able to increase your Health, Magicka, or Stamina. Health is self explanatory, but the other two aren't as simple. When you increase your Magicka you will increase the total amount of Magicka at your disposal, which will in turn allow you to cast more powerful spells for longer durations of time. If you opt to improve your Stamina, you will be able to carry more weight on your journeys and you will also fatigue slower when in combat (attacking causes you to fatigue). After that, you will be able to see symbols in the stars (constellations) that represent that particular skill. For example, when you look to the "Blocking" skill you will see a shield within the stars and if you check out the "Destruction" art you will find a fireball that is connected together by the stars in the sky. After you decide what skill you are going to choose (say Archery), there are a surprising amount of sub-categories in which you will be able to spend your "perk". You earn a "perk" every time you level up, and it can be used to give you a specific new ability relating to that skill. In Archery for example, you will be able to spend your first perk on the ability to cause 20% more damage with your attacks. As you put more "perks" into that ability, you will cause more and more damage with your arrows. After you max out the first ability, you move onto another that gives you another special maneuver. Say you finish off the "improve damage" ability in the Archery skill; you will then be able to use a "perk" to give yourself the ability to zoom in while your bow is drawn (the zoom acts almost like a little scope for your bow). Amongst that particular ability, you can also use your "perks" to earn the ability to duel-wield spells or weapons. If you so choose, you can assign spells to both hands and become a magical powerhouse, and you could even put the same spell on both hands with the chance to create one massive, ultra effective spell. The same can be said for swords, as you can duel-wield swords and turn yourself into an offensive beast. You lose the ability to block any attacks when you duel wield, but your offensive ability helps counter act that vulnerability. That is just a couple examples of how a simple skill can branch out and give you many different abilities. There are 18 total skills, and there are many areas where you can choose to upgrade yourself such as Destruction, Illusion and Conjuration magic arts, Light and Heavy Armor skills, Archery, Blocking (as in with a shield), or even things like Smiting and Crafting (a new addition to the game giving you the ability to create your own weapons and armor). This title could be sold for $100 and still be well worth the money. It isn't always incredibly fast paced like a first person shooter or something of the like, but is in a class of its own in the role playing genre. I think it is foolish to pass up on a phenomenal game like this, something that could easily give you hundreds of hours of gameplay. Usually when a game in this day and age does not offer a multiplayer option it gets a "F" in that category that will significantly lower the overall score of the title. The reason being, todays gamers expect, and most buy gaming titles for Online capabilities. Not having such an option is usually disastrous for a video game title. However, this title is so epic and does so many things perfectly that it would be an absolute crime to give it a "F" in the multiplayer category, thus lowering its overall grade. Therefore, we are going to go outside of the box and give Skyrim an overall grade of A+! A score we feel is a much more accurate representation of the totality of the game. With that said, I do think in the very near future Bethesda is going to need to entertain the idea of adding a multiplayer universe to these types of games. A "Guild Wars" type of Online environment would be something of epic proportions and probably catapult the already legendary series into the heavens they so artistically paint when you level up in Skyrim.
Usually when a game in this day and age does not offer a multiplayer option it gets a "F" in that category that will significantly lower the overall score of the title. The reason being, todays gamers expect, and most buy gaming titles for Online capabilities. Not having such an option is usually disastrous for a video game title. However, this title is so epic and does so many things perfectly that it would be an absolute crime to give it a "F" in the multiplayer category, thus lowering its overall grade. Therefore, we are going to go outside of the box and give Skyrim an overall grade of A+! A score we feel is a much more accurate representation of the totality of the game.
Want to know which titles are booming overseas? How about patch notes and announcements for your favorite games? This is the place to get your daily gaming headlines from around the world.
Click For Latest Headlines!
Enjoy watching streams of your favorite games? Want to see the latest demos? If the answer is yes, you have come to the right place!
Click For Streaming Video!
Enjoy eye candy? So do we! Check out the latest and greatest screenshots from recent and upcoming hot titles in the gaming world!
Click Screenshots!
Want to know when the next greatest game is coming out? This is the place to see the schedule of gaming releases for the near future!
Click For Release Dates!
Waiting for the next big console or game to drop? Check here for an up to the minute countdown to the latest and greatest in gaming!
Click For Countdown Timer!
The rating system employed by the review staff at Krakrabbit.com is one that anyone put through an education system are familiar with: simple letter grades!
The goal of our F.A.Q. section is to give our viewers a better understanding of what Krakrabbit is about and what our mission goals for this website are.
We like giving away free stuff! If you like getting free stuff you might want to check our contest page often to see what type of wicked prize(s) we are currently giving away.
You got something to say? Well don't just sit there looking at the screen, click on the "Letter To The Editor" icon and shoot us an email about what's on your mind. You never know, maybe we will even respond!


text:
(Reuters) - Sears Holdings Corp SHLD.O, the one-time American retail giant, said on Thursday it plans to shutter another 72 locations to stem losses in the face of deepening financial distress and reported a nearly 12 percent drop in quarterly comparable-store sales.
The department store operator has been trying to transform its business as foot traffic at brick-and-mortar stores declines and online shopping gains popularity. Its chief executive, billionaire Eddie Lampert, has said the company should sell its well-known appliance brand Kenmore, home improvement businesses and real estate, and that his hedge fund ESL Investments Inc would bid for them.
Such a deal would infuse the debt-laden company, which also runs Kmart discount stores, with at least $500 million cash, helping it remain in business. The company last year said there were doubts about its ability to continue as a going concern.
To stem losses, Sears has closed nearly 400 stores since last year, leaving 894 stores still open as of May 5.
"While we had a challenging first quarter, we remain focused on improving our financial performance and enhancing our liquidity," Lampert said in a prepared statement.
Sears shares, which have lost nearly all of their value in the last five years, were down almost 10 percent at $2.90 in mid-day trading. Lampert and his hedge fund own nearly half of the shares.
Earlier in May, Sears formed a special committee to explore the sale of Kenmore and divisions of its home services business, the same assets Lampert said he was interested in buying.
Sears has tried to sell those brands and businesses before. Last year, it sold its Craftsman tools brand to Stanley Black & Decker Inc (SWK.N) for $900 million.
The net loss attributable to the company was $424 million, or $3.93 per share, in its fiscal first quarter, ended May 5, compared with a profit of $245 million, or $2.29 per share, a year earlier. The results from the year-ago quarter included a $492 million benefit related to the sale of Craftsman.
Revenue fell 31.2 percent to $2.89 billion in the reported quarter, partly because of store closures.
"Continued efforts to enhance liquidity will be necessary to fund its ongoing operating losses," said Moody's Vice President Christina Boni.
Reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in New York and Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Steve Orlofsky

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Clark Little Story is a genre defining adventure nature documentary film highlighting a whole new generation of action wave photography.
Dive into the life of renowned water photographer, Clark Little, as he takes on the world's most dangerous shorebreak around the island of Oahu. When he is not in the water, Clark shares the insider tips and techniques that have taken his photos from his living room wall to inside the Smithsonian.
by Peter King
starring: Clark Little, Jack Johnson, Kelly Slater, Brock Little, Derek Hough & others.
Tickets & Date:
"Shorebreak" will be shown on Friday, December 9th at 9pm. (Tickets)


text:
Never Settle Stay HungryUnisex Jersey Short Sleeve Tee
This updated unisex essential fits like a well-loved favorite. Super soft cotton and excellent quality print makes one to fall in love with it over and over again.
.: Retail fit
.: 100% Soft cotton (Heather colors 52% Cotton, 48% Polyester)
.: Runs true to size


text:
Over 21 years of Archived Content from Real Amateurs around the world
Posted by: Alex
Dec 8, 2006
60 Year Old Bbw By The Fire - A few pics of my BBW Nicky. She was having a few drinks by the fire one night and I talked her into taking her clothes off. Hope you enjoy her.
Nicky was a little shy at first but I kept her glass of wine full...
Damon: Nicky, you'll loosen up in no time ;)
The Gigantic Amateur Archive!
Full Access for Only $30 a Year
Uploaded byAlex
Contri Views33,450
Legal Notice: The photos and/or videos above may only be downloaded for your private pleasure.
You may not republish them on another website or anywhere else.


