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By Michael Scott Cain
Posted October 17, 2015
At this writing, we've got three more months 'til the end of the year, but it's still safe to say that Bobby Long's new album, Ode to Thinking, is easily the best Americana album of the year. Long scores on all fronts: the album is beautifully written, sung, produced and mixed. It does what all of the best albums do: it makes a profound personal statement while at the same time touching the universal. Ode to Thinking is Bobby Long's story but it's also the story that belongs to all of us.
This is Long's third album and it consists of songs that went through a year-long creative
The CD offers a great mix of songs and never makes the mistake of having two songs in the same tempo or the same key follow each other. Each song is arranged organically; in all cases, the arrangement suits the material perfectly. Before too long, the name Bobby Long will be mentioned with the names Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Tim Buckley. If he keeps making music this good, he's going to be one of the immortals.


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3XL ONLY Trimmy Tee
On Sale
A Rangers inspired revamp of a classic 70's Adidas logo, designed to be the face of the Trimm Dich fitness campaign in Germany. Available in Navy and Grey. Excellent quality print on a 190gsm t-shirt.
"The cartoon character runner is 'Trimmy' he is the mascot from a public health and fitness promotion run in Germany in the 1970's by the DSB (German Sports Confederation). After the economic boom experienced by the country at the time it was noticed that the health of the population was deteriorating with growing cases of obesity being recorded. So to encourage people to get active and healthy a series of fitness trails were built in cities and towns that ran through parks and forest tracks. These trails had wooden fitness equipment installed to make up a run with circuits routine thrown in. This campaign had the slogan 'Trimm Dich, durch Sport' which translates to 'Get Fit, do sports' and was used to promote these new trails and get people active."
- https://trimmdichblog.wordpress.com/2015/01/10/trimm-dich/
P2P: XS - 19", Small - 20", Medium 21", Large 22", XL - 23", XXL - 24", 3XL - 25"

subset: commoncrawl


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Lovelyz Releases Adorable Music Video for "Candy Jelly Love"
Woollim Entertainment's latest girl group Lovelyz has released a music video for their title single "Candy Jelly Love."
"Candy Jelly Love" is an upbeat dance song that matches their cute and innocent image. It is written by singer-songwriter Yoonsang, just like their pre-release track "Goodnight Like Yesterday."
The eight-member girl group can be seen in school uniforms, dancing perfectly in-synch to the upbeat and cute tune. Befitting the song title, various candy items can be also seen throughout the music video.
The group has already begun promoting the song without their member, Seo Ji Soo, who struggled with malicious rumors spread about her on the internet. Lovelyz most recently appeared on SBS "Inkigayo" with "Candy Jelly Love" and their pre-release track, "Goodnight Like Yesterday."
Check out the cute music video for Lovelyz' "Candy Jelly Love" below!


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GREEN BUBBLE WITH "100" WRITTEN IN RED. WHAT`S THE MEANING? THANK YOU?. Are You guys has that kind of query?, If yes then please found the good answer below this line:
The indicator "Online, location services off" means the Location services on the iPhone of your kids are turned off. You have to turn on the setting of the Location services for you to track your kids again. You can do it by turning it on their iPhones. Go to Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services -> On.
Hello there,
I`m guessing the answer would be WHATSAPP, but for confimation please do check if thier logo is the same in your description:
Hope you got it right! Feel free to ask more questions, Thanks!
That only means that you completely cancelled your Verizon service for this phone, (including voice, text and data). Because it shouldn`t be possible to use data after you cancel your plan entirely.
The brand is "WHATSAPP" for What is the answer to the icon mania "brand" picture of a green speech bubble.
WHATSAPP should be the correct answer to this level of icomania. If it is not right, please provide me with all the letters, so I can find you the correct answer.
Turn off Bluetooth and the device that uses it turn it back on go to settings then Bluetooth turn that on as well and your device should come up.
The brand name for this level of icomania is ACER. Example: Acer computers.
Thank you for your question, and have a great day!
Hi there valued customer! Your information is not sufficient. We need the letters for us to answer correctly. Thank you.
Hi! The brand with a lower case green -a- and ends with -r- is
Happy gaming!


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Carl Sagan, Father of the "Baloney Detection Kit"
Science is persuasive, and it should be; science is the great reality detector. What appears to be a scientific claim often isn't. Promoters of pseudoscience (claims disguised as science that have little scientific value) are aware of the strong value placed on science. Attach the term science, or make it sound like science, and the value of a claim, product, or service is instantly enhanced. This can also be problematic because attaching the word science to a claim doesn't make it science.
Pseudoscience is a major roadblock to rationality. Pseudoscientific beliefs are more costly than people think. Time and money spent on pseudoscience is time and money that could have been spent on beneficial activities. We live in an interconnected society, so the pseudoscientific beliefs of a few people may influence outcomes for many people. As an example, the false belief that autism is caused or associated with early vaccination has led to decreased immunization rates, more children being hospitalized, and in some cases death (Stanovich et al. 2016). As another example, consider the strange activity of Steve Jobs, who "ignored his doctors after being told of his pancreatic cancer and delayed surgery for nine months while he pursued unproven fruit diets, consulted a psychic, and received bogus hydrotherapy" (Stanovich et al. 2016,192).
