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Well my faithful 40, this will be the last blog post for a bit. Because as of tomorrow, the computer is being unplugged and the Brewer's are moving to the new place! And with only a few nights of crashing with the 'rents in between! BUT, our Internet and TV are not being hooked up until July 12th. SO it will be at least after then before I can post again.
Unless I snag my mom's laptop and post while we are there.
Which I might.
Or might not.
I don't know.
What I DO know is that, thanks to an awesome realtor, an amazing loan officer, and tons of support from the best family and friends ever, this hair brained, half-thought out, crazy plan to sell and move for a specific house that we ended up not getting anyway....has become an exciting and wonderful new journey and experience for our family, and we are so thankful for the blessings that the LORD has given us. Including our beautiful new home!!! We couldn't be happier at the way it has all worked out, and we are just thrilled!!! And will be even more thrilled when this is all behind us! HA!
Until then, toodles peeps!!!!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
The Big Move
Well my faithful 40, this will be the last blog post for a bit. Because as of tomorrow, the computer is being unplugged and the Brewer's are moving to the new place! And with only a few nights of crashing with the 'rents in between! BUT, our Internet and TV are not being hooked up until July 12th. SO it will be at least after then before I can post again.
Posted by The Brewers at 8:28 PM 1 comments
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Moving Along...Well, Moving Anyway....
We are **STILL** waiting on the repair addendum to get back from our sellers. But I drove by today and there was a roofing truck there, so I hope that is a sign that we are going to get the needed repairs done so that we can buy the house and not be homeless!!! AHHH! Echm. Sorry. Minor flip out. I seem to be having several of those a day recently. :)
Anyway, the appraisal came back good (yay) so we should be set to close next week! YAY! Which is really good because as it turns out, Cole got his S92 transition at work, and will be out of town for most of July and some of August. Sad note: despite what I previously thought, he will, yet AGAIN, miss my birthday. :( We have been together since 2006 and I have yet to spend a birthday with him. He has promised to make it up to me. I hope that means really nice granite. ;) And he has promised that, come hell or high water, we will spend my birthday next year (the big 3-0) together. We will see....
So things are moving forward on the new house. Not as rapido as I would like. I need a close date and a plan! Try getting utilities moved when you don't have a date for them to move on! HA! They mostly laughed at me. Great....
But we are packing up and getting the heck out of Dodge, er, Mesa Verde, by this weekend and will be bunking with my parents for a week or so. Fun times ahead. But I am just thankful that it is all happening fairly smoothly. So far. Stay tuned.... (KNOCK ON WOOD)
Posted by The Brewers at 2:09 PM 0 comments
Friday, June 17, 2011
Steal of a Deal
You know how sometimes, you go into a store to look for one thing, and then something that is on MEGA sale catches your eye, and you think, "I really do need that!" even though 9/10, you don't actually need it, but you use the price to justify the purchase anyway??? What, you don't do that. Huh. You're weird. ;) Anyway, this is that one in ten moment where that happened to me and I actually really, truly, needed it!!!
I was in Home Depot to drool over carpet and counter tops for our new house, and I thought I would check out the appliances just for kicks, and since we need a new fridge (ours conveys) I figured why not check those out too.
Then I saw it. The clearance tag with 948$. And the tag under it that said an additional 20% off. On this beauty...
Cole didn't know I did this. But thankfully he was just happy that I saved him a TON o' MONEY! We couldn't even buy the cheap, off brand, white fridge for $814.00!!!!
Posted by The Brewers at 9:12 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Who Would'a Thought???
The sell of our home has gone really well...not that I am trying to tempt fate. Knocking on wood RIGHT NOW. But we have a great buyer with a wonderful realtor and everything on that transaction (including the crazy things we have asked from them for our buying transaction) have panned out really nicely.
So my most recent "who would'a thought" question has been "Who would'a thought that selling a house would be the EASY part?!!?" Not that it is "easy"....or cheap. Mercy sakes alive moving is expensive and stressful!!! I don't know how people do it on a regular basis. I told Cole that I might always look at houses- I just like doing that. But make no mistake, I am not interested in moving again. EVER. EEEVVVVEEERRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The home we are buying (see pictures below) is a great house that was on the market FSBO for a while. When we lost our Cannes house, we started looking for a new home right away since we had already sold our current house at that point. We looked. and looked. and looked. We found one that was okay. But that was it...just okay. It will be a fabulous house for someone I know. But for us, and our needs, it just didn't work. But it was clean, big, and on budget. And I was really fighting my need to have a home for our family with my desire not to settle on what we want to be our "long term" home.
The night after our second showing on the "okay" house, I was really wrestling with what we should do. Cole liked the house (mostly the price) and was in agreement to make an offer...IF I would be happy there. And I probably would be happy in that house. For 5-6 years. Not 20-25 years like we really want. So I was at the computer, and just prayed that the Lord would show me the way.
Well the day of that second showing, we had driven down a friend's street because she said there was a really nice house with a great backyard that was FSBO. We drove the street and didn't see any houses that were for sale. So we figured it had sold. Well after I prayed that night, and did ANOTHER (what I thought would be fruitless) search, BAM! There it was. I was SO excited that I called our realtor right then to make the appointment. It was the house that was for sale by owner, and they had just listed it! We got in the next morning at 9 am. Cole had gone to the store, and when he walked in the door, I told him that I had found our house! And that it was UNDER our budget!!!
...fast forward two offers, one counter, and one lackluster inspection later.... This is the house I wrote about last time that they countered our full price offer with some crazy stipulations and we walked away. Well we gave them a few days to prove that the buyers in this market at that price were not going to be beating down the door. So we put in another offer and met them halfway on their terms. And they accepted! So Monday we had the inspection. Overall, it was an okay inspection for a 15 year old house. But there are some roof issues. I don't really want to go into it, but lets just say that somethings need to be fixed or replaced before we will move forward. Our realtor is due here in about 30 minutes to write up the repair requests. Please say a little prayer that all goes well. The longer this takes, the longer we will be crashing with my parents, and the harder this whole thing will be!
Now the fun part... PICTURES!!! I took these at the inspection. We are planning on new carpet ASAP and new countertops very soon too. And of course paint and light fixtures along the way. Oh, and the WALLPAPER is coming down IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!! But the bones are good, and we love the backyard. I know, I know. I said I wanted a "turn key" house (didn't I say that on here? Well I did in person...at first...). But truth is, I like the fact that I can make it "ours." That is important to me.
Our new home!!!
Top level of deck with speakers and fan.
Walk-in pantry
Living room with built ins.
Ava's room. All of the bedrooms are HUGE!
TADA! Kitchen!!! Gas JennAir range, double ovens, deep sink, TONS of cabinet space, walk-in pantry. I could live in this room. Minus the green and wallpaper! ;)
Posted by The Brewers at 1:48 PM 2 comments
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Backing Up to Punt
I have been an absentee blogger! Sorry!!! Been super busy! So the last post I was talking about how we sold our house and we were waiting to hear about the house we wanted to buy. Remember? It had another contingent offer and we were the backup? Well, the other buyers were able to remove their contingent offer and we lost the house. And honestly, I was not as sad as I expected to be. I think because panic immediately set in. I knew we would probably have to crash with my parents for a bit, and we are okay with that. They have plenty of space and are generous enough to take us in. But the idea of my family not having a home is a bit scary!
So the day after we found out that Cannes was not going to be our new home, we began looking for another house. We really didn't want to go above what we were going to pay for Cannes, but I was so afraid we were going to be forced to wait it out or look at more expensive homes. Something Cole would NOT have been okay with! HA!
Well we were looking at a house in our desired neighborhood, but in a different area. This particular neighborhood is large and has lots of different "sub-neighborhoods" I would call them. And this house was in an okay area, but it didn't have any trees. Cole and I tend to lean towards a little older homes (mid to late 90s) in this neighborhood because they have mature trees and shady, private lots. And we are into that. So we were still unsure of the house, and I just had that sick feeling. It was a super nice house, but I just knew it was a mistake. We were talking about what to do when I did yet ANOTHER search and saw that a new home had JUST been listed. I called our poor realtor at 8:00 that night, and we had an appointment to see it the next morning. I loved it online and didn't sleep at all! I just stayed up wondering and thinking and praying.
Well we saw the house at 9 that morning, and loved it! It is a bit smaller than the Cannes house (it is about 2300 sqft) and it doesn't have a half bath. But it is a great house with lots of potential! I say that because, true to form, it needs some cosmetic help. But no knocking down walls and new kitchens this time! Just take down some wallpaper, new counter tops, and new carpet. And paint, but I would do that in any house! ;)
So we made a full price offer. And you will never, ever believe this...they COUNTERED!!!! A FULL PRICE OFFER!!!! We thought we were being really generous and knew we could be because the house was less than Cannes by about 8k and because it had so much potential! But they countered down the price with no closing costs paid, which is all the same really to us. But the thing that we had to walk away from was the terms. They apparently had been burned in the past and were not eager to make a deal with someone who had not yet closed on their other home. The paperwork they wanted was doable. Not fun, but we were willing to provide that. But they wanted things within 5 days. Things like the inspection and appraisal contingencies removed from our house by our buyer. Things that were not in our control. We would never have been able to keep those promises, so we walked away. We were going to wait until our house closed, then go back to them. But we decided the longer we wait, the longer we are living out of suitcases and boxes, and with a 16 month old, that is hard.
So yesterday, we put in another offer. The money is the same (actually we increased our offer $500) but the terms are more reasonable. We have given them everything they wanted, but just said we will give them the documents as they become available to us. We were told they would have an answer by noon. It is now almost 2, and we are still waiting. I just want this to be done with, and know where we are going to be living!!!! I know that the Lord has the perfect home for us, and I truly believe this is it! So I am just praying that He will clear the path! And if this doesn't work out, I know that there is an even better home out there for us!
Speaking of homes, our buyer had his inspection Monday, and that evening we got the report. TWO items!!!! Our hot water heater was leaking and failing and he wanted a new one, and he wanted our AC serviced. The hot water heater is in (no wonder our water bill has been high lately!!!) and the AC people come Tuesday! PTL! That was the one thing I was worried about. I didn't think that there would be an issue, but you just never know!!!
If we get the house we want, I will share with you the MLS link. But for now I am keeping it to myself. Sorry for the suspense, but no use in sharing if it doesn't happen!!! ;)
Posted by The Brewers at 1:34 PM 0 comments