text:
Comedy Works Downtown
Denver 80202
Phone # 303-595-3637
URL : http://comedyworks.com/comedians/dov-davidoff
START: Thursday, February 23, 2017, at 08:00 pm
END: Saturday, February 25, 2017, at 09:45 pm
Combining hyper ADD with an amusingly acute take on things, Dov Davidoff puts on one of the highest intensity shows in stand-up. Dov starred in the film Invincible, and has been seen on any number of TV shows including The League, Whitney, Chappelle's Show, and co-starred in the NBC drama Raines. Dov will be seen on Judd Apatow's Crashing, and on the upcoming season of NBC's Shades of Blue. There's no doubt that Davidoff has established himself as one of the MUST-SEE acts on the scene today.
Dates and Times:
Thursday, February 23rd 8:00pm
Friday, February 24th 7:30pm & 9:45pm
Saturday, February 25th 7:30pm & 9:45pm


text:
Underpasses: Finding Moments of Peace in the Storm
I've never liked driving in the rain. I've always found it to be very stressful. Ever since the day I was driving home from high school and the driver ahead of me (also a teenager on her way home from school) suddenly stopped to make a sharp turn without signaling. I was following at a safe distance (one car length for each ten miles of speed—yes, I paid attention in Driver Ed Class!), but when I applied the brakes, my car hydroplaned into the back of hers. For the first time in my young life I experienced the sickening crunch of automobile metal-on-metal, and driving in rain has been a less than joyful experience for me ever since.
So I drive in the rain when I have to, but I don't like it.
There is one thing, however, about rainy day driving that I do like.
I like underpasses.
I'll be driving along on a highway in pouring rain, with my hands tight on the wheel, my shoulders tense—all my senses at high alert. And then I see I'm approaching an underpass. When I get to it, I know I'll have a second or two during which the rain will stop, the windshield will clear and the world will go wonderfully silent. This brief break will give me the chance to ease my grip on the wheel, let my shoulders relax, and take in a fortifying deep breath. When I emerge back into the downpour I'll feel better and find I have a bit more strength to travel on.
Right now I feel like I'm driving in the rain.
The busy-ness of preparing for the holidays is behind me, but while normally this time of year finds me feeling relieved and restful, this year a whole new set of stresses is crowding my brain. There are several big challenges I'll have to tackle in 2017, some of them things I've never encountered before. One of these challenges is the upcoming wedding of my eldest daughter. A wedding is one of life's happiest events, yet one that can bring on incredible stress. My daughter wants a small, intimate wedding—which should make the planning easier. But we have a large extended family, and that means some hard decisions will have to be made as we prepare the guest list. So, while choices about dresses and music and flowers and catering loom large, it is the worries over hurt feelings that are dominating my mind and my heart. (I hate hurt feelings and I especially hate causing them!)
I'm finding myself in need of an underpass in this deluge called life.
I don't see one on the horizon, so I've decided to schedule one.
In the next few days while my holiday decorations are still up (I always leave mine up a little longer than most other people do), I plan to set aside some time to just sit still and quietly enjoy the glow of the Christmas tree. I'll light my favorite pine-scented candle and I'll deliberately think about the curious way the fragrance of a forest makes me feel calmer.
I'll relax my shoulders. I'll breathe deeply. I'll resist thinking about anything I have to do in the months to come. Instead, I'll make a mental list of everything that is good about my life—I may even say the list out loud or write it into my journal.
I'll make the most of the solitude and the stillness, staying put until I feel the pressure and worry lift (at least some of it!). I believe doing this will make me feel better and give me a bit more strength to "travel" on.
Since I already know the coming year holds big demands on me, I've decided to make it my New Year's Resolution to plan regular times of respite like this; I'll aim for one each week. I know these little mental health breaks will help me feel calmer and more centered. (And ultimately they will help me be more productive, too.) I'll take these breaks to be good to myself and to the people I love, because I'll be happier and more fun to be around if I'm emotionally rested.
I invite you to consider scheduling your own times of underpass.
(You need them. You deserve them. And they cost nothing!)
Be creative as you plan these moments: they can take place in a park, on a walk, at a favorite coffee shop, on a beach, even in the bathtub.
I hope you'll try doing this. It might be just the right thing to help you feel refreshed and restored and better able to go forth with joy and peace into 2017.
Happy New Year!
Photo via Pixabay
Tags: anxiety, mindfulness, mood, peace, Stress Management


text:
Group shot: Elvis (Tandy), Pirate Wench (Carly), Princess Kelly, Miss America (John), Black Widdow (Sue), Hobo (Shannon), Masqcarde Lady (Kaydi), Cowgirl (Krystal), Jazz Player (Brian), in the front: Denver Nuggets Player (Katie), Pirate (Julie).
Where did Elvis pick up this pirate? (Carly and Tandy)
My roommate Brit in another dress I made three years ago, another group shot, Halloween games in action, and the Jazz and Nuggets facing off.
On Monday night we went down to my sister's party in Provo. She made some amazing food and we watched the Simpsons Tree House of Horor. The candy was plentiful and so were the trick-or-treaters. It was a blast!
Here we are with the Nun-Chucks, Christian and Mary, they won their costume contest! Tandy came as a Swiss Backpacker, again with the Pirate Wench.
Emi was supposed to be a Moose, but she didn't like the antlers.
Kirsten & her "dead husband", Aaron, Mary & a pooped Emi (too much Halloween fun),
Emi, looking cute and Derek, Becky and Little Andy


text: Started in 2005, the registration and identity service achieved a significant milestone in December 2007. After two years of advocacy efforts the card was recognised as a valid proof of identity by the Ministry of Labour and Employment of Rajasthan. With this authorisation, the card has found greater acceptability as a credible proof of identity among employers, police and local administration. Going beyond a mere proof of introduction, this card has now become the gateway to numerous services s


text:
Site Navigation:
Searchable Databases
Articles Archive
Pacific Nautical Heritage...
- Gallery of Light and Buoy Images
- Gallery of Mariners
- Gallery of Ship Images
- Gallery of Ship Wrecks
- Gallery of Monuments and Statues
- Gallery of Nautical Images
- Gallery of Freshwater Images
- Gallery of New Books
Canadian Naval Topics…
- British Columbia Heritage
- Arctic and Northern Nautical Heritage
- Western Canada Boat and Ship Builders
- Gallery of Arctic Images
- Reflections on Nautical Heritage
- British Columbia Heritage
Site Search:
Looking for more? Search for Articles on the Nauticapedia Site.
The Plaque Commemorating the Labouchere
by John M. MacFarlane 2017
The plaque commemorating the Labouchere (Photo from the John MacFarlane collection. )
On the causeway at the Inner Harbour of Victoria BC is a plaque commemorating the Labouchere.
The Labouchere (Photo from the H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest collection. )
The Labouchere was built in 1858 at Blackwall, UK by Green, Wigrams & Green. 202' x 28' x 15' She was a sidewheeler powered by a 181hp engine (10 kts). She was extensively altered in San Francisco CA in 1866. The hold was 15'. In 1858–1866 she was owned by the Hudson's Bay Co., London UK.
She was built of teak and Baltic oak. She was brought out to Victoria by Captain John F. Trivett arriving January 31, 1859. She was the first ocean steamer to arrive at Queensborough (New Westminster) July 16, 1859. She was seized by First Nations people, in a dispute over the price of sea otter skin, while under command of Captain Swanson 150 miles north of the Stikine River. Swanson was able to peaceably regain control of the vessel. She was lost near Point Reyes in dense fog while en route from San Francisco to Victoria under Captain Mouat on April 1, 1866. One of eight lifeboats was swamped, incurring the loss of two lives. Those in the lifeboats were picked up by the Rescue. The 23 men who had stayed on board were rescued by the Italian fishing vessel Andrew.
To quote from this article please cite:
MacFarlane, John M. (2017) The Plaque Commemorating the Labouchere. Nauticapedia.ca 2017. http://nauticapedia.ca/Gallery/Monument_Labouchere.php
New Nauticapedia Book Just Published!
Volume Four in series
The Nauticapedia List of British Columbia's Floating Heritage Volume Four
For more information …
Site News: March2nd, 2019
Databases have been updated and are now holding 56,584 vessel histories (with 5,550 images) and 58,184 mariner biographies (with 3,673 images).


text:
Very soft and sensual vid. Super sexy.
Thank you very much!
Such a lovely video
I'm happy to gear you enjoyed it! It was so much fun shooting it!
Awesome Video
Thanks a lot!
Virtual bath together with Mylene, what a great teasing vid! Relaxing, with lots of foam and a great mix of teasing action :) Those boobies! I love them :D
Thank you so much! I spent a fun time shooting this one!
I always get turned on when I see Mylene's toes
Thank you! I've just posted another barefeet photo on Twitter.
Looks like you are having one fun time there.
You have a very sexy and beautiful body there babe'
Ohh yes it was fun! And it became even more fun as the battery got unchagred. Love cumming with a stream of water on my clit!