The Nonsense Detection Kit
The impetus for writing the Nonsense Detection Kit was previous suggestions made by Sagan (1996), Lilienfeld et al. (2012) and Shermer (2001). The Nonsense Detection Kit is referring to nonsense in terms of "scientific nonsense." Nonsense as it is used here is synonymous with pseudoscience. There is no single criterion for distinguishing science from pseudoscience, but it is possible to identify indicators, or warning signs. The more warnings signs that appear, the more likely the claim is nonsense.
Nonsense Indicator: Claims Haven't Been Verified by an Independent Source
Promoters of nonsense often claim special knowledge, specific discoveries that only they know about. These findings are often reflected in phrases such as "revolutionary breakthrough," "what scientists don't want you to know," "what only a limited few have discovered," and so on. These findings are not subject to criticism or replication. When conducting studies, it is imperative that researchers operationalize (provide operational definition-precise observable operation used to manipulate or measure a variable) variables, so the specifics can be criticized and replicated. Non-scientists are not concerned with others being able to replicate their findings. If a finding cannot be replicated this is a big problem, and it is unreasonable to consider a single finding as evidence. It is also problematic when only those making the original finding have replicated it successfully.
Nonsense Indicator: Claimant Has Only Searched for Confirmatory Evidence
Confirmation bias is a cognitive error (cognitive bias) defined as a tendency to seek out confirmatory evidence while rejecting or ignoring non-confirming evidence (Gilovich 1991). Most people have a tendency to look for supporting evidence while ignoring (or not looking very hard for) disconfirmatory evidence. An important characteristic of the scientific thinker is the tendency to search for disconfirming evidence. Those promoting nonsense may not even be aware of disconfirmatory evidence, as they have no interest in that type of information. Science is structured to minimize confirmation bias. The late Richard Feynman (Nobel laureate, physics) suggested that science is a set of processes that detect self-deception (Feynman 1999). Science helps ensure we don't fool ourselves.
Nonsense Indicator: Personal Beliefs and Biases Drive the Conclusions
Nonsense claims are often heavily influenced by personal biases and beliefs. Scientists recognize their biases and personal beliefs and use scientific processes to minimize the effects. Scientists, much like non-scientists, often find themselves looking for confirmatory evidence."At some point usually during the peer-review system (either informally, when one finds colleagues to read a manuscript before publication submission, or formally when the manuscript is read and critiqued by colleagues, or publicly after publication), such biases and beliefs are rooted out, or the paper or book is rejected for publication," noted Michael Shermer (2001, 22). Perpetuators of nonsense fail to recognize their biases (consciously or unconsciously) and thus make little effort to prevent this from influencing their claims.
Nonsense Indicator: Excessive Reliance on Authorities
Much of what we learn comes from authority figures (including teachers, authors, parents, journalists, etc.), and such authorities are sometimes wrong. The merit of the claim, independent of who is making it needs to be considered. Authority may provide a hint to what's right, but authorities are fallible. Authorities often assert different beliefs. Which authority is right? Even top-level authorities are susceptible to a range of conscious and unconscious biases; they make mistakes and often have vested interests, just like non-experts. Carl Sagan wrote that "Authorities must prove their contentions like everybody else. This independence of science, its occasional unwillingness to accept conventional wisdom, makes it dangerous to doctrines less self-critical, or with pretensions to certitude" (Sagan 1996, 28). Feynman (1999, 104) adds, "Authority may be a hint as to what the truth is, but is not the source of information. As long as it's possible, we should disregard authority whenever the observations disagree with it."
The most important authority in science is evidence.
Nonsense Indicator: Overreliance on Anecdotes
Anecdotes (short personal stories of an event) are rarely enough to conclude that a claim is true. Anecdotes are difficult to verify, are often unrepresentative, have been generated for almost every phenomena that can be imagined, and are often constructed to sound meaningful when in fact they are not. Anecdotes may be useful as hypothesis forming statements and might eventually be considered evidence, but they shouldn't be overused in scientific discussions. I inform students on the first day of class that scientific discussion requires referral to scientific data. Personal experiences and opinions generally carry little to no weight in discussions on science, especially when they can't be reasonably inferred from the scientific literature.
Nonsense Indicator: Use of Excessive 'Science Sounding' Words or Concepts
In an attempt to accurately distinguish among similar concepts, scientists make use of a specialized vernacular. Sometimes this practice is "abused, especially when the terminology provides unsupported techniques with a cachet of unearned scientific respectability" (Lilienfeld et al. 2012, 27). Promoters of pseudoscience often use technical words, so they sound smart or highly knowledgeable, even when the word usage is incorrect. In contrast to scientific language, this language frequently lacks meaning, precision, or both (Lilienfeld and Landfield 2008). Using scientific sounding words is a powerful rhetorical device. Scientific sounding does not necessarily imply scientific.
In conclusion, I offer a big thanks to Sagan, Shermer, and Lilienfeld for their efforts to battle pseudoscience.
- Feynman, R. 1999. The Pleasure of Finding Things Out the Best Short Works of Richard P. Feynman. Cambridge, MA: Basic Books.