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When he wasn't busy using a toothbrush to fix the International Space Station on his recent spacewalk, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Aki Hoshide snapped a self-portrait that didn't reveal his face, but captured a whole lot more. In addition to himself and the sun behind him, Hoshide managed to photograph the ISS, Earth, and his fellow toothbrush hero Sunita Williams in the reflection of his helmet.
Photo by NASA Human Spaceflight.
International Space Station Imagery [NASA via reddit]
G/O Media may get a commission
JACHS NY Fall Stretch Tech Pants

subset: commoncrawl


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Sometimes you wake up in the morning and all you want to do is get out of bed and play. This happened to Cayo one day at Dolphin Research Center. Cayo has shown us that she has a very independent dolphinality. She likes things on her own terms and if she doesn't want to do something, she won't.
As people stopped by the front lagoon to say hello to the maternity pod, Cayo swam over. She showed off a large leaf she had found in the water. As she fluttered back and forth in front of the tiki-coveredsection, she began to make clicks from her blowhole.
To make her motives clear, Cayo took the piece of foliage and threw it onto the concrete area where guestsstood. Unable to resist her charm, a woman threw the leaf back into the lagoon. This sparked a game of fetch. Each time, after Cayo threw the leaf back, she excitedly swam further and further to indicate she wanted it tossed out as far as possible. Each new round resulted in an even more enthusiastic Cayo.
The game went on for several minutes before it was time for the guest to move onto her interactive program. As she walked away, Cayo began to scream as if to say, "Hey, we were having fun. Come back!" The woman waved goodbye and thanked Cayo for the memories.


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I hired a professional photographer to be there to take pictures during his homecoming because I was so excited to see how our three year old Jackson was going to react seeing his very much missed daddy. We only have a handful of pictures as a family, so this was one moment in our lives I wanted to capture.
His ship was pulling into the pier at about 9:15am, and I was so sad to wake up and see that it was dark, gloomy and rainy out. I had high hopes the rain would end quick enough before their ship was pulling up but we had no such luck.
We braved the wind, cold and rain for about an hour before all the sailors were able to walk off the ship. It's a long waiting game, but being surrounded by all the families of the sailors is such an amazing experience. His ship has 250 sailors on board and they're all being welcomed home by family and friends. There was even about 5 sailors that were coming home to their daughter or son whom they've never met before.
Here's a handful of pictures from the day I wanted to share with everyone.
{Keeping an eye out for the first sight of their ship}
{This one makes me giggle, but as you can tell it was windyyyy}
[First sight of the ship in full view!}
{Playing in the puddles}
{The little tug boats meeting the ship to bring them into the pier!}
{Where J started getting crabby}
Unfortunately about half hour before they walked off the ship, it started down pouring so everyone ran for cover. They had a tent which only fit so many people, and then a tunnel in between the two piers which everyone tried cramming into. J was so cold, wet and miserable he spent the next half hour crying his eyes out and wanting to go home.
BUT then finally the waiting was worth it as our first sign of Billy!
{Cold, soaking wet, but totally and completely happy to be going home as a family}
A HUGE shout out to Sean Holder for taking our pictures during such a treasured moment and baring the HORRIBLE weather conditions with me! If you're in the local Virginia Beach area, I highly suggest contacting Sean Holder Photography for any photo sessions plus he even teaches classes for photography, called Virginia Photo Safari.
Another big shout out to all our family and friends that supported us during the deployment. The love and support we received from everyone helped make the time apart a little easier. Everyone has been so happy for us that he is home safe and sound and warms our hearts knowing that we have been in the thoughts and hearts of so many wonderful people.
Thank You.


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Download Common Sense Study Guide
Extended Summary
Published in January 1776, the pamphlet Common Sense by Thomas Paine argues for American independence. In the introduction to the pamphlet, Paine says that he knows many will not favor his argument because it challenges the status quo of the colonies and the rule of the British government. He says that
a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right.
As a result, many colonists are dissuaded by any attempt at action. Paine knows, however, that in time the colonists will come to see that they have the right to inquire about the abuse of power wielded by Britain. Paine says the issue of independence is one of universal appeal, a burden that weighs on the back of all humankind.
In Chapter 1, "On the Origin and Design of Government in General, with Concise Remarks on the English Constitution," Paine argues that some writers have confused the distinction between society and government. Paine states that society is a blessing, while government is simply a necessary evil. To illustrate his point, he constructs a hypothetical situation in which a small group of people are stranded on an uninhabited island, making them the sole beings on the land. Paine says that by nature, people will seek the help of others and form a basic sense of community that is geared toward the survival and best interests of all involved. However, when this society continues to grow, having all members participate in their own governance becomes unmanageable, so a system of government is put into place. In the beginning, the representatives in the government are supposed to speak for all; however, in time these representatives become self-serving. Hence, a simple society becomes an ill government. Paine then departs into a critical discussion on the Constitution of England. He says the document was written for different times but now it cannot deliver the rights it promises. Paine says the foundation of the English government is contradictory and complex: the three checks—the monarchy, the aristocracy, and the commons—have no bearing on each other and do not represent the voice of the English people. Such a composition creates "a house divided against itself." Paine says that this system of government is supported more by national pride than by reason, and this cripples people from being able to seek a better constitution as the foundation for a just government.
Paine continues his examination of monarchical governments in Chapter 2, "Of Monarchy and Hereditary Succession." There are distinctions made between people who are controlled by logical circumstances: men and women are defined by nature; good and evil are defined by heaven. But what defines and separates kings from subjects? Paine says that the illogical distinction between common people and those supposedly of royal birth does nothing but create misery for people and that "it is the pride of kings which throws mankind into confusion." He says that early states that were not ruled by kings also did not see war. Paine points out that the Israelites made an early plea for a king to rule over them, and he uses several lines of scripture to show that monarchical rule was not respected. Paine cites Samuel, who tells the Israelites that the only being who should rule over them is the Lord. When they persist in their plea for a king, they are punished for wanting a mortal to rule. Wanting a monarchical government is not in the best interest of the people because although the initial king might be just, his successor might be a rogue or a fool. Paine says that it is likely that the origins of royal families are no different from those of anyone else and that frequent monetary bribes paved the way to the throne. The system of hereditary rule goes against mankind's original systems of equal and fair representation, and there can be no other explanation for its existence. Paine says that England has known some good kings but that it has known more bad...
(The entire section is 3,165 words.)


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Making Great Decisions is written to guide readers into realistic expectations towards your relationships and researching who they really truly are. People will always reveal and display their feelings through their thoughts, words, behaviors, and actions. Bishop Jakes is a firm believer in asking the important questions and then weighing the response we receive in our relationships. Often times we fail to ask our dating partners the right kind of questions, then we are shocked when later they share their own opinions and ideas in marriage. It's critical that we must accept responsibility for where we are currently in life and not to easily shift the blame to our parents or our spouse. Blaming doesn't help our relationships improve it only hinders our personal growth process. One of the essentials before we date is to deal with our own hurts, disappointments, regrets, and pain from past experiences and relationships. Freedom comes when we heal and let go of the need to justify and reimburse our deepest pain. It's vital in realizing that the new relationship can't fix the old relationship issues. Don't take out your frustration on the people who didn't cause the harm to you in the first place! Bishop Jakes described that many people are wearing emotional condoms to protect themselves from future hurts and disappointments. As we get older it tends to get harder and harder to fall in love again. This book provides the fundamental keys for entering dating, marriage, having children, career, buying a house, and many other helpful tools. This book also contained twenty questions to ask before you get engaged.
I would recommend this life enhancing relationship book to anyone thinking about dating and is planning on getting married someday. Marriage is an enormous commitment that many of us don't take seriously enough. We are all longing to connect deeper to a partner but we forget to ask the significant questions before we say I do. I do have just become words without meaning and we are failing to grasp the impact of keeping our word! Sickness and in health, rich or poor actually means something who would have thought.
I especially loved the transparency Bishop Jakes showed throughout this book. He compared the woman in the Bible having ten coins and she lost one coin to people searching for their marriage partner. She kept looking for her lost coin until she found it. Bishop Jakes helped me to see that it is perfectly normal to be honest that I do want a relationship. Finding someone to date and marry is a risk but it's worth taking. Part of discovering a marriage partner you want is to research and study your relationship.
I immensely enjoyed the twenty questions to ask before you get engaged. One of my favorite questions was, "What do you expect?" Many times I am expecting that my spouse will be just like me and be interested in the same type of things or hobbies that I take pleasure in. Meanwhile, she is expecting me to act a certain way and I usually don't even know she was expecting. And she doesn't know what I'm expecting! It can be complicating but as a marriage couple you have to learn to describe and communicate what each other is expecting in your relationship. Another question Bishop Jakes shared was, "What are your ideas about sexuality"? Before reading this book, I never would have even considered asking this type of question before engagement. I would have waiting until marriage then I would have encountered disappointment and my expectations would have caused great conflict. Sex is an aspect of a healthy marriage but it isn't only the end goal. Marriage is much more than just sex and procreation.
This book had many features and imperative questions we must ask each other before we arrive at the altar to say I do. Though the questions presented in this book may be difficult at times to ask and answer, failing to have a discussion leads to confusion and conflict down the road in marriage. I am single and I have already decided that before I get engaged we will be going through these questions together as a couple. This book will strength your dating relationships and assist you in deeming who you will marry. Marriage and choosing who to spend the rest of your life with is a gigantic decision we can't take lightly. We have to investigate our dating relationships and watch for the signs of who they truly are! Pay attention to the clues!! If you're looking for a marriage partner, please read this book you will be blessed and forever changed and you will learn the skills and tools to succeed in marriage and other important decisions!
If you would like to purchase a copy of Making Great Decisions check it out on Amazon.com or Christian Book:


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I'm no mind reader, but I can't imagine Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops is real happy right now.
Late this evening, OUInsider.com — the school's 247Sports site — reported that "one Sooner has been dismissed and another suspended for half of next season."
Not long after, Oklahoma confirmed that defensive back Quentin Hayes and receivers Trey Franks, Kameel Jackson and Jaz Reynolds (pictured) had been suspended indefinitely for violation of team rules.
The statement did not contain any other details.
Franks and Reynolds have a bit of a track record, though. Franks was indefinitely suspended last year for, what else, "violation of teams rules." He was later reinstated last October. Reynolds received a suspension from Stoops in 2010 for classless tweets about a shooting on the campus of the University of Texas.
Jackson was rumored to be transferring to Texas A&M after a suggestive tweet earlier this month, but that has since been tempered.
We're just under four months from the start of the football season, and losing three receivers for any amount of time would be a huge blow to the Sooners' receiver depth. However, since we're in the beginning stages of this story, it's unknown how much time, if any, the four players will miss (OUInsider's report said Franks was suspended for the entire season and Reynolds for seven games).
Reynolds leads the aforementioned group of receivers from last year with 41 catches for 715 yards and five touchdowns. Franks and Jackson had 22 receptions for 196 yards, and 12 receptions for 165 yards, respectively.


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DescriptionIt is up to you to save the poor Polar bears by bouncing them into the doors and stop them from falling into the ice cold ocean. Draw trampolines with your mouse to bounce them with the right angle and keep them from the hungry killer whales. A cute game that gives you a unique and fun challenge over many levels.
- You have to save the falling polar bears from plunging into the dangerous artic ocean. Use your mouse to draw trampolines in the air to try to bounce the polar bears into one of the doors to save them. You control the angle of the trampolines and can use this to make the polar bears change direction as they fall.
- On each level you have a target of a number of polar bears you need to save before time runs out. Every polar bear you send into a door adds to your save count and losing a polar bears to the ocean deducts from your count. If you reach the target you will progress to the next level.
- Send the polar bears into a doorway of the same colour to get the maximum score from each polar bear you save. Pick up power ups by bouncing a polar bear into them to help you on your way.


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Breakfast at Arne's
As Michele McNeil reported, a few of us wandered over to 400 Maryland yesterday morning for croissants and chit-chat with the Secretary of Education. Michele, being the stellar reporter she is, gives a fair rundown of the news of the day. If you're interested in a full account, go read her post. Below, I thought I'd just briefly offer a few Duncan comments that might be of particular interest to RHSU readers.
(And, I've said it before but I'll say it again. While I have real disagreements with some of the Department's efforts and concerns about some of what Duncan has said and done, our earnest Secretary is a remarkably kind, down-to-earth, and decent guy. Substantive questions aside for a moment, it is always cheering to be reminded that we're a nation fortunate to attract folks with that kind of character to a position of public trust.)
Duncan firmly pushed back against reflexive small-class mania. He suggested that it doesn't make sense to insist that a great teacher can only teach 22 kids--even if she feels like she can handle 29 and would gladly carry the larger load if she'd be compensated accordingly. He said, "Class size has been a sacred cow and I think we need to take it on. Give me and my wife a choice of putting our kids with a great teacher of 28 or a mediocre teacher of 23, and I know what I'd choose every time."
When pressed on the "don't parents prefer smaller classes?" question, Duncan said, "I don't think parents have been given the choice I just put on the table...There's no right choice there... [but] selectively raising class size" is different from simple-minded calls for bigger classes. Astute readers will note that Duncan, like Bill Gates in his WaPo op-ed from the other day or David Brooks in his recent NYT column, is embracing a version of the "gold star initiative" that Olivia Meeks and I floated last summer and that I've discussed in RHSU. (It's always kind of cool when these things start to get traction.)
Duncan also had some reassuring words on district-union collaboration, especially in light of the Department's Denver "collaboration" summit. He said, "I'm not for collaboration for collaboration's sake. Collaboration around the status quo is a real problem...This is not about kumbaya."
Duncan and I went back and forth a bit on the whole Wisconsin situation, and whether Governor Scott Walker's plan to curtail collective bargaining was destructive (Duncan) or a sensible way to rein in school boards and superintendents (me). I worried that, once we're out the other side of the current squeeze, absent broader changes, policymakers and unions would revert to irresponsible habits of agreeing on benefits that someone else would have to pay. Duncan was more optimistic.
He said, "Sometimes when you cross the Rubicon on these issues, you keep moving. I don't anticipate that people who are starting to work smarter...are going to go back to old behaviors when the pressure is off." He said, "The urgency is the pressure to improve student achievement." I found his take cheery but unpersuasive.
Duncan argued that the administration will be able to cut an NCLB/ESEA reauth deal with the House Republicans. I argued that Republicans elected in 2010 have little interest in cutting a deal that results in a big new federal education bill, especially one that increases the federal footprint in 5,000 schools and on measuring teachers, even if wonks are convinced this is a reasonable effort to dial back NCLB overreach. Duncan argued there's lots of ground for a deal.
He said, "None of those members have allegiance to the current bill, which is soon going to label 95 to 98 percent of their schools as failures. We're all in leadership now; you can't blame the previous administration. So I think we'll get a deal done."
Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Carmel Martin chimed in, "From a conservative frame, if you have chronically failing schools that keep getting money, it doesn't seem like such a hard sell to say there should be aggressive change in terms of governance. That seems like it'd be a good trade-off. It means they have to do more than just putting in a new curriculum, they have to put in new people and leadership--I think that's sellable."
When asked about the Common Core challenges I flagged a couple weeks ago, Duncan acknowledged that there are real challenges ahead. He said, "Raising those sooner rather than later is extraordinarily helpful. There are new issues on the table that we haven't had before, and we need to have a thoughtful conversation about them." He indicated he was prepared to encourage the various parties to be proactive, saying, "We are going to convene them together."
He also said that keeping the Common Core effort from blowing up will require teacher support and buy-in. He said, "Having the teacher voice is critical. If [standards and assessments] are from on-high, there's a very real risk...Buy-in, ownership of the process as it moves forward is essential."
Anyway, such is the word over at 400 Maryland. Make of that what you will.


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When it's Quiet, Things Are Happening
As a father of four (soon to be five!), I've learned to get concerned when the house is too quiet. When my kids were toddlers, and it suddenly got quiet, that meant they were probably getting into something they shouldn't. When they were noisily playing with toys, that meant all was well, but when things were too quiet, that's when white iMac keyboards were getting decorated with black permanent marker!
In much the same way, long time followers of this blog should notice a pattern: the blog tends to gets quieter shortly before some major new announcements are made. That's because when I'm busy hammering away in the workshop, I find it harder to keep up with the blog. I'm working on continuing my series on the optative in Greek, but I'm also busy developing new modules, testing a new update to the Accordance application, and hashing out some possible cosmetic changes (to Accordance, not to me!). So please bear with me, and I'll do my best to deliver a more substantive post later in the week. In the meantime, you can begin looking forward to the release of Accordance 8.1.
By the way, speaking of minor cosmetic changes, I actually let slip some screenshots from a development version of 8.1 in my last post, and there's a very minor change which the sharp-eyed among you may be able to discern. Far more dramatic changes should be coming soon. :-)


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This is the "heart and soul" of POFAK. Topics include subjects of interest to parents of children of all ages. Join us!
Want to talk about ingredients, food products, food substitutes, recipes or cooking ideas? This is the place for you. Post your recipe requests or post new recipes here to share with others.
This is a forum to discuss anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) - how to be prepared, how to prevent it, and to cope with anaphylaxis when it happens. This is also the forum to discuss idiopathic (unknown cause) anaphylaxis, or anaphylaxis due to any cause including, but not limited to, food.
Support and information for families with a child who has, or is suspected of having, asthma and/or eczema (atopic dermatitis) in addition to their food allergies. Join other parents for information and support related to these conditions.
Support for families with a child who has (or is suspected as having) a gastrointestinal disorder such as eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), food protein induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), celiac disease, Crohn's, colitis, reflux or other. Find support regarding the journey through diagnosis and treatment, living with very restricted diets, tube feedings, food trials and more.
Want to talk about breastfeeding, formula feeding, concerns about introducing foods, or ways to help your child gain weight? Do you have questions or issues with playgroups, preschool,
or daycare? This is the forum for you! Parents of older children are also welcome to join us and share their "been there, done that" experiences.
Want to talk about the special challenges of parenting a child age 5 years and older with food allergies, or the special challenges sending a child off to school or camp? This is the place for you.
This is where you can share press releases, news stories, and research updates. KFA posts news and food recalls on our blogs.