text:
Paint It Orange: Mick Jagger to appear in new theatrical thriller, "The Burnt Orange Heresy"
Mick Jagger has landed a role in a new film titled The Burnt Orange Heresy, an art-heist thriller based on a novel by Charles Willeford, Variety reports.
The movie is being directed by Italian director Giuseppe Capotondi, whose credits include the Netflix series Berlin Station and a variety of music videos. In the film, the Rolling Stones singer portrays a British art dealer and collector who serves as the patron to a famous and reclusive painter named Jerome Debney.
The story centers around a charismatic art critic who, along with his new lover, an American tourist, travel to the art dealer's opulent estate on Italy's Lake Como. There, Jagger's character offers to introduce the art critic to Debney, in exchange for the critic stealing one of the artist's masterpieces.
The novel was adapted for the screen by Scott B. Smith. Smith is the author of the 1993 book A Simple Plan, and he also penned the Oscar-nominated screenplay for that book's 1998 movie adaptation.
Jagger has acted in a number of movies during his long career, most recently appearing in a cameo in the 2008 heist flick The Bank Job.
Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.


text:
|Message view
|« Date » · « Thread »
|« Date » · « Thread »
|Sean O'Connor <s...@oconeco.com>
|Can Span Queries contain boolean, prefix and other component queries?
|Sun, 04 Sep 2005 18:43:13 GMT
Hello, I am trying to do some complex queries such as: [Field contents] The movie Napoleon Dynamite is a movie about a kid named Napoleon who has no Dynamite. [Query] "Napol* Dynamite" near "film|movie" Is this possible with some version of a span query? Something like a PhrasePrefixQuery joined to a BooleanQuery by a SpanNearQuery? If not, does anyone have a suggestion on how to do this? I am assuming I will need to do two queries, and determine the 'nearness' of the resulting hits myself. Thanks, Sean --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: email@example.com For additional commands, e-mail: email@example.com
|View raw message


text:
Weekend Wrap-Up
What a weekend! I can't say enough how gracious the Lord is! He continually provides, shows me grace, and allows me to interact with the sweetest couples!
Due to all the rain, two of my engagement shoots have been rescheduled several times! Well, all in all, it was worth the wait because just LOOK at these previews!!!
I started off Sunday morning with Erin & Alex-such a JOYFUL couple! The sunrise really showed off for us, giving the softest and prettiest light.
Last weekend I got to photograph my beautiful nephew! Elias James will be on the blog this week too!! :)
Sunday evening I photographed Nickiea & Daniel! They are a sweet country couple, and we had such a fun time exploring! It was great to get to know them better!
Such a crazy, beautiful weekend! The blog will be FULL this week, be sure to check back!!
Leave a Reply.


text:
"Engagement" is the principal buzzword in today's educational world, probably because studies have linked positive student engagement with increased student achievement. These studies clearly demonstrate that "students learn more and retain more information when they actively participate in the learning process."* These same studies identify TEACHERS as the critical factor in both engagement and in improved achievement. So, we come back, yet again, to what all teachers have known forever — Teachers Matter!
While validation is nice, this "Teachers Matter" idea cuts both ways. Teachers are crucial in improving student achievement, but they are also held responsible when students do not perform well, regardless of any extenuating factors or conditions. National, state and local administrations expect teachers to create collaborative, supportive environments with high, but achievable, standards.* At the same time, scholars, administrators, politicians and bureaucrats at all levels recommend a wide variety of learning strategies to improve student learning. Condensing and synthesizing most of these suggestions, the common elements of effective student learning seem to be:
1. Creating and sustaining a supportive learning community.
2. Designing experiences that interest learners.
3. Making connections to students' lives.
4. Aligning learning experiences to important outcomes.
I can hear you thinking, "Here we go again. Here comes another 'shiny new idea' for solving a complex problem."
We are not going to offer any panaceas here. What we do suggest is not "another shiny new idea, method or approach," but one that was tried and true at all levels of education for nearly 100 years. It is teacher-directed, student-centered, standards-based and incorporates the Common Core. It engages students, is discipline-gender-age neutral and teaches students 21st century skills. It is "stuff."
We suggest you use "stuff" to teach. "Stuff" connects your goals and objectives with standards and Common Core requirements and allows you to make connections to students lives. "Stuff" is discipline-neutral. It doesn't matter whether you teach math, science, social studies or Language Arts, "stuff" works. You get to choose what "stuff" works for you. What do we mean by "stuff"? Stay connected over the next few weeks and we will show you our "stuff."
*Studies cited:
Akey, T.M. School Context, Student Attitudes and Behavior, and Academic Achievement: An Exploratory Analysis. NY: MDRC, 2003.
Garcia-Reid, P., Reid, P., Peterson, N.A. School Engagement Among Latino Youthin an Urban Middle School Context. Valuing the role of Social Support. Education and Urban Society, May, 2005. Vol. 37, No. 3, pp. 257 – 275.
Heller, R., Calderon, S. and Medrich E, Academic Achievement in the Middle Grades: What does Research Tell Us? Atlanta: South Regional Education board, 2003.


text:
I fell in love with this set from the first time I saw it, the clean lines of these flowers are just so pretty. The set is called Every Moment, and actually everything on here is SU. I used the Big Shot and scalloped circles Bigz die to cut out the watercolor paper and then stamped two flowers on it, stamping a 3rd flower on more watercolor paper so that I could cut it out and pop it up. I also sponged the scallop after coloring to give it that gray haze.
I rounded the bottom corners and also added scallops with my corner rounder to the grey strip on the right to pair with the scallops on the main image. I used the new Elegant Lines Textured Impressions folder as well.
Here's another picture of the coloring on the flowers too....
The quote reads, "When we see with our hearts, every moment is the most wonderful gift in the world".
Thanks for stopping by today!
Recipe: Stamps: SU - Every Moment; Ink: Brown Stazon, Basic Grey; Paper: Rose Red, Daffodil Delight, Basic Grey, Rose Red Patterns DSP, Watercolor Paper; Accessories: Big Shot, Scallop Circles Bigz Die, Elegant Lines Textured Impressions Folder, Stampin' Write Markers, Waterbrush, Dimensionals, Basic Grey Satin Ribbon, Sponge.


text: Natural gas remains unchangedPosted on: September 28, 2016Volatility in the gas markets is largely from options expiration…. Regardless of the swings the price closed the same. The Liberal Government has approved the Petronas led LNG project in British Columbia. The project, valued at $11.4 billion, has been given a list of 190 conditions that need to be met in order to proceed. Natural gas is currently trading down this morning and is sitting at $2.92.


text:
With Christmas just around the corner, you may be reaching panic-mode. Maybe you don't have a ton of money to spend on presents for your kids, and now you don't know what to do. Maybe you're like me and just can't help but procrastinate constantly. Either way, I have one word for you: relax. It's going to be okay.
You still have plenty of time (even if you're reading this on Christmas Eve) to make your kids some great and inexpensive holiday gifts. I have made you a handy list of some of the best DIY projects for kids to get you started!
- Play dough
- Kinetic sand (also known as moon sand)
- Slime
- Stuffed animals
- Unbreakable bubbles
- Paints
- Bath crayons
- Pillows
- Candies / Chocolates
- Bedside organizer
- Paper dolls (or make them into a magnetic tin game)
- Knitted/crocheted items (mittens, hats, scarves, etc.)
- Grocery stand
- Bath bombs
- LEGO tray
- Knitted dead fish hat
- I-SPY jars
- Play food
- Fishing game (or make the portable version [it's all the way at the bottom of the post!])
- Dollhouse
- Edible marshmallow play dough
- Hidden toy soaps
- Floam
- Wooden blocks
- Slingshot
So there you have it! 25 great holiday gifts you can make for your kids this year! What DIY projects are you working on this holiday season? Let me know in the comment section below, and don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter to get more great projects like these in your inbox.


text:
The Nokia Lumia 520, which is the most popular Windows Phone device out there, is now available for just $29 on eBay. This translates into a discount of around 70% given the device's original price of $99.99.
The online retailer is claiming that close to 8,500 units of the smartphone, which connects to AT&T's GoPhone pre-paid service, have been sold, and stock is limited.
Specifications-wise, the device is powered by Qualcomm MSM8227 chipset with a 1 GHz dual core processor and Adreno 305 GPU, and sports a 4 inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, rendering 480 x 800 pixels resolution. It comes with 512MB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory (which can be extended up to 64 GB via a microSD card), and runs Windows Phone 8.1.
In terms of camera, the Lumia 520 features only a 5MP rear shooter, and packs in a 1430 mAh battery.Source | Via
When it will Come frnd(Black friday)...?
Fake.... I've searchd it.. But dint find...
Your first two sentences were good. Last sentence was just the same old fanboy stuff, totally useless *yawn*.