- Gilovich, T. 1991. How We Know What Isn't So: The Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life. New York, NY: The Free Press.
- Lilienfeld, S., R. Ammirati, and M. David. 2012. Distinguishing science from pseudoscience in school psychology: Science and scientific thinking as safeguards against human error. Journal of School Psychology 50: 7–36.
- Lilienfeld, S., and K. Landfield. 2008. Science and pseudoscience in law enforcement: A user friendly primer. Criminal Justice and Behavior 35: 1215–1230.
- Sagan, C. 1996. The Demon Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.
- Shermer, M. 1997. Why People Believe Weird Things. New York, NY: Owl Books.
- ———. 2001. The Borderlands of Science: Where Sense Meets Nonsense. Oxford University Press.
- Stanovich, K., R. West, and M. Toplak. 2016. The Rationality Quotient: Toward A Test of Rational Thinking. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.


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The faculty in the College of Science and Engineering has established a fund to provide support for Black students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Black people face unique and systemic barriers to succeeding in STEM, contributing to historical and ongoing underrepresentation in undergraduate and graduate STEM programs, and in STEM careers. The impetus for the fund is the 2020 protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Through this scholarship we can, together, make an impact on the educational goals of Black students at WWU for generations to come.
Our initial goal is to raise $25,000 to establish an endowment fund that will support the scholastic and research aspirations of Black undergraduate and graduate students. Please join us in making a lasting impact for our students. Together we can make a difference.
Fall 2020 Announcements:
"In light of the uncertainties about the status of the pandemic in Fall, the seriousness of COVID-19, and our desire to prepare quality courses that we can be assured of being able to deliver in Fall quarter, we have made the difficult decision that all formal BIOL courses will be online in Fall 2020..."
To read the full message, click here.
Are you an incoming new student for fall 2020? Please take a few moments to review this page for important details and resources regarding orientation, registration, major declaration and more.
For more information on course access and registration for fall 2020, go to the Course Access Sheet.
The Biology Department encompasses areas ranging from molecular biology to ecosystem ecology. This breadth is reflected in our curriculum and in faculty and student research. Our joint mission of teaching and research strongly complement each other and provide students with an educational experience of very high quality.
In support of the mission of Western Washington University and the College of Sciences and Engineering, the mission of the Biology Department is to provide an outstanding learning environment that integrates education, scholarship, and service in order to actively engage students in the biological sciences and foster their development as lifelong learners.
The Biology Department office is currently working remotely and are available to answer your questions via phone and email. Please call 360.650.6165 or send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
For questions on grading, advising, or advancement into phase II of the major, please refer to our FAQ.
Shawn Arellano Seminar - Wednesday (9/30) from 4-5 PM via Zoom


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And He went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them. As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, "Follow Me!" And he got up and followed Him. And it happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, "Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?" And hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:13-17
Today's thoughts from today's verses:
The religious establishment did not expect that Jesus would call Levi, a tax collector, to be his follower nor that he would hang out with such a collection of people at a party. It seems that societal and religious culture esteem "accomplishment" within the accepted order of things. God's plan is to call and use those who are "not accomplished" within the accepted order of things here on earth to accomplish his truly divine purposes. The overarching tendency of those who are accomplished within the accepted order of things here on earth (either societal or religious) is to be prideful and boastful. When Jesus says, "Follow Me," he is saying, "give up your life for my sake." It seems the "accomplished" are less likely to do this because they have much to give up or lose. The "unaccomplished" are much more likely to respond to Christ's call because they have little to lose and therefore little to give up. God's plan for true "accomplishment" is hinged entirely on him. He wants the life we live to be his doing and this is why we need Christ. Following him makes all the difference, but it doesn't work very well when we get in the way with our pride, accomplishments, and boasting.
There is so much that is fundamentally wrong with the Pharisees and teachers of religious law. It begins with the fact that they think they are righteous. It moves to them not knowing they are sinners who need to repent. Next, we see that there are some people they absolutely hate and for whom they have absolutely no love. And finally, they think that if Jesus is really a spiritual leader, he should join them in their hatred of the so-called "scum" and that he should have absolutely no association whatsoever with them. It is interesting that Jesus says he did not come to call those who think they are righteous. I think Jesus says this because he cannot call those who think they are righteous. Jesus is talking about the self-righteous and the self-righteous don't think they need a savior and if you don't think you need a Savior, you don't need Jesus and you certainly won't follow him..
I don't think there are any of us that entirely escape the syndrome of the Pharisees and teachers of religious law. Apply the love test: is there anyone I think should be excluded from ever knowing Christ's love and presence. If there is anyone we have put into this category, then we are guilty and we either don't understand why we need a Savior or we have forgotten why we needed Christ in the first place. We are all just as sinful in God's eyes. The difference is that some people manifest it (in our eyes) more readily than others. We may not be as blatant about things as the Pharisees and teachers of religious law in our story but we are like them.