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BBC News
- Covid-19: Meeting others in pubs to be illegal in North East
- Covid: Manchester mayor calls for 'urgent review' of 10pm closures
- Covid: About 40 universities report coronavirus cases
- Covid: Adults without A-levels to be offered free college courses
- Matiu Ratana: Officer's partner pays tribute to 'gentle giant'
- Police told not to download NHS Covid-19 app
- Coronavirus: 'My name was used to steal a government Covid loan'
- Claudia Webbe: Leicester MP charged with harassment
- Soldier ecstasy death: Friends delayed 999 call over job fears
- Lib Dems: Ed Davey promises 'to be the voice of carers'
- Boris Johnson promises to protect 30% of UK's land by 2030
- Covid in Scotland: Curfew bride says wedding 'no less special'
- New faces hoping to make it on the High Street
- Covid rules: What's the evidence for 10pm pub closing time?
- Covid: Can students get a refund from their university?
- Window pain: Isolating university students send a message
- NHS app: 10m downloads and many questions
- Employment: Seven ways the young have been hit by Covid
- Sir David Attenborough spent lockdown 'listening to birds'
- Strictly Come Dancing: How do you film during a pandemic?
- Covid: Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden defends students' university return
- Covid-19 in the UK: How many coronavirus cases are there in your area?
- Covid symptoms: What are they and how do I protect myself?
- Covid-19: What do scientists think of the PM's plan?
- Covid: Llanelli in local lockdown after coronavirus spike
- Covid-19 pandemic: Where are the global coronavirus hotspots?
- Voicemail from prison: How a mum and daughter rebuilt their relationship
- Test and Trace: 'I spoke to one person in four months'
- Little Mix's The Search - what did the critics think?
- Fashion brands design 'waist-up' clothing for video calls
- TV news last and firsts for BBC in Cardiff
- Idles: 'We're in a class war and the poor are losing'
- Test and Trace: 'I feel like I've achieved a big fat zero'
- Covid: Dementia patient's wife describes 'torture' of lack of visits
- Local food heroes: Tesco teams up with Olio
- Walcott: Coastal village engulfed in sand after high winds
- Coronavirus: No easing of theatre restrictions
- Covid: Manchester Met University outbreak was 'inevitable'
- Arena attack families query emergency response
- Covid in Scotland: Police break up hundreds of house parties
- Bangor primary first to close completely after Covid cases
- Wales lockdown: Businesses affected by Covid offered grants
- Walcott: Clean-up operation after village hit by sand storm
Our traditional ANY-Village websites can still be found at their original location:
Below we are listing some of the most popular UK property websites advertising homes for sale in the Brushford area:
Nestoria (BRUSHFORD Map Search)
Vebra.com (BRUSHFORD Map Search)
Rightmove (BRUSHFORD Map Search)
Zoopla (Brushford Map Search)
Homes for SALE / Flats for SALE in BRUSHFORD
Homes for RENT / Flats for RENT in BRUSHFORD


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The 600th anniversary of the Council of Constance: from 2014 to 2018, Constance is commemorating a time when the town was the centre of the western world.
There are so many reasons to visit Constance: the idyllic location on Europe's third-largest lake, the stunning views of the Swiss Alps, the historical old quarter, the cosmopolitan atmosphere and the exquisite Flower Island of Mainau, to name but a few. From now until 2018, there is yet another reason to visit, as the town is celebrating the 600th anniversary of the Council of Constance.
In 1414, Constance became the focus of the Christian world for four years. There, away from the centres of ecclesiastical power, a new Pope had to be found. King Sigismund convened the Council of Constance, and the largest religious congress of the Middle Ages got under way.
Today, you will encounter reminders of this dramatic period in the town's history at every turn. The impressive council building, for example, was the site of the papal election of 1417 – the only due and proper papal election ever to have been held north of the Alps.
Just a few steps away is Niederburg, the oldest part of town and once home to craftsmen and merchants. Today, quaint wine taverns, fashion boutiques, artist studios, quirky craft shops and cafés have taken up residence in these crooked, medieval buildings, retaining all the charm of this delightful quarter.
The university town of Constance is the largest town on the lake and also the only German town on its southern shore. The medieval old quarter lies on the border with Switzerland, on Lake Constance and on the Rhine, at the point where the river exits the lake. Constance is not far from UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the nearby Island of Reichenau whose abbey was an important religious centre in the Middle Ages and the Swiss town of St. Gallen, home to an exquisite monastic library, thought to be the most beautiful library in the world. The remains of prehistoric pile dwellings on Lake Constance were also granted World Heritage status a few years ago.
The town is an ideal base for trips on the water. A ferry operates between Constance and Meersburg. On a fast catamaran from Constance, you can be at the Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen in 45 minutes. Cruise boats run from Constance to almost every destination on the lake. Probably the most popular excursion on Lake Constance is the Flower Island of Mainau which can be visited by boat, by bike or on foot. Thanks to the lake's mild climate, palm trees, giant redwoods, lemon trees and orange trees all thrive in the extensive palace park on Mainau.
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According to prescribed policies and procedures, under the general supervision of the Senior Property Manager, Property Manager, and/or Maintenance Supervisor, assumes responsibility for general building maintenance including preventative maintenance, minor repairs, completion of work orders. Supervises and assists outside service personnel and vendors as needed. Reports major repair and maintenance needs to supervisor.
1. Assumes responsibility for the effective performance of assigned facility maintenance functions.
a. Conducts general maintenance of resident units and common areas including carpentry, painting and other general repairs.
b. Prepares vacant units for move-in, including, but not limited to, painting, cleaning and carpet cleaning.
c. Performs and arranges scheduled preventative maintenance and cleaning. Completes inspections and tests, and maintains logs and records reflecting results.
d. Performs maintenance on all security systems, fire alarms, and door locks.
e. Adheres to schedule and takes assigned on call duties as directed.
f. Provides assistance and direction on outside service and repair work.
g. Performs landscaping duties (lawn mowing, hedge trimming, bed maintenance) as needed.
h. Maintains grounds, parking lots, and driveways, including keeping walkways and parking lots free of snow and ice.
2. Assumes responsibility for maintaining related maintenance records.
a. Tracks and records preventative maintenance procedures.
b. Completes work orders and files paperwork appropriately.
3. Assumes responsibility for establishing and maintaining effective communication, coordination, and working relationships with Company personnel, management, vendors, and service providers.
a. Keeps management informed of area activities and any significant problems or maintenance concerns.
b. Attends and participates in meetings as required. Completes required records and reports.
c. Assists vendors and service providers as needed.
4. Assumes responsibility for related duties as required or assigned.
a.Performs miscellaneous and specially requested tasks.
b.Ensures all residents and staff are treated with respect and dignity. Reports all complaints made by residents and/or families to the appropriate supervisors. Reports all allegations of abuse, misappropriation of funds/property and/or any other corporate compliance items immediately.
c. Adheres to all policies, procedures, terms and conditions set forth in the NCR Employee Information Guide (EIG), Policy and Procedure Guide (PPG), and facility handbook including, but not limited to, corporate compliance, drug free workplace, safe work practices, all federal, state, local regulations and laws.
d. Completes assigned training.
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION: High school graduate or equivalent.
Driver's License.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE: Knowledge of janitorial equipment and maintenance procedures.
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: One to two years maintenance experience.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.
Apply on company website


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Get started with Bid per Click
Your site will be upgraded to priority status, and its listing will appear above the regular listings in both the directory and search results.
All Priority Status sites have a golden star alongside the title and
carry a .PRIORITY STATUS. label.
For just 10 US dollars, you'll get 1,000 credits which you can use to Bid per Click
to improve your site's position against others and move yours to the top of the list. As a bonus, your
site may appear in up to 3 categories instead of 1.
Our Priority Status sites are currently getting an average of 23 hits per month directly from us.
Display Order of sites is by Priority Level =
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How it works: Priority Status sites start off, by default, with a Bid value of 1,
which may be adjusted from 0 up to a value of 50 via the site modification form.
Setting the Bid to "0" suspends the site's priority status and pauses the deduction of credits.
The remaining credits (if any) are preserved until priority status is reactivated by the site owner increasing the Bid to 1 or more.
10% Bonus Credits: For repeat orders or for initial orders of 20 US dollars or more.
100 Bulk Order Credits: For every 10 US dollars above USD 20.
Details on a site's priority level and credits remaining are shown in the site's detailed listing.
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Jasper County Clerk of Court
Employer / Organization
Next Election
Nov 03, 2020
Filing Window
Mar 02, 2020 - Mar 06, 2020
The clerk of court is the court's record keeper, filing and maintaining judicial documents. The clerk oversees filings, collects fees, and may administer oaths.
Application GuidelinesIf you would like to be included on the ballot for county office, follow these three steps. 1) Contact the elections supervisor. The supervisor's office can provide information about the availability of filing papers and answer questions regarding nominating petitions and other ballot procedures. 2) Arrange to pick up required paperwork. 3) Return your completed paperwork within the designated filing window. Party candidates file with your local party. Independent candidates file with the elections supervisor.
Submit application to:
Jasper County Election Supervisor, 126 West Greene St Suite 111, Monticello, GA, 31064, US


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Not going to liveblog the end of this game, but why — with four minutes left in the third quarter — are the Packers not running the ball or throwing it short? Mike McCarthy is executing an offensive gameplan that entirely dependent on throwing the ball downfield. WTF? We have seen very little running and our short passing game has been almost abandoned in favor of intermediate or long-range passes.
On defense, we are getting very little pressure on Drew Brees. Bob Sanders seems totally incapable of making in-game adjustments. The Saints can seemingly do whatever they want on offense. Anytime Brees has as much time to throw as he's had, he'll throw darts all night and win handily.