text:
|XXIV - Page 236
|Home | Index | Previous | Next
When to Use Forbearance and when it is Inappropriate
In the great epic, the Mahabharata, which chronicles the war of righteousness between the Pandava brothers and their wicked cousins, there is an incident depicted in which Arjuna dragged the murderer of all her children, before Draupadi, the wife of the five Pandava brothers. The Pandavas had just won the war when the horrendous deed was committed. Even though Draupadi was overcome with sorrow, she pointed out to Arjuna the circumstances under which a wicked person should be excused. Draupadi told Arjuna that it was not proper to execute a person who was overwhelmed with fear, or a person who was humble and penitent and pleading for mercy, or a person who had lost his sanity and become deranged, or a person who had acted out of inconsolable grief, or women and children, in general, even if they deserve such punishment. For such, it is proper to show forbearance and treat them mercifully.
But, for people who are repeatedly ungrateful and malicious, who are unrepentant and untrustworthy, it is not appropriate to display forbearance. You need to deal with them firmly, according to the circumstances. But remember that all such actions relate only to your outer worldly life. In your heart, you must never lose your peaceful inner state of forbearance. For your spiritual life, forbearance is an essential quality necessary to reach the divine state, and you must practice it assiduously.
In the case of Jesus you can also see his highly-developed quality of forbearance. There were 12 disciples living and traveling about with him. Jesus extended all love and compassion, all protection and shelter to them. But one of them, Judas, was tempted by money and became a traitor to his master. Despite Judas' infidelity, Jesus remained unperturbed and continued to extend Judas his love. There is no need for you to pray to God to see that such people are punished. As was the case with Judas, their own acts will bring them to ruin. Whatever wicked actions a person commits, the fruits of those actions will have to be borne by him alone. No one can escape the fruits of his own actions. You may not be able to predict when and under what circumstances he will suffer the consequences, but the suffering is certain to come some time.
In both great Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, there are a number of instances depicted which show how people suffered in the end, when they did not practice forbearance. Consider the great suffering the five Pandava brothers underwent, having to go to the forest and live on roots and leaves, because of the hasty action of the eldest brother, Dharmaraja, in accepting a challenge to play a game of dice. Dharmaraja, as the king, felt it his righteous duty to respond to the challenge, and although he knew the game was rigged against him, he was in such a hurry to defend his honor, that he ignored the instructions given by Krishna and the advice given by his brothers. With a determination to be true to his principles, he hastened into the gambling game and had to suffer the consequences. As a result, he and his brothers lost their kingdom and were banished to the forest for fourteen years, undergoing untold deprivations and difficulties. It is only because of Dharmaraja's haste and lack of forbearance that all these consequences occurred.
You even find that a great soul like Rama, at times, did not have sufficient patience. At the end of the Ramayana, there is the incident in which Rama, after hearing the criticism and comments of one worthless washerman, immediately decided to banish Sita from the kingdom. Afterwards he suffered great pangs of separation. But, Rama was the avatar of his age, the embodiment of all the divine principles. In the case of the divinity, there will always be some deeper meaning and significance to the avatar's actions. Still, when you try to understand Rama's actions in a worldly sense, you can see that because of losing patience, Rama banished Sita and then had to suffer afterwards. Of course, when people who do only good and live only for the welfare of others, experience various troubles they will suffer their problems graciously. In this way they act as an example and teach the value of patience and forbearance when undergoing hardships in the world.


text:
Women Need To Prepare For the Bargaining Table
Do men and women negotiate differently?
Deborah M. Kolb, a professor at Simmons College's Graduate School of Management, believes they do.
In a new book, "The Shadow Negotiation," Kolb and co-author Judith Williams drive home the point with the following example:
A female colleague with a newly minted doctoral degree begins negotiating with a college dean for a prized teaching post. He offers a salary that exceeds the stipends that supported her through graduate school but falls considerably short of her expectations. The perks are too few, she thinks, and the pay too low. Curious, she surveys colleagues about their meetings with the dean.
"What she learned surprised her," the authors say. "Each of the women who had been in salary negotiations with the dean over the past five years accepted the dean's original pay offer."
The males, in contrast, demanded - and received - higher salaries, as well as office space and funds for research.
Why the differences?
Specialists say that women tend to be so grateful for getting a foot in the door that they make few demands. Conditioned to be amenable and accepting, they face a number of unwritten but powerful social assumptions. One of the biggest: that their work will never be as all-consuming as a man's, because they are regarded as more apt to put family obligations and personal relationships ahead of the job, Williams said.
A woman, Kolb said, "is not expected to bargain hard (and often doesn't). When that happens, she is offered less from the start and generally ends up with less."
Women can succeed at negotiations by figuring out the hidden agendas and masked assumptions. If a work issue is to be resolved in the woman's favor, the authors argue, she must bring those unvoiced assumptions to the surface, so that misguided perceptions and unrealistic expectations can be corrected.
Even more subtle, but just as problematic, is the Catch-22 women face when they adopt a negotiating style perceived as more like a man's. If she adopts the tough, uncompromising style of the male negotiator, her efforts may be devalued: She will be judged harshly for being unsympathetic, harsh, even pushy, Kolb said.
If she acts like a woman, her skills may be devalued, too. Her intuition and social skills may be seen not as pluses, but as hindrances.
Women often internalize behaviors that may hurt them at the bargaining table, Kolb and Williams say. Among other things, they may underestimate their strengths or dismiss an opportunity to negotiate, because they perceive taking a stand as being pushy. And many go into negotiations expecting to lose.
Such negative thinking is a sure-fire way to sabotage a negotiating session,
the experts say, or to discourage talks from happening in the first place. So how do you avoid making the same mistakes?
¿ Assess your strength and needs. Consider, too, what you are willing to give up. Evaluate your weaknesses.
¿ Gather facts. For example, how much do others in your position make? Find out as much as you can about the person you will be negotiating with. What is his or her style? What does he or she value?
When attempting to promote an idea to a team or to top executives, employees also would do well to get support from other people beforehand, Kolb said. She calls this "seeding the meeting."
"Have people on your side before you go in," she said. The reason: Women face more difficulty getting their ideas across in corporate environments, where aggression and tough tactics often rule.


text:
Published Sep 26, 2010
We were on our honeymoon — in Queenstown, NZ — when our one-month anniversary came along. Now, being newlyweds, we were thrilled at any chance to celebrate our wedding, so we went on over to the fanciest restaurant we could find. Then we looked at their price list, and decided to sit down in their lounge and enjoy an appetizer and some cocktails instead. We ended up with a couple of glasses of the local bubbly and a little plate of toast rounds, local goat cheese, and local honey. And boy, it was delicious. Who thinks of cheese and honey? But it's outstanding. And, when we got home, it just seemed like it should be a tradition.So, every month, on the 12th — that's the day we got married, folks — we sit down for a dinner of goat cheese and honey and toast or crackers, with some bubbly to go with. Now we've had 12 of these great evenings; the first one we were too enamored to shoot, another was in France, and we forgot to take photos back in January, so you'll only see 9 shots here, but we've celebrated all 12, and they've all been delicious and perfect. (You'll notice that we swapped our wedding cake for the cheese for our one-year shot; that was delicious and perfect too!)Yeah, there was some mixing it up in there — different cheeses (something peppered works wonderfully), different honeys (we highly recommend Avocado), different sparkling wines, different things going along with the whole plate… we had fun with it. And, of course, with so many good options, and so much to celebrate, we really did have a good time with our monthly celebrations!Today is one year since our second wedding celebration, back out West in Culver City. We both send our thanks out to everyone who made it special on both coasts, and then I'd like to thank Courtney, for saying "OK!" when the waiter put the ring in front of her back on April 29 of last year, and for making this such a wonderful, perfect year for me. Happy Anniversary, baby!