Another way to look at this is like this: somewhere buried in my soul is the notion that I deserved (to some degree however small) to be saved while some others (scum) don't. Somehow, we escaped the syndrome of the Pharisees and teachers of religious law enough to receive the forgiveness of sins through Christ but not enough to rid us of self-righteousness and to make us lovers of people (all people) like Christ. To rid ourselves of this inconsistency we need to meditate long and hard on what it means to need a Savior at the beginning and along the way. We need to live life as ones who always need a Savior (my salvation was totally undeserved and unearned and it is Christ and Christ alone who can produce righteousness in me) because slipping into a self-righteous Christian lifestyle somewhere along the way happens readily.
Today's prayer response from today's thoughts:
Lord, I want to be your follower in the fullest sense. Help me to see more clearly what you value and esteem. Deliver me from valuing the things that societal and religious culture value and esteem. Help me to grasp how strong and deep your abhorrence is for the "self-righteous religious path of the Pharisees" to which I am so prone. I confess that far too often I find joy from having feeling alright about myself because I think I have accomplished so-called righteous living. Deliver me from self-righteousness, show me how to absolutely depend on your indwelling presence, and fill me up with your love and compassion to such an extent that it freely flows from me to others (all others). Amen!
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Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'building'.
Found 2 results
Shortcoming of survival mode.
Woodle posted a topic in SuggestionsHello, at first i have to sorry about my grammar problems. It's a lot to say about it. Let's start with sounds. You updated graphics (thanks it's a lot better now) but sound is the thing that dissapoint me. Add new sounds when hitting a rock, wood, street while hitting with metal things etc. Hitting zombies, taking weapons to the hand is just weird. Hit does not land where it should be. When you choose a weapon it just appear in your hand there is no model of taking a weapon from the side or something. There is only one hit for each weapon but it's not a problem so you sould focus on these other things. Also make hitting with weapon slowing you for a bit. Running, is a thing that disturb me so much. There should be less stamina but running would be faster. It is even pain to the eyes where you run but see that you move like 1.5-2x faster than walking. Zombie spawns, they usually make no sense. I was looking and counting zombies. There is a car crash (6 cars 1 truck total) and there was 25 zombies! This make no sense. Also make zombie spawns in the buildings also more frequency so people actually take more care so they don't get jumpscare. (this game does sometimes this to me and i think it's cool) Zombie models, please make more models of zombies. don't improve them they are okay but make them more. It's sad when from 7 zombies there are 4 geminies. Zombie as an enemy, they are not challenging at all. Make them a little bit faster (the ones that are sprinting would be faster than you while you are running). You can even remove stun if hit in the body. Leave stun while hitting a head. Make more 'zombie skills' they are running okay but add zombies (megas too)(depend on zombie model) that deal more dmg and has more health but is slower and reverse it (faster, lower hp, less dmg). Depend on place there will be more or less of them. (In Unturned there are crawlers, sprinters and normal zombies (let's leave elements) i'm not saying that you need this the same as there but you can inspire) it would be a very cool thing making survival harder and easier depend on your knowledge and tactic that you will take. Loot spawns, oh my god. It is so stupid. it makes 0 sense. Gun powder, sand etc is okay but i mean items like weapons, vaccines etc. Why am i finding canoe paddle in the fire station bed? Does everyone have gun like m4 semi or mosin in their home? i understand p911 etc but other than this isn't realistic. It is not a lot of work (i don't know how your map editor works but for the amount of buildings etc i think it's like 20-30 hours of work (Caliwood)) Just give loot spawns some sense. Make more buildings (like let's say gardener) where you can find shears etc. Buildings, make them more. There are only few and they have all the items ^. Make more types of shop, gas station, and also add some new types of buildings like gardener^, hairdressers salon, some restaurants, cafe, bank etc. Base, im not sure about this thing especially in this stage where bombs are useless because you can destroy it with weapon like brotherhood. The way how they look is cool but seems like rust from 2014. You can upgrade it but there are other games that have this 'thing' and in NewZ you can't make it better. Leave this. BUT VVV Materials, Crafting, you can save base building by adding furniture like tables, chairs so you can make your base look pretty and enjoyable to be there. I will this one for your imagination. A lot of materials have no use in our gameplay especially for new players. Make more crafts that will improve our gameplay experience. Let normal people edit your game (some kind of workshop on steam) MAKE THE GAME ATTRACT NEW PLAYERS NOT THE OLD ONES I hope You will like at least one of my suggestion and it will appear in the game. Also PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE i would like to know how your map editor looks like. I wrote a lot of critic but games is good and need only improvements! I still enjoy playing this even if i see some shortcomings.
Is this okay to do as a player?
emeraldbeast posted a topic in General DiscussionIn this video, I've highlighted a topic that I feel like should be discussed, but I would like to see other people's opinions on the matter so I know what the general consensus is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f31Gz3Vyf2Q I did not think that this was against the game rules, and I've been doing this since the game was originally released without any problems. I have no interest in glitching/foul play because I think that it ruins the game. So I would like to ask you, do you consider this as glitching/foul play?


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Tulip White is a Group Housing project located at sector-69, Gurgaon. It is adjacent to Tulip Purple.Tulip White comprises of nine towers with nomenclature from A-1 to A-9 having spacious 3-BHK apartments.