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"Shaping Mind and Soul" is not just a motto on the logo of the new Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts English Medium High School in Kuchipudi, India, but rather is its goal.
The new school in the state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India, was dedicated on April 27, 2012. His Excellency, Most Rev. Moses D. Prakasam, Bishop of Nellore, and Superior General, Fr. Salvatore, Izzo. presided at the dedication ceremony. The new school is situated on grounds adjacent to the Sacred Hearts primary and middle school that currently serves 650 students grades Pre-K through 12.
In the area villages surrounding the two Sacred Hearts schools, the availability of educating the children close to their homes and doing so within their Catholic faith has been an untold blessing to the faithful. Prior to the founding of the first school in 1986, the only school was government run in the local language, Telegu. Our schools are the first English schools. The school is staffed by the Dorothean Sisters of the Sacred Hearts and our priests. The current principal is Fr. Anthony Samy, M.SS.CC.


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Samsung Joins the Field for the Fall Windows Tablet Race
Add Samsung to the list of hardware companies preparing a Windows tablet for launch this fall.
People with knowledge of Samsung's plans tell Bloomberg that the Korean hardware giant will introduce an ARM-based tablet running Windows RT when Microsoft releases the operating system, most likely in October. The device is expected to run a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Beyond that, few details are known.
For Samsung, which has had some bad luck with its Android tablets lately — specifically an injunction against U.S. sales of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 — a move to embrace Windows RT was inevitable.
Why not cast your lot with Microsoft as well, and hope that the company is able to replicate its desktop OS market share in the tablet space? Unlike Apple and Microsoft, Google has no real desktop OS market share to leverage here. And Android's mounting patent issues are clearly becoming a big concern.
Not that peddling a Windows RT tablet will be all that much easier. In doing so, Samsung will be competing directly with Microsoft, which has developed a Windows RT tablet of its own, called Surface. It will also be going head to head with Asus, Dell and Toshiba, who are all expected to debut similar offerings, all at the same time.


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Solid economic growth is expected to continue in 2017 and 2018, but the Brexit decision will most probably affect Dutch industries in the mid-term.
The insolvency environment
Corporate insolvency decrease expected to slow down in 2017
The economic slowdown in 2012 and 2013 triggered sharp increases in business insolvencies. Due to the economic rebound since 2014 business failures started to decrease again, declining 18.9% to 5,952 cases in 2016, (including sole proprietorships). The positive trend is expected to continue in 2017.
Economic situation
Solid growth to continue in 2017 and 2018
The Dutch economy has gained momentum in 2015 and 2016, and is forecast to continue to grow in 2017 and 2018 by about 2% annually. All spending categories are expected to contribute to the economic expansion. Private consumption benefits from decreasing unemployment (which has decreased substantially over the past three years), an increase in disposable income and a 15% rebound of house prices since 2013. At the same time, inflation will increase to 1.6% in 2017 due to higher energy prices. Dutch exports continue to benefit from higher global demand and the depreciation of the euro. Due to past austerity measures and the on-going economic growth, the budget deficit is expected to remain small or even turn into a surplus in 2017 and 2018.
The Brexit decision will most probably affect Dutch industries in the mid-term, due to close trade and investment ties between the Netherlands and the UK. The sectors to be mainly affected are chemicals, electronics, food and metals.


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This is fun. ThinkGeek is selling something they call an "audio reality costume." The gist is that, with Halloween a-coming, it's one thing to dress like a favorite character or nerd icon... but how much better to sound like one, too?
The Mega Stomp Panic clips onto one's belt or waistband and produces sound when it senses the wearer's motion. But what sounds? Well, in amongst "rainstorm," "gunslinger," and "hydraulic giant robot," there's a setting called "8-bit gaming hero." The sound of coin collection will take nearly any gamer (any old enough, anyway) straight back to the halcyon days of a certain plumber and the NES.
As the video shows, it's fun without a costume, too. But, like the dinosaur we saw earlier today, any costume is improved by awesome sound effects.
Mega Stomp Panic - Audio Reality Costume [ThinkGeek]


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The mission of Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is to be the BEST by Building Excellent Schools Together. Driven by a district-wide strategic plan, called LEAD 2021, we are working to transform the education experience in GCISD so that we are better preparing students for the world that awaits them now and in the future.
LEAD stands for Leading Excellence – Action Driven. It is a bold plan that impacts every aspect of GCISD – from instruction and technology to facilities and operations – through four core objectives and seven specific strategies. LEAD 2021 is interwoven through all decision-making and planning at GCISD. Key components of the plan include:
More than 300 stakeholders, including students, parents, community members, teachers and administrators, were involved in the design of this 10-year plan, which will guide the progress of GCISD through the year 2021. Implementation began in the 2011-2012 school year with a focus on establishing a strong foundation for the work to come.


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Some people just might be terrorists. Others might not be.
It seems there was a fellow on Friday that is 88 years old and wheelchair bound. This octogenarian was such a threat… that he got "the full monty" of patdowns. If you aren't aware of who Henry Kissinger is, you are not alone! The TSA didn't know, either. Henry Kissinger was the National Security Advisor and Secretary of State for Presidents Nixon and Ford. Not only did he hold both positions, he held them simultaneously. His diplomacy helped put an end to the Vietnam war… but according to the TSA he was likely holding an underwear bomb or perhaps his wheelchair was lined with explosives and he was just waiting to get airborn.
Disband the TSA now.


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Sponsored by Music
The Luther College Symphony Orchestra and Nordic Choir will present their annual spring showcase concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 24, in the Main Hall of Luther's Center for Faith and Life. The Friday and Saturday showcase concerts are part of the 2019 Commencement weekend celebrations.
The concert is open to the public with no charge for admission. Those unable to attend may view the concert live online at stream.luther.edu/music.
The Symphony Orchestra is performing Johannes Brahms' "Tragic Overture" and Edward Elgar's "Enigma Variations."
Diego Piedra, visiting assistant professor of music, will conduct the 82-member Symphony Orchestra. At Luther, Piedra has also conducted the Chamber Orchestra and taught violin studio classes. Before coming to Luther, Piedra conducted the Spectrum Orchestra in Detroit, Michigan. As a professional violinist, he has been a member of the New World Symphony in Miami, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica and Orquesta de Cámara de Costa Rica. He earned his bachelor's degree from Baylor University and master's and doctorate degrees from the University of Michigan.
The Luther College Symphony Orchestra, Luther's largest and oldest orchestral ensemble. In addition to regular concerts featuring masterworks of orchestral literature, the ensemble takes great pride in performing new music on a regular basis. Symphony Orchestra toured internationally this January Term, maintaining athree-week residencyin Vienna, Austria, with a final performance at the Musikverein.
Nordic Choir is performing a variety of songs including "Verbum Caro Factum Est" by Hans Leo Hassler, "Little Man in a Hurry" by Eric Whitacre, "Sweet Rivers" by Shawn Kirchner and the world premiere of "I am Here" by Craig Carnahan.
The 71-member Nordic Choir is conducted by Andrew Last, associate professor of music, director of choral activities and Luther alumnus from the class of 1997. Last earned a master's degree in choral conducting from Northern Arizona University and a doctorate in choral conducting from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Music. Last is preceded by Allen Hightower, Craig Arnold and the 57-year tenure of Weston Noble.
Nordic Choir is Luther's flagship choir in a choral program that is comprised of three upper-class mixed touring choirs and two first-year choirs. Acclaimed for honoring the Lutheran choral tradition while also featuring new and innovative choral works, Nordic Choir showcases versatility, artistry and technical mastery across many genres of music.
Luther is home to one of the largest collegiate music programs in the world with five choirs, three bands, three orchestras, two jazz bands and numerous chamber ensembles, totaling more than 800 student musicians. Luther students participate in large ensembles, faculty-coached chamber groups, private lessons and master classes. More than250music majors study music theory/ear training, history, education, composition, jazz, church music and performance.
Questions? Contact Tara Quass, 563-387-1462