text:
the asa story
John Azzam, Founder
I started out as owner operator myself doing home deliveries. I've used this hands-on experience to create a company culture with attention to detail and putting the customer first. I look forward to the opportunity to earn your business and show you how ASA provides The Final Touch on every delivery we make.
In the '60s, my father started a trucking company to provide logistics support for oil, water and heavy equipment for various countries in the Middle East and Europe. I guess you can say that the trucking business is in my blood.
Everyone has to start somewhere. I started out with a family friend as a helper doing home deliveries. It was my first taste of the business.
I purchased my first truck in 1990 I started delivering for Macy's in the New York Metro area that was the start of my vision in the final mile
In 2004 I relocated to Columbus, OH because I knew I needed to be in a premier logistics hub. After securing a couple key anchor accounts A&S Trucking evolved into ASA Logistics.
ASA Logistics Today
Today we are one of the fastest growing logistics companies in the Midwest. We are a market leader in white glove delivery and specialty logistics services for retailers, asset based carriers and 3rd party logistics companies.


text:
About Us
When you work with Absolute Weighing for weighing your force and balance equipment, you have the backing of more than 40 years of professional experience behind your company. We're a locally owned and operated company that has been providing solutions to commercial and industrial clients across Tennessee and beyond since 1971.
Absolute Weighing promises a level of quality and expertise that is unbeatable by any competitor. No other company offers the amount of experience we do. We are fully A2LA ISO 17025 accredited. Certificate Number:1886-01 , and our team receives certified NIST training.


text:
A CRASH involving a motorbike and a car on the A3 near Guildford Cathedral caused severe delays on Tuesday morning.
The collision happened at the cathedral slip road just after 6am and it led to the outside lane being closed. Tailbacks on the A3 northbound stretched for seven miles to Milford, with queues on the A31 Hog's Back reaching the Shepherd and Flock roundabout at Farnham.
The rider of the silver Honda motorcycle was taken to the Royal Surrey County Hospital with a leg injury, while the driver of the white Ford Fiesta involved suffered minor injuries caused by the airbag inflating.
A Surrey Police spokesman said that a second collision had been logged in the same location at 6.40am, where another motorcyclist collided with the central reservation.
Hundreds of motorists struggled to get to work, while University for the Creative Arts (UCA) students heading for graduation ceremonies at the cathedral were left frustrated at the delays.
The first presentations were due to begin at 11am, and Daisy Tinker, a fashion journalism graduate from UCA Epsom, tweeted: "Rainiest summer ever, road delays around Guildford Cathedral - of course, it's my graduation day."
The A323 Guildford Road between Ash and Guildford was also heavily congested as commuters on the Hog's Back sought an alternative route.
Matt Phelps, a private gardener, was travelling from Aldershot to Jacobs Well for work and said a journey that would usually have taken him 25 minutes became an hour.
"I left a little later than normal today so I thought maybe I had timed it badly," he said. "But then I realised that something was wrong. There were cars entering Guildford Road from all the side roads, probably from the Hog's Back."
All lanes on the A3 were clear by 8.10am, but traffic approaching Guildford remained slow for some time afterwards.
Dave Wakefield, a video editor from Godalming who was commuting to west London, said he had been delayed by half-an-hour but was more concerned about those involved in the collision.
"I could see a motorcycle on the left side of the road and the [Ford Fiesta] with its nose in the central barrier at 90 degrees to the traffic," he said.
"It's a bit of inconvenience but it's not the end of the world to be stuck in traffic. I'm just glad there were no fatalities."


text:
Arturo Zilli
Born in 1930 in the town of Fiume Veneto, Pordenone located in the northeastern region of Italy; he immigrated to Canada in 1954.
Along with his wife Olga, he brought the knowledge and skill to weave cornhusks learnt from their elders. The husks were weaved into a variety of items such as chair seats, purses, sandals and bottle covers.
Arturo has since converted his knowledge and skill into the craft of weaving with thin cable copper wires. He weaves the wire into a variety of shapes and objects using the vibrant colours found on the outside casings. His creations are artistic and functional in purpose.
His handiwork now graces many households both in Canada and abroad.


text:
I want to thank all of you who sent me helpful letters setting me straight about my column. I can now count myself among the ranks of Andy Rooney and Al Franken as someone who has been vituperatively assaulted by the conservative right.
One person sent me an opinion piece from the Wall Street Journal because he thought I needed help learning the "facts." Among those facts written in this opinion piece was the fact that 1.4 million jobs were created in the past year.
This is a "fact," but without looking at the whole picture, it is a serious distortion of the real facts.
Here's the whole picture: Bush's Council of Economic Advisors predicted that a total of 5.5 million jobs would be added by the end of 2004, nearly 2 million of those coming as a result of the tax cut. That means 306,000 jobs had to be created each month of this year to hit that target. In February, 21,000 jobs were created, all in the government. Overall, they are falling two million jobs short of the mark. We are still in a job deficit. Bush is on track to become the first president in 70 years to see absolutely no job growth in his four-year term.


text:
One bar, three different points of view, the same nine and a half minutes. Susan and Steve are now pregnant (well, mostly Susan); Patrick and Sally are discussing commitment (well, mostly Sally) and there's this guy called Oliver who has a blind date with Jane. But is his job going to be a problem?
Meanwhile, in the skies above an Aegean island, terrible danger grows. Featuring hot girl on girl action with Gina Bellman and Sarah Alexander.


text:
November 13, 2018
Say hello to Ally Fashion!
Ally Fashion is an Australia based young ladies destination which provides its customers with value, quality and fashionable outfits through an enthusiastic, fun, and professional team. Ally first opened its doors in Sydney in 2001 and now has 130+ stores as well as an online store.
With large shipments of new styles arriving weekly, Ally is a fast fashion institute that is constantly scouring the globe for new trends, hot style tips and catwalk inspired pieces.
Combine this with their beautifully vibrant and unique stores, Ally's style is one of a kind and they love to keep you up to date with everything that is happening in the fashion world.
Ally is continually growing and is always looking out for new opportunities and ways to stay in the forefront of their market as an on-going commitment to Ally's future success, to stay true to the brand and always provide customers with new and exciting choices, an average of 50+ styles are introduced into the retail outlets each week.
Every store carries a minimum of 300 styles, at least 5000 pieces of stock at any given time; with quick turn around of 4-6 weeks. In order to secure new merchandise space continuously, a weekly markdown system has been adopted to ensure that the new and fresh trends coming through are housed in prime spots within the store.


text:
This large holdall is perfect for city breaks and weekends away, it comes in a stylish black textured PU with shiny gunmetal detailing. The bag has a spacious interior with a zip pocket and two additional internal pockets, there is also a zip pocket on the external of the bag for easy access.
Length 50cm
Depth 22cm
Height 29cm
100% Polyurethane


text:
Medical tourism has changed how people deal with surgeries and surgeons. The new age patients are anything but vulnerable. They want superior quality of treatments, immediate medical attention and five star comforts during their hospital stay at a modest budget. All these they are getting in the medical tourism destinations of Asia. By traveling to the Asian countries, patients from the developed countries are saving 40% to 70% on surgical costs.
Medical tourists are writing about their experience and interacting with patients from all over the world. The stories of successful operations are inspiring hundreds of new patients who are then venturing to travel for cosmetic surgery. People are undergoing the knife without hesitation as the Asian nursing homes are charging only half of what they have to pay in their hometown.
The best part about seeking cosmetic surgery in Asian countries is that you can enjoy a great, relaxing vacation as a part of the medical tourism package that you select. The medical tourism facilitators are fixing appointment with surgeons, booking pick and drop from airport, arranging hotel stay or accommodation and enabling the patients to tour around the destination.
Impeccable behavior of hospital staff, and highly educated doctors are easily gaining the confidence of the patients. After the surgery, the hospitals enrol the patients in post-surgery recovery groups where they can meet other patients like them. Well-cooked meals and timely attention are helping the patients in healing quicker.
Medical tourism is an adventure for many. Divorced men and women, single mothers, weary school teachers all are looking at it as a means of escape from their boring life. Traveling to faraway countries also give them the opportunity to keep their rendezvous with cosmetic surgeons and their scalpel a secret.
The Asian medical tourism destinations understand the psychology of patients very well and they are offering services and facilities to lure more patients in. Spa treatments and guided tours of the destination are just few of the benefits of traveling abroad for cosmetic surgery. The medical tourism facilitators are also arranging personal assistants and translators for foreign patients.
The most popular Asian destinations for cosmetic surgery at the present date are Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, China, India and South Korea. Some of the popular surgical remedies sought by foreign patients include tummy tucking, jaw shape enhancement, nose surgery and facial reconstruction.
Most of the famous Asian hospitals where medical tourists are treated have specific and special wards for foreigners and the surgeons have medical degrees from medical schools in US, UK or some other European country. The international patients have nothing to lose or fear and that's why they are flying to Asian countries for losing the extra pounds and plumping up their lips for better Instagram posts.
Asian medical tourism destinations are offering lucrative cosmetic surgical facilities for foreigners. As a result, thousands of people are visiting popular medical tourism destinations in Asia for tummy tuck and other cosmetic surgeries every year.