Tulip White has beautifully landscaped areas inclusive of kids play areas, badminton court and a swimming pool. The towers have pretty white exteriors and the views from balconies and terraces of the surroundings are just awesome. Around 300 families living are enjoying their life


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The Observer
by Rafael Henry
Chapter 19
James is excited. Playing the church organ is a new and exciting challenge for him. I love the sound of that instrument, and what a joy it was when I heard that bell-like voice of his, in times past, standing as he did amidst those angels, beneath more angels carved in stone.
Elliot had waited until the end of James' organ lesson, sitting quietly at the back of that magnificent church, now half the size of King Edward's original. The grave of Spike Milligan stands opposite the entrance near the road, the grass beaten down by visitors who want to read the Greek inscription on the simple stone…..'I told them I was ill'. Such a tortured genius.
Jane and I chat rather aimlessly over post coital coffee, waiting for the boys to return. I'm thinking about what I have left inside her. Maybe she's thinking about that too, but neither of are about to discuss it. I would have come out of her, but she held me in her. She made sure that I could not escape. Very clever madam. Part of my body may soon be part of hers.
The boys are back.
'Can I go to Rye later Mum? Elliot found something for me. It's at Watchbell Street. Can I?'
Watchbell Street. It's unusual for James to be away for the night when his mother is at home. She's away so much these days. From time to time, the lure of Mathew took him away from her, so Mathew could indulge himself freely with his compliant boyfriend. Indulge himself he did too. I have listened, shamefully, through a wall, and my own fulfilment was unseen and unknown.
James undoes the little flat package that Elliot has given him. The three of us are in the kitchen as Elliot's gift is revealed. James' reaction is typical……..
'Oh wow! These are lovely Elliot. Thanks!'
It's a collection of drawing pencils, and a rubber which we now apparently we have to call an 'eraser', and a pencil sharpener. Elliot stands against the wall, hair unkempt and interestingly abandoned, with a big smile on his face. James walks over to him. He looks upset, his face flushed, eyes visibly watering. Arms are around Elliot now. He hugs him hard, and not letting him go. Elliot's arms were behind his back. Now they too respond to James' gesture. So sweet.
I have a little surprise too. I knew what Elliot had bought for James, so to complete matters, I presented James with a new sketchbook.
'There…….no excuse now James.'
Elliot sits at the kitchen table with James opposite him. Ten minutes later, James has completed his first drawing of Elliot. It's a portrait, and it's a nice one……..loose and impressionistic. He's acquired these skills from school. All credit to his art teacher for encouraging such an explorative approach. It took me years to get where he seems to be in just weeks.
Elliot, elbow on the table, is looking down with his head against the palm of his hand. It has everything of James in it…….undemonstrative, thoughtful, and sensitive.
Elliot is expected home by one o'clock. I take James home shortly after Elliot leaves the house. I haven't seen Elliot's mother since last week, but on my way back from parking the car, I run into her. Rye is a busy place, and one tends to say hello to someone you know, and just keep walking. She stops, which means there will be a conversation. The High Street pavement is full, so we turn the corner into the quieter West Street.
'Otta, I wanted to ask you about Fairlight. How was it? Elliot seemed to enjoy himself.'
She laughs.
'Yes, it is isn't it. Do you think you'll go back some time?'
There is a definite edge to her question. I know what her husband does for a job. Elliot told me. He works in London for an investment bank. Usual thing…….the train to Ashford, and then up to 'town' from there. In the winter it's out of the house before dawn, and back in the dark. In the summer, it's not so bad. It's late August now, and the days are already shortening as a new year at school looms for those unfortunates. I answer her question……
'Possibly, but it's quite hard work don't you think…..all that posing on the beach naked?'
'Umm. Best not to think about how you look. Just do it. Who cares anyway?'
'Quite. You can't do that at Camber can you?'
'Up to a point, you can. You have to hide yourself up in the dunes. It's no problem, and it's not so far to travel.'
That's true. Fairlight is a ten mile journey by car, plus the hike to the beach. I'm sensing an invitation here, so I respond positively……..
'Maybe we can join you at Camber sometime?'
'Of course. Tomorrow? Elliot's at a loose end. The forecast is good I think.'
I tell her that James isn't at a loose end, because his mother requires his presence at home tomorrow. That's a pity.'
I now know Elliot's mother's name. It's Ellie. Elliot and Ellie? I picked them up from their house. Elliot and I followed her with all the kit from the expensive car park at Camber to her favourite spot, about twenty yards back from the beach and up into the dunes. I know the place very well, but didn't let on to her. You can get away from it all up there if you want to, or need to. If a woman wants to take her top off up she can with impunity. You might get seen by a passing child exploring the narrow tracks that run up and down the dunes, but that's all. If you organize a couple of wind breaks around you, one's privacy is nigh on complete. Some people just don't bother about privacy, or behaving badly in public. I once saw at Camber, high up in the dunes, a girl masturbating her boyfriend quite openly. I walked on…….of course. When I was over the brow of the next dune, I stopped and looked back. The couple were about fifteen yards away at a guess. She had her mouth over the young man's penis. She withdrew a couple of times to inspect him. I assume he'd just come. I found that little surprise hugely erotic.