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The next project has begun, and I'll be releasing a few details here and there as they become available. Well before the release of the next project, I'll be updating the website so that we can hopefully organize a better method of collaborating. A lot of enthusiastic volunteers have contacted us over the past few months, and it really has shown how unprepared we were to coordinate collaboration on a project like this... over the internet.
I'll try and flesh out some tools on the site here to help with that, and might install a wiki as well to help with project organization. Check back from time to time, and if you're one of our volunteers, don't be afraid to hop on the forum and help us figure out the best ways to coordinate this stuff. We're pretty new to it as well :)
Thanks again guys, and please don't hesitate to stop by the forum to say hi or send us some feedback about anything.
We are, at our core, a network of activists who typically hold day jobs (or have in the past) that require a certain level of creativity, and the technical proficiency to express that creativity in some way. But, we also share the opinion that a money driven market system is simply not the best the human species can do anymore. It's time for us to recognize the antiquated ideas about social organization that we've all become entirely too used to... and evolve beyond them.
There are plenty of innovative and promising ideas out there about how this social evolution can or should occur, but the sad truth is that none of those ideas stand a snowball's chance in hell of being realized without a general awareness amongst the populations of the world that such a solution is necessary.
This is where we come in, leveraging our own individual skills to spread these ideas at a professional level, and amplifying the effect through colaboration and cooperation. If you feel you belong in our little circle... come join the fight. There are no entry fees or membership forms, just a community of concerned human beings.
There are many other groups besides ourselves who also participate in the fight for a truely better society, using the tools available to them to best impact progress. Here are just a few of them...
Occupy Wall Street is a leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%. We are using the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic to achieve our ends and encourage the use of nonviolence to maximize the safety of all participants.
This #ows movement empowers real people to create real change from the bottom up. We want to see a general assembly in every backyard, on every street corner because we don't need Wall Street and we don't need politicians to build a better society.
Founded in 2008, The Zeitgeist Movement is a Sustainability Advocacy Organization which conducts community based activism and awareness actions through a network of Global/Regional Chapters, Project Teams, Annual Events, Media and Charity Work.
The Movement's principle focus includes the recognition that the majority of the social problems which plague the human species at this time are not the sole result of some institutional corruption, scarcity, a political policy, a flaw of "human nature" or other commonly held assumptions of causality.
it is important to realize that ANONYMOUS - in fact - does not exist. It is just an idea - an internet meme - that can be appropriated by anyone, anytime to rally for a common cause that's in the benefit of humankind.
This means anyone can launch a new ideological message or campaign under the banner of ANONYMOUS. Anyone can take up a leading role in the spreading of the ANON-consciousness. Whether or not these appropriations are legitimate is decided by the rest of the internet citizenry : If the majority of the public agrees with a proposed appropriation, then the public will act.
The Venus Project is an organization that proposes a feasible plan of action for social change, one that works towards a peaceful and sustainable global civilization. It outlines an alternative to strive toward where human rights are no longer paper proclamations but a way of life.
Today we have highly advanced technologies, but our social and economic system has not kept up with our technological capabilities. We could easily create a world of abundance for all, free of servitude and debt based on the carrying capacity of Earth resources. With the intelligent and humane application of science and technology, the people of the earth can guide and shape the future together while protecting the environment. We don't have enough money to accomplish these ends but we do have more than enough resources..
TROM is a unique and free online documentary, that was put together since no one had thought of such a documentary from our knowledge. We want to show as well as we can, the whole picture, an insight into our world, a perspective from which you must extract meanings in order to understand, and curiosity to progress, because there is a lot of such information we call "scientific". Moreover, we present alternative and existing solutions to radically improve everyone's life.
If you've never questioned your lifestyle and are well adjusted to our current society, you will, more than likely, get a shock, but if you watch the whole documentary you'll understand why.
The Free World Charter is a statement of principles that has the potential to optimise life on Earth for all species, eradicate poverty and greed, and advance progress.
Neither political nor religious, these ten short principles could form the foundation of a new, advanced society that uses no money, is free, fair and sustainable. They are based solely on Nature, common sense and survival.
All organizations listed can be easily researched by searching Google, Wikipedia, Facebook and other websites.


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17 Posts
Discussion Starter • #1 •
Weird but two of my fender flares right left rear and right front are noticeably faded. I wanted to have them coated to save money but the Line - X dealers in the area are asking $200 - $225 with the flares removed. I think that is high for 10 to 15 minutes worth of work.


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The rampant Photoshopping, retouching, and airbrushing of both magazine content and advertisements is nothing new. But it's been a bit of a hot topic lately as publications like Seventeen and Teen Vogue have faced pressure from readers to show their models in a more natural state. This is not only an issue of attempting to safeguard young girls' self esteem, but it is also an issue of truth and integrity in journalism which seems to have been overlooked for too long. And it's not just removing blemishes and cellulite and presenting the best version of a fabulous woman, it can get Frankenstein up in the photo editing office.
1. Perfection
The biggest lie Photoshopping sells is just that a human being can look like the image in a magazine. Models are already some of the slimmest, most genetically blessed and beautiful women in the world. The attractive 1%, if you will. There is a very slim chance that a normal girl of average height and weight could realistically aspire to look like a model who has undergone no makeup or airbrushing. Then these beauty wunderkinds are worked on for hours and hours to make them even more beautiful — hair extensions, lash extensions, hours of makeup and styling, the ideal lighting, the chance to take a million shots lest they have an errant hair or wobbly bit in a shot. A process which is too time consuming and expensive for most women even on the most beauty-intensive days of their lives — weddings, proms, major events, or the particularly rigorously prepared for big date. Jessica Simpson famously posed for the cover of Marie Claire, right, without any makeup or much hairstyling.
2. What you see is real
At least the bare bones of the person being photographed are real, right? No — absolutely not. Not only are super slim actresses' and models' bodies altered through slimming of waists and legs and arms, but often time actual bones are removed or angles added. "I have smoothed boniness before — like when models have bones sticking out of their chest, they want that subdued. That's somewhat common," one photo retoucher told BuzzFeed.
3. Makeup can give you the flawless skin you see in ads
Not only are blemishes or general uneven skin tone corrected in post-production, but things like veins, freckles, moles, undereye bags, body hair, and wrinkles are often removed or "subdued." Some enhancements are even added — teeth and the whites of eyes are brightened to make smiles and eyes really pop.
4. Your knees are hideous.
One of the most disturbing examples of Photoshopping you would never have thought of is smoothing of the knees. "If you look at something and the model's got dark kneecaps with dry skin, your eyes are going to go straight to the knees instead of whatever it is they're modeling," the anonymous photo retoucher said. You are not crazy, Britney Spears' knees do look like those of a Barbie Doll in the Candie's ads.
5. The eyelashes you see in a mascara ad are achievable.
Mascara ads have come under a lot of fire from the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus Claims for digitally altering their product in a way that is falsely advertising a product's capabilities. The photo retoucher concurs. "The mascara ads are just ridiculous. They wear false eyelashes, of course, in the photoshoot, and we completely draw the lashes in one by one so it's just like a forest of eyelashes. That's like the biggest lie of all — you can't achieve that."


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Here is an announcement from the Library of Congress:
Confucian Genealogy To Be Presented to the Library of Congress at Sept. 11 Program Honoring the Chinese Philosopher
On Oct. 28, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H. Res. 784, to honor the 2560th anniversary of the birth of Confucius and recognize his global contributions to philosophy and social and political thought.
In the spirit of the legislation, the Library of Congress Asian Division will present a program titled "Confucianism as the World Cultural Heritage" from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11 in the Asian Reading Room, located in room 150 of the Library's Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street S.E., Washington, D.C.
The program, which is free and open to the public (no reservations required), is sponsored by the Asian Division in cooperation with the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans; the Confucius Memorial Ceremony Committee; and the Hai-Hua Community Center.
The program will feature lectures by prominent scholars, a Confucian memorial dance, calligraphy from the immortal teachings that appear in the "Analects of Confucius" and a display of books in all languages on Confucianism drawn from the Library's collections.
The cornerstone of the event will be a ceremony marking a special donation to the Library of Congress of the Confucian genealogy. Ling-He Kung, a 76th-generation descendant of the revered Chinese philosopher, will donate an 80-volume set that documents Confucius's family tree. Published by the Beijing-based Culture and Literature Publishing House, the volumes record 83 generations (more than 2 million people) descended from Confucius. It is believed to be the biggest family tree in the world.
Born in 551 B.C. in Qufu in eastern China's Shandong Province, Confucius was a great teacher and thinker whose theories were the orthodox ideology in China for more than 2,000 years. His teachings, which advocate peace and social harmony, have enjoyed a renaissance in recent years.
The Library of Congress is the central repository for all types of Asian publications that are not broadly available at other locations in the United States. Initiated in 1869 with a gift of 10 works in 934 volumes offered to the United States by the Emperor of China, the Library's Asian collection of more than 2 million items is the largest and most comprehensive outside of Asia. Visit the Asian Division at www.loc.gov/rr/asian/.
Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions. Many of the Library's rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov and via interactive exhibitions on a personalized website at myLOC.gov.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post from the Library of Congress. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."


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With its many section breaks and point-of-view shifts, Fowler's newest book (following Sister Noon ) poses significant challenges for a single narrator. But stage actress Schraf overcomes these obstacles with ease, her voice taking on just a touch of haughtiness for the chapters told from the "we" perspective and then switching back to an unassuming tone for the third-person sections. It may take listeners a short while to grasp the story's structure, but once they do, they'll be hopelessly snared by this witty look at the lives and loves of six people, all members of Central Valley, California's "all-Jane-Austen-all-the-time book club." As the members discuss Austen's stance on marriage, social status and love, the narrative meanders, touching on defining moments in the characters' lives and then drifting back to describe their current dilemmas: single, middle-aged Jocelyn has never been in love; French teacher Prudie can't stop thinking about men other than her husband; chatty Bernadette has decided to "let herself go"; warm-hearted Sylvia still loves her soon-to-be-ex-husband; emotional Allegra has left her girlfriend; and sci-fi aficionado Grigg is infatuated with someone who may not share his affection. Through subtle alterations of tone and inflection, Schraf neatly conveys the emotions and idiosyncrasies of each character, from Prudie's impossibly pretentious French asides to Bernadette's airy, endless storytelling. Playful and intelligent, this audiobook embodies the best of both the written and aural worlds. Simultaneous release with the Putnam hardcover (Forecasts, Mar. 22). (Apr.)
Release date: 04/01/2004
Genre: Audio