text:
Splendid names, decorating the great Russian art, such as P. I. Shalyapin, S. V. Rakhmaninov, A. A. Alyabjev, are connected with the city. The great Russian artist-portraitist and landscape painter N. A. Yaroshenko.
Kislovodsk is located in the picturesque valley, surrounded with slopes of the main Caucasian ridge. Extension of the valley from the south-east to the north-west is about 4 km. It is a lower terrace of Betchasinsky plateau which, constantly arising to the south-west, forms Bermamitskie altitudes, bordering upon Elbrus, situated in 90 km from Kislovodsk. The valley is formed of gorges of 2 interflowing rivers – the Olkhovka and the Berezvka, which flow into the Podkumok river.
From the east the city is protected with hills, which are connected with each other by small knolls and a chain of cretaceous mountains, forming the middle part of Dzinalskiy ridge (height is up to 1,500 m). from the west the valley is bounded by a high range of hills, forming Birch gorge, from the south – Kabardinsky ridge, height of which is up to 1600 m and from the north – by a ridge of cretaceous mountains of Borgustansky ridge, reaching height 1,200 m above sea level.
Enlivening of resort building and increase of afflux of sick men in Kislovodsk at the end of 19 century were conditioned by finish of building of highway Mineral Waters – Kislovodsk and mainly by leading of a branch line to Kislovodsk. Number of bathes in Narzan gallery increased in 1880; a small plant on bottling of mineral water.
A stone building of the Narzan gallery, building of which had lasted 10 years and finished in 1858, has survived to our time. Architect S. I. Upton built the gallery in medieval English style. A wonderful music bandstand, which was called crystal for high acoustics.
Intensive private building was carried out in Kislovodsk at the beginning of XX century (dachas, rest homes, hotels). Kislovodsk becomes the famous resort which, however, was visited only representatives of privileged classes. Over 25,000 people received treatment in Kislovodsk already in 1904. During I World War visiting the waters stopped at all and the resort was turned into a huge hospital for wounded men and disabled veterans.
Systematic development of the resort began after the revolution of 1917. A clinic department of Pyatigorsk balneal institute, at present time Cardiologic clinic, which has become a guidance center of the resort, was founded already in 1921. New sanatoriums, resort polyclinics, institution for mud-cure were built. Besides the only (till 1928) spring Narzan, waters of another 6 springs, including Dolomitniy Narzan (well N 7, 1928), Sulfate narzan (well N 8, 1934), were led out.
A building of October baths for 60 cabins, which looked nobly, was comfortable, had compact enclose pattern, abundance of the air and light and had a depository of Narzan, capacity of which made up 400 cubic meter, was built in the central part of the city, near the main baths, by project of architect P. P. Eskov in 1928. An old plant on bottling of narzan was erected again and mechanized in the same year. An institution for mud-cure, supplying al sick persons, coming to the resort, with silt sulfide mud of the Tambukanskoe lake (carrying capacity is up to 300 patients).
Wonderful sanatorium of Sergo Ordzhonikidze with 500 beds, which was built by project of architects Ginzburg, Popov, Vakhtangov and Shpalek, was put in operation in 1935-1938. It remains the most comfortable sanatorium of the resort to our time.
All sanatoriums and patient care institutions of the resort were fully restored, great hydrogeological pioneerings, which increased reserves of narzan for balneal aims, were carried out by 1950. New building and accomplishment of the city began together with recovery works.
In Kislovodsk there are 15 therapeutic institutions which qualified to supply the city population with the health. Modern blocks of the hospital, having therapeutic, surgical, cardiologic, eye departments, equipped with modern diagnostic apparatuses, are seen at the entrance into Kislovodsk. The hospital-polyclinic complex was put into service in 1987.
A luxurious two-storied restaurant with colonnade and a stair, descending to the park and the spring, was built above spring Narzan on money which had been budgeted by the government by project of brothers Bernardatsies. A grotto (now Lermontovsky) was arranged under the stairs. In the restaurant there was an extensive hall for dancings, balls and also apartments for visitors.
Narzan gallery was built in medieval English style in 1848-1953 by architects S. Upton, H. Fransua. In it there is "Boiling well" (a spring of Narzan), drinking well-rooms, a resort library with reading-room. Number of resort institutions in Kislovodsk is larger than in all other cities-resorts. Besides a developed medical base, it attracts by magnificence of the nature. One of such places is legendary Ring-mountain, more precisely, a reach-through hole in it. A moment, when the setting sun throws its last rays in the ring, remains in the memory of those, who have seen it, forever. It is also impossible to forget rocks, Castle of guile and love and Medovie waterfalls.
Rock of guile and love. A legend says that a rich and cruel prince Alikonov lived here very long ago. Its heart was like a piece of rusty iron. He knew love and compassion neither on strange people nor relatives, only his only daughter, who was brought up as a lonely flower among wild rocks and grey stones whose eyes were like stars, Dauta he loved and cherished. In her childish games Dauta knew only one boy – a son of an old herder. Running years quickly turned the adolescents into gay, slim, like poplars, youth and girl.
Friendship grew into love but it brought also a disaster with it. Prince Alikonov didn't give his loved daughter in marriage. Prince Alikonov took care of his daughter Dauta for a rich and noble family. And then the young people decided to die together. Having glanced at his lover, the youth cried out: "Farewell! I am not afraid of dying with my lover". The youth jumped down into the sinister precipice, in arms of the death. The daughter of the cruel prince was frightened, rushed back to the father's house with words: "No, I won't die!" A rich fiance was waiting for her in the castle. Since that time the rocks have been called Castle of guile and love.
Medovie waterfalls In its free fall from height of 18 m the waterfall forms thick jets, rushing down with noise. It is the main waterfall. Almost near it, behind the next turn of Alikonovka there is another one, even heavier waterfall, forming several cascades. Paths are laid by the waterfalls through rapids and rocks. In hot days near the waterfalls it is always cool and in the time when the sun look into the gorge, splashes of water play and sparkle by all colors of the rainbow. Nectareous grasses, from which, probably, the name of the waterfall is originated, grow here, on the slopes of the valley, for the whole summer. Proud of Kislovodsk is a medical resort park – a repeated winner of international competitions of monuments of garden-park art, an owner of the highest prizes for wonderful landscape architecture, delicate taste and great diligence of its creators. The first trees of the park were planted by soldiers of Kislovodsk fortress yet in 1823 and in 1829 young Pushkin walked about the young park. An old part of the park has many architectural sights: Narzan gallery, a resort exhibition, Lermontov's ground, Mirror pond with a Glass jet is situated on the left bank of the Olkhovka river in 700 m from the Narzan gallery.
Valley of roses. A legitimate proud and one of main sights of the park. It is situated beside the temple of the air. This wonderful nook was created after the war owing to loving labour of Kislovodsk. Curtains of hundreds bushes of thirty sorts of roses stretch on the ground, area of which is about 5 ha.
And don't forget to visit the famous zooexotarium. Behind the glasses of the window visitors may see more than 80 kinds of representatives of tropical undergrowths, dwellers of hot barkhans and the Amazonka delta. When you visit the unique and the only exhibit in the Caucasian Mineral Waters, fascinating images of popular television programs about the animal life.
Sometimes it seems as if courageous legendary Tarzan, beloved Maugli, heroes of absorbing adventure films are just abot to appear near the dwellers of emerald brushwoods. Visiting of the exhibition is not only a simple excursion into the far and unknown world but also large outreach activities of employees of the exotarium, directed to conservation and propagation of rare, vanishing species.
Circus is evenly considered one of the sights of Kislovodsk. After a great day, when twice Hero of the Soviet Union, space pilot Paul Romanovitch Popovitch, resting in Kislovodsk, cut a ribbon at the entrance of the hall of the circus, dwellers of the nearest cities and settlements of the Stavropol region and people, resting in all resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters, became its constant visitors. They saw Soviet and foreign circus collectives here. They saw also new works of our art, such as "Circus on ice", "Carnival walks about the world", and with offsprings of the oldest Russian animal trainer dynasties, national artist of the Russian Federation Tereza Durova and a junior member of the famous family – Jury Durov. The great Russian actor and director Constantin Sergeevitch Stanislavsky called the circus the most wonderful place in the world.
About a hundred various programs were shown, millions people visited it for these years. Many achievements are entered in its biography. It is impossible, even in a few words, to list all famous artists, who performed in Kislovodsk, Great variety of genres in the creative team of many thousands of state circuses allows to form always new, unique programs. Many and many attractions and circus acts are still waiting for the Kislovodsk arena.
Indications to treatment Cardiovascular system, nervous system diseases, respiratory apparatus diseases (chronic nonspecific diseases of lungs, bronchial asthma).And also coexisting illnesses of digestive apparatus, gynaecological disorders, urological diseases, musculoskeletal apparatus, ear, nose, throat diseases.
Soft climate, scumming narzan, the unique Resort park, stretching for many kilometers, - all these create a wonderful base for treating of many diseases and spending unforgettable holiday in Kislovodsk!
Ladoga lake is the largest one in Europe. Its area makes 18 400 sq km, average depth is 51 m, the largest one is up to 23 m.
archives of photos