At Camber that morning I learnt a good deal about Elliot's family setup. I got the distinct impression that Ellie wouldn't be averse to a little extra-marital activity, but I could be totally wrong about that. She was flirting with me, and I was quite flattered by that. She must be one of those bored housewives you hear about. That's suits me. Sex is a rare commodity for me, so I'll take anything within reason that's on offer, but I'm not in the business of interfering with someone else's marriage. Suffice it to say, she did give me the benefit of seeing her bare chest for three hours, and if one puts one's preferences to one side for a moment, a very nice chest it is too………small and cutely girlish, with nicely pronounced very post-pubertal nipples. She did keep her bikini bottoms on, which left little to the imagination. In return, I wore brief swimming togs, which likewise leave little to the imagination. From time to time, when Elliot was doing this and that, the containing efficiency of my trunks was put to the test. Ellie made no sign to me that she had noticed, but I'm sure she had, at least I hope so. It's all part of the game. Elliot, post bathing, slipped into something more comfortable , as they say. For once, he had come prepared with a fetching pair of brief cotton knickers that seemed to have a life of their own, riding up nicely between his buttocks. His mother ensures that the newly exposed pale skin is treated with sun protection. Elliot squirms in irritation at this assault on his bottom. He lies for a half hour on his tummy. He has no book to read, so has to be contents with his thoughts. When he turns over, it's towards me. He's twelve years old…nearly thirteen in fact. His mother is buried in her book. Elliot glances up at me. I smile. He smiles and looks down. I raise my eyebrows in that way one does, with an air of amused disapproval. Then he turns onto his back with closed eyes. I look at his mother. She looks sideways at her son. Her glance lingers for a few moments, and then she returns to her book. Proud mum. Ten minutes later……
'Can I go in again please?'
'Not now darling. Why don't you play in the sand for a while? Try not to get sand all over you.'
Elliot gets to his feet. He slips off his pants, drops to his knees, and begins playing with handfuls of warm soft sand. My sketchbook is at my feet. I've already been busy, but here's a great pose.
'Do you mind if I sketch Elliot?' I enquire of Ellie.
Of course she has no objection. I have five minutes maybe. In that time I get a reasonable result.
Elliot with wet hair, playing in the sand at Camber
I'm sitting close enough to Ellie for Elliot to be out of earshot. She's curious……
'I gather your wife is no longer with you? I think I met her at one of the Rye Festival events. Her name is Amy isn't it?'
'Yes, and you did probably. We're not divorced. Just separated.'
'So…do you have a social life these days?'
'No, not really. You know about James I assume?'
'Yes. How did you get involved with that situation?'
'It's a long story, but basically, he's the son of a friend…….a single parent. She is a professional musician in a large orchestra, so she can be away quite a bit. James stays with me when she's not at home. We don't want him there alone. He and my son Mathew were very good friends.'
'Yes. They were best friends for ages, then poor old James got dumped a week or so ago. He's a bit upset about it.'
'What about you?'
'You mean, am I in a relationship?'
'In a word, no, but looking after James is my priority until he leaves school I suppose…..and Mathew of course. Having said that, I'm not ruling anything out……if something came along.'
'Elliot is very fond of James. It worries my husband.'
'Why? Is he intolerant of……boys being a little different?'
'No, not really. Disappointed is probably a better word. Anyway, they're not , are they?'
'I don't know. Elliot's very young still. If they are, then it's a fairly meaningless thing at his age.'
'What about James?'
'I would think it's almost certain that he will grow up to be a gay man, but an extraordinarily kind and loving one. Please don't think that he's bad for Elliot. He would never do anything to hurt or influence a younger boy.'
'I know. He's lovely. If anything happens, physically speaking, it's Elliot's choice. I'm pretty liberal. Most of us have been in a situation, if that's the right word, at one time or another. Have you?'
'Yes, once or twice.'
'Fairly recently. What about you?'
'Some time ago, but since I was married. Shall we leave it that?'
We did.
Elliot has tired of his sand play. He looks hot and bothered, and covered in sand.
'Can I go in now ?'
Elliot will be gone some time. There's more time to talk. Ellie is still curious…….
'Would your wife mind if you started a relationship?'
'No, not at all. I would find that difficult because I'm rather dedicated to James' welfare. I support him financially as well.'
'Like another little wife?'
She meant that as a joke, I think. I must have looked a little hurt…..
'Sorry Otta, that wasn't funny. Sorry.'
Another pause in the conversation. Then………
'You're very eligible , if I may say so…….or don't you think so? A man in his thirties and in good shape. Why not?'
'A few reasons I suppose. I am suffering a bit though. I admit that.'
'A man needs to release tension from time to time don't you think?'
'Yes I do, and……..I do.'
Ellie laughs…….
'On your own?'
'Mostly, although I have seen James' mother a few times.'
'And………we both relieve our respective tensions. It's all a bit cold if you must know. My heart isn't really in it.'
'So where is it then? Mathew is at boarding school I understand. Does James stay with you when he's not there?'
'Does he have his own room?'
'He shares with Mathew, or did.'
'So what happens now? He won't share with him now surely?'
'I suppose not, but that situation hasn't arisen yet, but it will do soon.'
'So you have James in with you. Why not? It's obvious that you're close to each other. Have you any qualms about that?'