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May 31, 2019, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM @ Avant Art
Springfield, Missouri is home to a vibrant artistic community. This exhibition highlights and celebrates the creativity of our community focusing on artists living and working in the many neighborhoods that make up our city. This exhibition not only concentrates on the artists on display but also their neighborhoods and what it means to live and work creatively in Springfield.
The exhibit will rotate every six months; the fourth and final exhibition features work by 11 artists from seven neighborhoods located in City Council Zone 4 and will run through October 20, 2019.
May 31, 2019, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM @ Musgrave Wing Galleries
The Springfield Art Museum's permanent collection contains over 10,000 objects in nearly all media. The works selected for this exhibition were chosen for their ability to reveal the ways in which artists respond to and reveal our cultural identity as Americans. There is no singular or fixed American identity. American art and history is shaped by multiple perspectives, stories, and experiences, and as such, this exhibition aims to present a multiplicity of views within the wider context of historical moments. The exhibition includes 75 works from as wide an array of artistic voices as possible within our current collection, including even more works by women, people of color, Native Americans, and LGBTQ+ communities. This exhibit includes major work by George Caleb Bingham, Asher B. Durand, Jackson Pollock, Wayne Thiebaud, and Alison Saar, among many others.
May 31, 2019, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM @ Eldredge, Spratlen, and Armstrong Galleries
Nick Cave is a multi-disciplinary artist working between the visual and performing arts through a wide range of mediums including sculpture, installation, video, sound, and performance. He is well known for the "Soundsuits" series, sculptural forms based on the scale of his body. This exhibition will feature a focused selection of "Soundsuits," pulled from both private collections and the artist, courtesy of Jack Shainman Gallery, New York, as well as an example from the "Tondo series," and the video work "Drive-By." Funding for this exhibition is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Missouri Arts Council, a State Agency.


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How to Misunderstand Free Software
Misconceptions about free software, corrected.
The software industry can't keep going if programmers don't get paid
Let's begin with one simple fact: free software programmers do like to get paid, and all need to buy lunch at some time.
When we mention free software, we refer to liberty not price. You may actually pay to get free software (or "open source" software 1), which you can then study, change and copy at will.
How does it work? You can think about it the following way: software is just code, code is only math. Once you view software as useful math, an elaborate language, not like ordinary property, there is no reason to restrict others' use of it.
Just like math (where nobody would claim property on an equation), software requires advanced knowledge to be adapted, improved, applied correctly. This is where programmers generally generate an income: many customers, especially companies, are willing to pay for regular security updates and improvements on software.
Free software companies benefit from a very decentralised development system with a large number of voluntary contributors. The revenues inside the free software industry might be smaller than in the proprietary counterpoint, but are by no means negligible. In the end, individual users generally end up using free software at no cost.
Free software is not about killing incentives for programmers. It's about seeing code as knowledge which should not be hidden from the user. It works with a different business model, in which many companies already do well.
Innovation is killed in free software
The common perception is that if everyone can copy ideas, innovation will be stifled.
In fact, freedom is often the key to innovative and successful software.
- Anyone is allowed and encouraged to work upon it;
- Many people are willing to participate;
- There is no need to re-invent everything, ideas can be improved upon directly.
Non-proprietary software stands out in many areas: consider, to name just a few:
- Applications: Firefox (web browser), Inkscape (vector drawing).
- Complete systems: Apache (web server), OpenBSD (OS), and of course, GNU/Linux.
- Formats and protocols: HTML (web pages), BitTorrent (file sharing), OpenDocument Format (office documents).
- Server applications: Drupal (Content Management System), Wordpress (blog).
Software should Just Work
Anyone should care about whether their software is free.
Imagine purchasing a car whose hood you are forbidden to open. It does not matter whether you know how a car works – the point is that nobody will be able to check the engine. How can you trust your car, if no one is allowed to make sure that it's reliable, that it does not leak, that it's not harmful to the society and environment?
The idea is the same with software – except that code does much more than move cars. Software runs our computers, phones, TVs, media players and more, carrying information and our culture.
Free software is as important as free speech, as a free market. If software is free, users have control and liberty over it.
The good news are: free software also Just Works. And in fact, it often Just Works Better. Pop in a GNU/Linux liveCD in your computer at start-up, to try a full-featured, well-organised system, without installation, so you can judge by yourself.
Free software doesn't respect authors' copyrighted and patented software
To answer this correctly, we must first make a clear distinction between copyright and patents. Copyright is a right granted to the author over his/her creation (for example, the text of a book, or the source code of a program). A patent, on the other hand, is a purchased, registered exclusive control over a process, the application of an idea.
Copyright is very important in free software. It is the very mechanism, central to the GNU General Public License, which ensures that free software remains free, and that authors are credited for their work. Programs are copyrighted, whether they are free or proprietary.
Any proprietary software author can easily check that his copyright is not violated in a free software application, since its source code is readily available.
Patents in software, on the other hand, are a very controversial concept. To put it shortly: there is no such thing as a "patented software". By registering for a patent, however, someone can claim ownership over a process. The patent then applies to all software that use this process, whether proprietary or free.
Software patents:
- Are expensive and are granted only several years after application;
- Are limited geographically (a patent granted in the US is worthless in Europe);
- Have long life-times (often 20 years) in a quickly-moving industry;
- Often apply entirely trivial processes.
As such, they are seldom used to benefit innovators (and in fact, rarely used by the innovators themselves).
It's safe to say that any medium-size piece of software violates patents, in several countries, whether it's free or not.
Depending on the holding company's ability to cover very large legal costs, or to retaliate with other patent threats, royalties and restrictions can be applied over these patents.
Free software is like communism
Supporters of this idea argue that there can be no private ownership with free (or "open source" 1) software. Let's answer this with an example.
Let's imagine that you use one application that is free software, at home and within your company. You find a great way to improve it, so now with your modified version, your computer works better and your factories run twice as fast!
This modified version is your own version. You are not required to tell anyone about it, nor must you share any of the profits you made using it. You are simply exerting your freedom to use and modify free software.
What the free software license requires is that if you redistribute this software, then you must keep it free. Namely, if you sell CDs with your software on them, or start letting people outside your home or company use it, then you must:
- Either give everyone the same rights you had when you obtained the original software, that is, the freedom to inspect, modify and redistribute your modified version;
- Or, make the original software and your secret addition to it clearly separate (that is, your addition should contain none of the original work).
So in fact, you have more "ownership" over free software than over proprietary software –where the programmer decides everything you can and can't do with the software.
Free software has nothing to do with a political system. You can run free software on top of proprietary software, just as well as the opposite. The free software license is simply a legal, ethical contract between the programmer and the end-user.
Free software can't be secure
The argument generally goes that since the source code of free software is available, it is less likely to be secure.
Short answer: The majority of servers run free software. They are the major networked computers holding sensitive or confidential information such as your bank details or trade secrets.
A more precise answer is that availability of source code is a warrant of security, not a weakness. The freedom of the software ensures it can be inspected, tested and improved by a very wide community. A good lock is secure because the technology used to design it is open, though only the key holder can open it. The same goes for software.
Need examples? Have a look at the Firefox browser, the Apache HTTP Server, the OpenPGP encryption system, or the OpenBSD operating system. And there are no spyware or viruses under GNU/Linux.
I'm on my own with free software
Not at all.
- If you are looking for good documentation and support forums to assist you, there is plenty available for free ("open source") software.
Each GNU/Linux distribution has its own community (for example, Ask Ubuntu or Ask Fedora), but there are also general GNU/Linux help communities, like Unix & Linux Stack Exchange.
- If you need someone you can reach on the phone anytime to assist you, the companies behind most distributions provide commercial support: see the Ubuntu Commercial Support or Red Hat Enterprise Linux pages for example.
- ^ a b What we call "Free Software" here is also often called "Open Source Software". In practice the requirements are identical, although because the term "open" doesn't call to mind freedom, it misses the point. Read our FAQ entry: Are "Open Source" and "Free Software" the same thing?.


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HVSI-backed campaign hailed as a boost for truck safety +MORE
Wallace International boasts a stunningly-presented fleet of big rigs, but none more striking than the company's 2010 Western Star 4800FX. +MORE
Announcement comes in lead-up to economy-boosting Brisbane Truck Show +MORE
Hino's long wheelbase addition to its long-serving 700-series heavy-duty range certainly packs plenty of punch for a truck essentially designed for three-axle rigid work. It...+MORE
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- Inside Athletics
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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Sept. 8, 2009) - The ETSU volleyball team had a season-high 69 kills as the Bucs downed USC Upstate in the conference opener Tuesday night at Brooks Gym, 3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 22-25, 25-23).
"It's great to win the home opener," said head coach Lindsey Devine. "I am very happy for Amanda and Kristan Provchy (Norton, Ohio) to win their last home and conference opener. We talked about winning big points, and I think we really handled those and capitalized on them tonight. Offensively, Amanda did a good job of using our different attack patterns."
Senior Amanda Youell (Middleburg, Fla.) ran the ETSU offense almost to perfection tallying 52 assists, eight digs and four blocks. The Bucs were led offensively by Erin Ryan (Davie Fla.) and Whitney Cogburn (Kingsport, Tenn.) as Ryan had a team-high 19 kills in the match, while Cogburn had a career best 17 kills and nine digs.
"Whitney had a hot hand for us again like she did last weekend, and Erin did a solid job on the outside," Devine said. "We were able to get all four of our middles in the match, and that is going to make it hard for opponents to scout us because they won't know what is coming at them. I think defensively were we solid and kept ourselves in the game. We also responded well to pressure situations."
Junior Lauren Baufield (Plymouth, Minn.) had a good all-around performance posting eight kills and ten digs on the night.
In the first set, play was tight until the Bucs went on a 5-1 run to take a 14-10 lead. USC Upstate battled back to even the set at 15-all. After falling behind 18-16, the Buccaneers went on a 9-1 run to win the first set 25-19.
Both teams battled back-and-forth in the second set until ETSU went on a 6-2 run to take a 14-9 advantage. After giving a couple points back to the Spartans, the Bucs used a 5-2 run to extend their lead to 19-13. USC Upstate attempted to make a comeback, but the Bucs held on to win the set 25-18 and take a 2-0 lead into the break. Ryan led the way for the Bucs with seven kills in the set.
The Spartans took an early 7-3 lead in the third set. Later in the set, USC Upstate took five-straight points to extend its lead to 18-11. ETSU cut the Spartans lead to 20-18 after kills by Alysa Long (Romulus, Mich.) and Ryan, but couldn't get any closer as USC Upstate went on to win the set 25-22. USC Upstate's Kelsie Queen had six kills in the set.
The Bucs answered in the fourth set as they went on a 7-2 run to break a 10-all tie and take a 17-12 lead. USC Upstate used a 6-1 run late in the set to cut the ETSU lead to 24-23, but the Bucs got a big kill from Baufield to win the set 25-23.
ETSU (2-5, 1-0 A-Sun) is back in action on Friday at 7 p.m. as the Bucs host conference opponent Stetson. For more information on Buccaneer volleyball and all other athletic news, please visit www.ETSUBucs.com.