text:
$ 258.00
Off the cuff. MOTHER's vintage-inspired straight denim is cuffed with a distressed fraying hem. A faded light blue wash with subtle whiskering and distressed details leaves a classic look. Made in Los Angeles.
10" Rise, 32" Inseam, 17 1/2" Leg Opening
Model is 5'9.5'' wears size 26 or small bottoms and size small shirts.
98% Cotton, 2% Elasthane


text:
Consumer credit service provided by Pay4Later in association with Moneyway. Pay4Later is licensed by The Office of Fair Trading (Consumer Credit Licence: 0616240). For more information please refer to our frequently asked questions or visit http://www.pay4later.com/.
Moneyway is a Trading name of Secure Trust Bank PLC. Secure Trust Bank is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, licensed by the Office of Fair Trading and a member of the Finance and Leasing Association. For more information please visit http://www.securetrustbank.com/.
Interest Free Finance available on orders over £250. T&C's apply. Learn more
Split your monthly payments easily with 0% Finance when you spend over £275! You can apply online or in any of our stores and it doesn't just have to be a bike you're buying to apply for finance!
Finance is available on almost every item online and in-store — even if it's below £275. If you're buying several smaller items and the total of your order meets our minimum value, then you're able to checkout using finance.
Continue Shopping
Season : 2017
Code : SLWMAET005LSDIRBYHSLWSSEC
Weight : 15KG
The Cube Access WLS Hybrid SL 500 Womens Mountain Bike 2017 is that real mountain bike feeling with an extra does of power. A bike created without compromise.
The Cube Access WLS Hybrid SL 500 Womens Mountain Bike 2017 is that real mountain bike feeling with an extra does of power. Only Cube's high quality Access WLS Hybrid frame can offer that - and in SL trim, it's equipped with an even more impressive array of features and a brand new frame for 2017. From the Shimano XT groupset to the latest Bosch drive technology, this is a bike created without compromise - and crafted for trail riding fun. Available in sizes 14 and 16 inch with 27.5in wheels, or 17 and 19 inch as a 29er.
A CUBE Hyrbid is more than just a bike with an extra means of propulsion. This was a bike that was already highly developed, but for 2017 Cube started with a blank sheet of paper, brought together all of their engineers' experience with e-MTBs, and developed a completely new frame. Like all their WLS bikes, the geometry is based around female anatomy for safe, inspiring handling. But Cube went one better. Lighter, stiffer and better handling than ever, the new integrated drive unit and battery have allowed them to tweak their proprietary Agile Ride Geometry to deliver an even better ride - and you can even charge the battery without removing it from the bike. What could be easier?
Bosch's CX Drive Unit boasts torque of up to 75Nm - enough "oomph" to make light work of even the steepest of climbs. Combined with the 500Wh battery unit Cube fitted as standard, you'll be able to make use of all this power on even long days out without worrying about running out of juice. Shimano's 11-speed XT transmission with its 11-46 tooth, wide-ranging cassette is in a class of its own for both looks and function. With a light and stiff wheelset comprising XT hubs and CUBE EX30 rims with 2.6 inch Schwalbe Nobby Nic tyres, powerful Shimano XT hydraulic disc brakes and Fox 34 Rhythm air suspension fork with 100mm travel, there's nothing to come between you and incredible trail adventures.
We offer FREE UK Delivery on everything over £10 online, including bikes! Want it in a hurry? Select premium delivery option and get it delivered anywhere in the world!
View our full delivery information
Consumer credit services are only available to over 18s and subject to status.
Credit is provided by V12 Retail Finance Ltd, a trading name of Secure Trust Bank Plc. which is registered in England and Wales: 541132. Registered Office: One Arleston Way, Solihull, B90 4LH. Secure Trust Bank Plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority with registration number 204550. For more information please visit www.v12retailfinance.com
If you are intending to use finance as your payment option, please note we will only ship your order to your billing address, and not to an alternative delivery address.
This is for estimation purposes only. Actual Finance Application is Completed During Checkout.
With Pre-Order, you can purchase the latest items added to our store in advance of them arriving with us.
You Pre-Order is prioritised (at no additional charge); meaning that, as soon as the product arrives with us, we can wrap it straight back up and get it sent out to you - it often never even hits the stock room shelves!
With Pre-Launch, the date when we expect to receive the product ourselves is still a little too hazy to be confident in accepting Pre-Orders.
So, instead, you can submit your email address against the item you are interested in and we will email you as soon as stock arrives on the system.
Estimated Delivery Dates are given on Pre-Order and Pre-Launch products. They are for indication purposes only and can change at any time without notice.
The dates we provide are based on indications given by our suppliers. Whenever we get updated information from our suppliers we will endeavour to update the Estimated Delivery Dates provided on product pages.
Thanks for choosing this item ...
Would you like to see the special offer we have for you?
No thanks, I'll check out now
My message Close


text:
General MRO and Consumables (OT)
Supply of General MRO and Consumables
"Oyu Tolgoi" LLC (the 'Company') would like to invite potential experienced suppliers to submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) in relation tosupply General MRO and consumables.
[An EOI is only a preliminary step to a formal tender process to understand and identify whether there are potential suppliers in the market that are interested in and capable of satisfying the procurement needs]
Scope description:
- MRO and consumables:
- Industrial supply;
- HVAC parts, equipment;
- Low duty pumps, parts.
- Electrical parts and consumables
To be a Potential supplier must meet following supplier requirements as a minimum:
- Mongolia registered entity.
- To have an experience of supplying similar goods.
- To be able to accept Oyu Tolgoi payment term (End of accumulated period (EOAP) + 45 days)
- To have technical and financial capability to hold 2-3 months stock in own facility.
Interested and experienced suppliers are invited to submit their EOI by attached "EOI submission checklist" and must include/attach, as a minimum, the following documentations / information:
Mandatory documents:
- State registration certificate (copy)*
- HSE policy & procedures (copy)*
- Business Code of Conduct (copy)*
- Financial statement from last 3 years (copy)*
- Brief introduction of company in relation the scope of services
- Ownership/ shareholder information
- Executive team structure/ introduction
- Organization structure & total manpower
Scope specific documents:
- Manufacturer capability
- Supplier scope specific experience
- Customer reference (at least 2)
- Manufacturers' Official Distributor Certificates, if available
- Additional documents in relation to the scope of supply
Any interested supplier who is not registered in Oyu Tolgoi Supplier Qualification and Master Supplier (SQMS) Database must register at http://ot.mn/register-as-a-supplier-en/?eoi and must provide the registration ID on the "EOI submission checklist".
EOI submissions can be prepared in Mongolian or English and must be sent to email@example.com with subject "WS1313939295 General MRO and consumables" before 5pm, (Ulaanbaatar time) 02 August 2018.
Important notice:
- The Company is only seeking Expression of Interest from potential suppliers and makes no representation or promise in relation to procuring work from a supplier or suppliers.
- The Company reserves the right to refuse any document(s) which is incomplete or submitted after the specified date & time.
- The Company will not accept any EOIs stored in internet storage or in any other webpages and links.
- The Company will not be responsible for any costs associated with preparing and submitting an Expression of Interest to the Company.
- There will be no Questions and Answers provided during the EOI process.