'None at all.'
I see no reason for deception. I wanted her to know about the present. Ellie goes on……
'And Elliot is so fond of James. He bought him a present. Did you know? And there's a reason why he did. He's been a little selfish I think. I have a suspicion you told him. Is that right?'
'Yes I did. I thought it would be good for their friendship.'
'Thank you. I'd like them to be friends…….proper friends. Elliot is desperate for James to use him as a subject, hence the present. And you too. I saw what you did just now. Elliot would love that.'
I'd had the idea in the back of my mind for a while.
'James was thrilled with his present. What would you say if James asked Elliot to sleep over one night?'
It was risky, but worth it in my view. Ellie's reaction to my question was all I could have hoped for.
'Brilliant idea. Elliot would be ecstatic. His bedroom is being redecorated next week. Perfect timing.'
Indeed so.
Elliot found two friends on his way back from the water. He joins in with their game. There is no physical space now between Ellie and I. With Elliot preoccupied down on the beach, hopefully for ten minutes at least, I'm hoping Ellie will make a move on me. I'm sure she's working up to it.
'You poor man. Can I not help? No one's going to be hurt Otta. No one will know. Won't you let me try to make you feel better?'
'I feel fine Ellie.' I lie.
'No you don't. Why don't you let me try? You don't have to do anything . Can I ask you a personal question, while we're on the subject?'
'Of course.'
'You're on your own these days. How regular are you?'
'In terms of what?'
'Release. My husband said you need to ejaculate at least four times a week to keep healthy. He said his doctor told him. Use it or lose it he said. So….do you?'
'I think he's probably right…and I'm not going to argue.'
'How often then?'
'Once, or maybe twice a week.'
'On your own?'
'Yes unfortunately.'
'Well what about James? He's not involved presumably.'
'No. Of course not!'
'Why ever not? He's a very attractive person, and very beautiful.'
I'm not falling for that one. Some things must remain private. I'm going to protect James, as far as I'm able, but none of us are perfect human beings.
'So……will you allow me ?'
'What, now?'
'Yes, now , you dope! I'll keep an eye out for Elliot.'
'Oh……well…….that's very kind of you, but I can't guarantee anything. They say it's all in the mind.'
'That's true. Can I try? This is not a man thing…….you're not a performing seal. Just shut your eyes and think of England…..or anyone you want to. Is there anything I should know about you, health wise?
'No. You're not at any risk.'
As a schoolboy, it never happened. It would have been considered so deviant and unacceptable behaviour. Maybe it did happen but just not to me.
Ellie asked me if there was anywhere that I didn't want touched. I said I would enjoy anything she did. As it happened, she guessed right. It was off-limits for Amy, but Ellie had no such inhibitions. We lie facing each other. Her hands tease me with her gentle touching, and I'm responding nicely. I watch her face as works around my body. Now she plays with my penis. She gathers saliva on her fingers and anoints me. That's nice…..very nice. I'm getting more confident that it's going to work.
I'm lying on my back with my legs spread wide apart. I draw my legs up, and open a wide gap between my knees, hoping she would take the hint. She did. I feel her fingers slip under my balls. Suddenly, I'm in heaven.
Heaven came nearer and nearer that afternoon.
It's a job to get the sand off Elliot. That's the trouble with Camber. The sand is great, but it gets into everything. Between us, we get our boy more or less sand free, gently dusting it all off with dry towels. We look at the result. Just in our shorts, we start our walk along the beach to the car park. It's a short drive back to Rye, with that marvellous view of the town to our left, where the citadel rises out of the surrounding marsh, lit by the lowering sun. I drop them off at their Military Road house, drive on and garage the car. That evening, I have more to think about. I like Ellie. If she was free, I'd start something with her, but she's a married woman with two sons. It's not an option as far as I am concerned. Her husband is a lucky man. I imagine she is, if this afternoon is anything to go by, a good lover. Her treatment of me was effective and complete, and totally unexpected. She has also made me think about James in a new light. He's sixteen now, and willing, wanting in fact, to share his feelings with me. He does already, up to a point. I can't be selfish about this. If he can develop his relationship with Elliot, and I think he can, then that's the direction he should go in. Observing the development and fruition of that liaison would be enough for me. Just before we reached the house, I had a question for Ellie……
'You said Elliot's bedroom was being redecorated next week. That's an odd time to do that isn't it…….the last week of the school holidays?'
'It's the only week the contractors had available. No choice. It needs doing badly. Any chance?'
'Any chance of what Ellie?'
'Any chance that James will be with you? Elliot needs a few things for school, but other than that he's free all week. They could spend time together. I'd like him to stay over at yours if you wouldn't mind?'
Mind? I think not.
Jane is home next week, so that means James will be in Winchelsea with her. If you've ever been to that place, it's unlikely that you saw anybody. It's a pretty village, but deathly quiet. Teenagers will move heaven and earth to escape, by day, and by night. I think Jane will be quite happy if James spends some time in Rye. It's back to school the week after, and all work for James and Elliot, not to mention Mathew, whose academic future is definitely on the line, unless he pulls his socks up pretty quickly. We've hardly seen him the whole holiday. James is convinced he's experimenting with a girl, or girls. Well, fair enough. Each to their own.