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In 2013 VetEx ran over 30 trips across the United States getting hundreds of military veterans outside and earning the honor of 2014 National Geographic Adventurers of the Year. In 2014, our schedule is going to be even bigger as we hike, paddle, fish, climb, mountaineer, and mountain bike across the nation as our VetEx Teams truly experience the "Land Defended". In 2015 we plan to send a team of VetEx veterans on a summit attempt of Denali, the highest peak in North America. In 2016 our goal is to put a VetEx team on the tallest mountain that can be climbed. Get out with VetEx in 2014 and experience veteran run, veteran led trips and expeditions.
1. January 4-5 Ice Climbing Ouray Ice Park CO with VET
2. January 21-25 Outdoor Retailer Salt Lake Utah
3. February 1-2 Ice Climbing Ouray Ice Park CO
4. February 6-7 10th Mtn Hut Community Service Ski or Snowshoe Overnight Leadville CO
5. February 10-11 10th Mtn Hut Community Service Ski or Snowshoe Overnight Leadville CO
6. February 15-16 VetEx East Ice Climbing Weekend North Conway NH
7. March 3-7 VetEx SCMO Montana Ice Week
8. March 13-14 10th Mtn Hut Community Service Ski or Snowshoe Overnight Leadville CO
9. March 24-25 10th Mtn Hut Community Service Ski or Snowshoe Overnight Leadville CO
10. Many more 10th Mtn Hut Community Service Ski or Snowshoe winter trips and summer work trips as well
11. March Ice Climbing Ouray CO Trip TBA
12. May 24-25 Memorial Day Weekend Local Rock Climbing meet-ups in CO, WA, NY.
13. June 2nd annual Browns Canyon Float and Climb Salida Co 3 days 15 vets TBA
14 June Colorado Climbing Week TBA
15. July Mountain School WA TBA
16. July 9-16 Alaska Program (Trip is Full)
17-19. July/August Pacific Northwest Volcano Climbs as Special Events
Mt. Hood OR
Mt. Rainier WA
Mt. Shasta CA
20. July 2nd annual Veteran Outside Adventure Film School WA TBA
21. August VetEx East hiking, climbing, and fishing week NH and MA TBA
22. September 4-14 9/11 5th Annual 9/11 Climbing Series. The Pickets Traverse Climb ending on Glacier Peak North Cascades WA
23. 4th annual Veterans Day Climb Joshua Tree CA
24. Mountain Bike Team to run 3 or more race in 2014 April-September CO, AZ, UT
*More trips will be added and trip dates updated as the information is available so check back regularly
Please email firstname.lastname@example.com for more information or to reserve your slot for any of these trips. All military veterans are eligible. DD214 and filled out applications required. You can mail applications and DD214's to the address below or email to firstname.lastname@example.com. Please note that this schedule will be updated on a regular basis as trip dates confirm and current conditions become known. In general, all trips are at no cost to military veterans except for travel to and from a given trip and in some cases a reserve your slot fee. Our larger trips and expeditions may require that you have been out with VetEx prior to attending these more expensive expeditions. Reserve your slot today as many of these trips will fill-up.
Veterans Expeditions Application Form
Nick Watson
Veterans Expeditions
1031 E St.
Salida, CO 81201
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Best because he came out like a massive f-cking prick. For Billy Bob Thornton, life really was over as soon as The Jolie left him. Watching it back again, it's even worse than I remember. And better.
Back in April, BBT was in Toronto with his band promoting their new record. The Boxmasters stopped by Q with Jian Ghomeshi on CBC Radio. And for no particular, rational reason, BBT proceeded to lose his f-cking sh-t, all because, in service of CONTEXT, Jian referenced that Billy Bob Thornton is an ACTOR.
At a certain point, Jian confronts the attitude. And eventually, Jian is able to bring the awkwardness to what he thinks will be a truce. Sulky petty bitch BBT however doesn't want to let it go. Then he decides to insult Canadians. Mashed potatoes with no gravy. All this after declaring that in the last 30 years, no other musical act has been doing what he's been doing. Angelina done f-cked him up good.
Thanks Jessica!
File photo from Wenn.com


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Investment in rail infrastructure in the Wellbeing Budget will make trains more reliable and cut down on maintenance time and costs, rail ministers announced today.
The Wellbeing Budget provides opportunities to grow and modernise New Zealand's economy while ensuring a just transition to a low emissions future. We need to preserve and enhance our environment, as part of the foundation for our long-term wellbeing.


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Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania are expected to announce a deal on gun control and background checks in just a few hours. NBC's Kristen Welker reports.
Two key senators have reached a deal to expand background checks to firearms sales at gun shows and on the Internet, sources close to the negotiations said early Wednesday.
Sen. Pat Toomey, a conservative Pennsylvania Republican, plan to announce the deal Wednesday with West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who holds an A rating from the National Rifle Association.
The two have been working on a compromise proposal that could draw Republican support for expanding background checks. On Tuesday evening, the two had an agreement in principle, and spent the night hammering out the final details.
The compromise doesn't go as far as the universal background checks that President Barack Obama first envisioned in the wake of the Newtown shootings. The Manchin-Toomey compromise will include exemptions for some transactions, such as those between family members.
Michael Patrick / AP file
People crowd the RK Gun Show in the Smokies Friday, Dec. 28, 2012 in Knoxville, Tenn.
Outlines of the compromise have been circulated to the National Rifle Association, and sources close to the negotiations said it's unclear where the group stands although the powerful lobby is unlikely to support it.
Senate Democrats, meanwhile, set up a possible Thursday vote on gun legislation.
The deal between Toomey and Manchin represents a major breakthrough for a package of new gun laws that Obama proposed in the wake of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14.
Support from the conservative Toomey, who also carries an A rating from the NRA, could give other, more moderate Republicans cover to vote in favor of a bill to expand background checks for gun sales beyond just those conducted through licensed dealers.
In recent days, Obama's gun control agenda has been imperiled on Capitol Hill. While Democratic leaders have promised votes on an assault weapons ban and new limits on high capacity magazines, neither can realistically pass the Senate. And a deal on background checks has eluded Democrats for months -- threatening to leave the president with only stricter gun trafficking laws to show for a prolonged, emotional national plea for tighter restrictions on firearms after 20 young children and 6 educators were gunned down in Connecticut.
But there was new momentum for gun legislation Tuesday as Republican senator after Republican senator announced they wouldn't support a filibuster that would prevent gun legislation from even coming up for debate. A trio of conservatives -- Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah -- are leading the filibuster effort, with support from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. But as Tuesday wore on, as many as 10 Republican senators said they could not support it or left the door open to allowing Democrats to bring the measure up on the floor.
"The purpose of the United States Senate is to debate and to vote and to let the people know where we stand," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said on CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday. "What are we afraid of?"
On Tuesday night, Reid officially filed gun legislation that's been written by Democrats. It sets up a possible Thursday vote to open debate on guns. Senate aides said debate on gun legislation could continue through next week and even into the following week. The Manchin-Toomey compromise would likely be the first amendment offered to the package.
The vote to open debate is tricky for some Democrats who hail from conservative states like Arkansas, where the NRA and other pro-gun groups hold significant sway. But Republican movement in favor of it could help protect them and increases the chances that the vote will succeed.
Now, a key question is how conservatives who've signed on to filibuster the gun bill decide to proceed. They haven't ruled out taking a stand on the Senate floor, similar to Paul's 14-plus-hour talkathon opposing drone strikes on American citizens.
That has some Republicans on edge. One member of Senate leadership, speaking on condition of anonymity so as not to violate personal confidences, said there's a sense among the top GOP lawmakers that such a public display could further damage the already-battered Republican brand.
But McConnell, who's up for re-election in 2014, vowed Tuesday to stay the course and filibuster the bill.
"It clearly had no bipartisan support in committee," he said.
NBC News' Frank Thorp and Mike O'Brien contributed to this report
This story was originally published on Tue Apr 9, 2013 7:19 PM EDT