text:
Recreational Use
Conventional wisdom is that psychedelics are not recreational drugs; for every one who trips at a rave, it seems three are lined up to condemn them for it. With Burning Man this week, it seems like an appropriate time to ask: is psychotherapy the only acceptable use for psychedelics, or can they be fun, too?
To begin with, we should ask: why do people speak badly of recreational use? They consider it disrespectful towards the substance, thinking it frivolous and less likely to produce serious benefit. They consider it dangerous, because the risk of having a very unpleasant trip is much higher in a chaotic setting where anything could happen. They see psychedelics as incredibly powerful and commanding of respect, something not to be wasted, taken lightly or used merely for entertainment. And, in that, they're right.
When used intentionally by someone with a relatively stable psyche, psychedelics are unlikely to lead to any kind of lasting harm (persisting harm from psychedelics does happen, but it's very rare). Even a "bad trip" will most likely pass quickly, and the user will often emerge from it with a better self-understanding . On the other hand, nervous energy is a capricious thing. Even a good trip may have moments of anxiety and uneasiness, radiance and fear, calm and dis-ease, alternating like tick and tock. As your perceptions are magnified, music you normally enjoy might grate, a level of filth or sketchiness you'd usually be fine with might perturb, and people and conversations you would at any other time delight in could seem alien, ego-driven, or, more often, just entirely too prosaic. Worse, the tendency of psychedelics to get at your emotional core and prevent you from running away from your flaws means that you might end up very emotional and needing to either be alone, or at least only with loved ones — not good on a crowded dance floor. And, even if bad trips are uncommon, they're a lot more common when there's fear and hostility in the air. If the only people who come to a certain kind of party are beautiful and loving, fantastic, but you have to ask yourself, is that really something you can be sure of in advance?
Another effect psychedelics often have on people is making them quiet, slow moving and pensive. It's not like you can't dance if you choose to (you might even find you're better at it!), but you're likely to end up at the sidelines of the party thinking deeply about something with a mildly distraught look on your face. Is that how you were hoping to spend your night?
Psychedelics are work. Sometimes they make us feel amazing, filling our souls with radiant energy and bathing us in the eternally new love shared between all conscious beings, but even in that they're anything but relaxing. If you want to blow off steam, loosen up so that you can have a good time without being anxious and simply feel good, frankly, there are better drugs for that. Psychedelics are a commitment: they often last a long time, they're mentally exhausting, and until the trip is well underway, even someone with lots of experience will probably have no idea what it's going to be like. Do not underestimate them.
Does that mean wanting to have fun is bad?
"Some of your youth seek pleasure as if it were all, and they are judged and rebuked.
I would not judge nor rebuke them. I would have them seek
For they shall find pleasure, but not her alone;
Seven are her sisters, and the least of them is more beautiful than pleasure.
Have you not heard of the man who was digging in the earth for roots and found a treasure?"
– Kahlil Gibran
Trips can last a long time. Even supposing that a party is so overstimulating that no introspection can take place, you'll probably still be high when you leave, and you never know what might lead to a personal breakthrough. I've talked to people who were able to conquer self doubts and insecurities while high at a party, and more who were captivated and transformed by the wonderful, vibrant energy they bore witness to. Good things certainly can happen when you trip this way, there's no denying it. For some partyers, psychedelics may even serve as a gateway to the unexpected: their hedonistic motivations lead them into spiritual epiphanies and away from unreflexive hedonism. I've personally interviewed several people whose psychedelic use, originally motivated by a desire to "get fucked up," cured them of their addictions! Let them dig for their roots.
Further, anyone who looks down on fun and pleasure is missing the point: trips should to be fun. Meaningful, intense and at times challenging, yes, but what use are the thoughts we provoke if they do not help us to carry our burdens lightly and to open our eyes to the beauty all around us, so that our efforts to improve ourselves, each other and the world might be a song of praise and thankfulness for the joy we've found in our hearts? Make your trip fun! Nay, make your whole life fun! Be silly, and laugh at your overly serious conceptions of what spirituality "ought" to be. Give into freedom, dance, and love.
… just don't make yourself vulnerable and open to psychic impressions somewhere you aren't sure will help you feel safe, or where you'll be pulled down into your own bad habits. If you've never done a certain drug before, you really ought to familiarise yourself with it before taking it in a chaotic setting, as it might catch you totally off guard. Even if you've already had a trip or two, the effects are unpredictable, so next time might be far more intense than last time! Take care. If nothing else, pick your party very carefully (hint: try to avoid drunk people), make sure you go with a friend who knows what you're taking and will be there for you, and always, always, always have somewhere private and comfortable you can escape to, even if it's just a nearby park, in case the party isn't what you were hoping for.
Not all safe trips are fun trips, but all fun trips were at least safe enough.


text:
USC experts say U.S.-North Korea summit is unprecedented
May 10, 2018
The June 12 summit in Singapore between President Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong-un marks the first time heads of state of both countries meet for talks. At stake is national security for both sides, regional stability in east Asia and economic relations with China, the United States and its Pacific Rim allies. USC experts say the two leaders will enter uncharted waters.
Contact: Gary Polakovic, (213) 740-9226 or firstname.lastname@example.com
North Korea's nuclear test site is not functional
Sylvain Barbot, professor of Earth sciences
USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
"We studied the nuclear test that occurred Sept. 3 in North Korea using space data and found the whole mountain edifice, Punggye-ri, collapsed and is likely non-usable for further tests. It demonstrates how space data can complement a global seismic network for monitoring clandestine nuclear tests and it provides information about the test site relevant for North and South Korea peace talks," Barbot said.
- New satellite technologies provide detailed surveillance to verify arms accords.
- Damage to the North Korea test site is widespread, requiring years to restore if North Korea seeks to resume testing at the same location.
- The blast was the last straw for the test-site mountain. At about 191 kilotons, it was the biggest detonation yet and 10 times larger than the bomb dropped on Nagasaki in World War II, causing large deformation seen from space.
Barbot is an expert in integrating seismological and satellite technologies to gain a complete picture of earthquake activity. He is a USC professor and conducted the North Korea research as faculty at Nanyang Technological University's Earth Observatory of Singapore.
Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com, (323) 352-4889
How North Korea reminds America of the Cold War
Bart Kosko, professor of law and electrical engineering
USC Gould School of Law
USC Viterbi School of Engineering
"We've consistently underestimated North Korea's military, nuclear and cyberattack capabilities. Our Cold War fears have come back with a vengeance to haunt us since North Korea detonated an H-bomb and tested long-range missiles. The threat is far worse than most people realize," Kosko said.
- North Korea threats exceed nuclear weapons and include integrated air defenses, chemical weapons, massed artillery, long-range missiles, satellites, sabotage and cyber threats to U.S. infrastructure.
- North Korea gains military power every year, increasing their leverage in talks. Crossing the thermonuclear threshold takes their power to a new level.
- U.S. military options are so poor, North Korea responses so uncertain, war casualties would be so high, that negotiations are the only viable solution.
Kosko is an expert in smart weapons, machine learning and statistical reasoning. His experience includes work as an analyst on the Tomahawk cruise missile and the Star Wars Defense Program in the 1980s, as well as consulting support to NASA and the RAND Corporation.
Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com, (213) 740-6242
China watches, worries as U.S.-North Korea summit proceeds
Clayton Dube, executive director USC U.S.-China Institute
USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
"This summit worries China's leaders. They don't like being on the sideline for anything close to them, and nothing is closer to them than North Korea," Dube said.
- North Korea depends on China for more than 85 percent of its trade.
- China's lax enforcement of U.N. sanctions benefits Chinese businesses dependent on North Korea trade. China also fears economic pressure may result in migrants into China.
- Kim Jong-un sees nuclear weapons essential to deter U.S. attack and ensure his regime's survival.
Dube is an expert in Sino-American relations, Chinese culture and history and how the United States and China interpret each other. The USC U.S.-China Institute helps lead in the age of the Pacific through policy research, graduate and undergraduate courses and professional development programs for educators, journalists and officials. It also produces events, documentary films and magazines.
Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com, (213) 821-3936
Similarities between Trump and Kim Jong-un
Jeffrey Fields, professor of the practice of international relations
USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
"Donald Trump is not like normal presidents. He's a maverick and will do what he wants. He is not constrained by Republican Party ideology, so this may work to his advantage. Kim Jong-un is a lot like Trump because he's bold and engaging in personal diplomacy. But we're in unchartered territory when it come to complete denuclearization. American exceptionalism – the assumption we can demand what we want and it will be done – will be put to the test," Fields said.
- Managing expectations will be key. If the United States demands denuclearization without big concessions, not much will happen.
- North Korea has leverage in negotiations because, unlike Iran, it already has nuclear weapons.
- North Korea's security will need to be addressed to make progress.
- President Trump will likely be chastened by the complexity of a deal to denuclearize North Korea.
Fields is an expert in international security, diplomacy and nuclear counterproliferation. He is an expert in negotiations with so-called rogue states such as North Korea and Iran. He's a former analyst for the U.S. Department of Defense. He is director of the USC Dornsife Washington, D.C., program.
Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com, (213) 740-1335