In bed in a very quiet house is an opportunity to reflect at my leisure. I'm thinking about the generous gesture afforded to me by Elliot's mother. I like her and her refreshingly liberal attitude to life, and sex in particular. She didn't object to our taking Elliot to a nudist beach for the day, and Elliot was perfectly happy to prance around naked in public. I like that. Now she's suggesting that the boy stays over next week to avoid the smell of paint while he sleeps. I noticed in their house, quite a lot of art work. Very sensible. I also think she's keen for Elliot to model for James, and for me to supervise, and join in should I be so moved. I daresay I will be.
A sixteen year old boy argues with his mother. And so it is with Jane and her son James. She has to practise her chosen instrument several hours a day to make sure that when she performs with the BSO, she knows the pieces inside out and backwards. She is in demand as an instrumentalist these days, and that's down to me in a way. I look out for James, which relieves the pressure of parenthood on her. She's still on a guilt trip to some extent, but less than she would have been I fancy. Let's face it, we're all on guilt trips of one sort or another. As a result, if James wants to stay in Rye these days, she agrees fairly readily. He's coming on Sunday evening, and Elliot is signed up for Monday. It's our swansong….our last tango in Rye.
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Neoskill provides a diverse range of bespoke training covering topics such as system tools, internal business processes and work effectiveness training.
There is rarely a 'one-fits-all' strategy that can be adopted for training. In the majority of projects we have undertaken, we customise our training based on the client's unique training requirements. Neoskill produces customised training solutions often incorporating a number of different training strategies.
A range of our training services are highlighted below:


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B.R. Corporation is an entity which is constantly progressing in the industry by growing steadily in the highly competitive marketplace. Since inception, the company has achieved a lot of milestone because of its professional approach backed with top quality products supported by sincere and honest services. A chain of Small Scale Incorporations in Kanpur have come under one roof and thus B.R. Corporation came into existence. Today the Group is catering to diverse requirements coming from various sectors. Keeping it simple our U.S.P. has always been Genuine Quality of our products and world class Service. We are displaying an immense collection of perfectly finished leather products which are available in wide ranges. We have been procured all kind of superb hair on printed leathers, finished leathers, horse riding equipemnts and hand plaited leather goods from market trusted manufacturing companies and offer you at market leading prices.
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We are known as a quality driven company – all our products from finished leather to leather goods. Our products are well examined by the highly experienced team of quality controllers and all our products go through various quality checks at various stages. To our commitment towards eco-friendly atmosphere all our leathers are duly certified and tested by SGS to assure toxic chemical free. We believe in bettering ourselves and the same has become our habit. Our group has set new benchmark for quality products and services in the Indian leather industry.
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Our company's main motto is to meet the modern market requirements. Since inception we are active in the market as the most trusted supplier of hair on printed leathers, horse riding equipments, and hand plaited leather goods. Our mission is towards the complete satisfaction of our huge clientèle which we attain by providing them their expected Quality at their friendly prices.
LET US MAKE BUSINESS SIMPLE. (Roy Thomas)
Why us?
Products Range :
Finished Leathers
Leather Goods


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Spring is coming and the Prosecco DOCG, near Treviso , begins to swarm of initiatives organized around these beautiful hills and among their countless vines rows.
We have the beggining of the so-called Primavera del Prosecco Superiore that with gastronomy, art and culture links so many countries and people, from Valdobbiadene to Conegliano.
To fully appreciate and enjoy the 'food and wine' traditions of this area, the best idea is definitely the organization of a tour with a guide at your disposal for any kind of explanation.
To begin, the tour might just start from the village of Cison di Valmarino, with a special visit to CastelBrando, in the heart of the Prosecco hills.
CastelBrando is one of the oldest and largest castles in Europe and is surrounded by a large and beautiful park.
Going on with a wine tasting in one of the renowned wineries of Cison itself and then with a stop to refuel at L' Osteria senz'Oste, that will leave you amazed for its particular management.
To keep discovering these beautiful areas, it would be a tasting, as well as wines, of gourmet products of the area, such as cold cuts and cheese.
To conclude this charming tasting tour and visit of these beautiful villages in the foothills of Treviso, in one of the distilleries in the area, you can do a tasting of grappa, and in particular, you will have the opportunity to taste it along with chocolate.
Do not miss the opportunity to live this beautiful and interesting experience in these magic places of peace and relax.
Spring is the right season, the weather begins to be warmer, the days longer and enjoying a sunset with the sun dazzling the vines rows becomes a breathtaking spectacle.


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Published Articles & Media
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Charter schools thrive in the Four Corners states
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Education Next talks with Matthew Ladner and Nelson Smith
The Next Step in School Choice
Should Reformers Support Education Savings Accounts?
How the Aging of the U.S. Population Will Affect K-12 Education
As the Baby Boomers retire, a fierce battle between advocates of public spending on health and public education looms.
Governance and Leadership
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On Sep, 27 2016
You may already be familiar with the benefits of an online retail store, but do you really know what the true strengths and weaknesses of eCommerce are versus a traditional storefront? We present a side-by-side comparison. You decide for yourself if the strengths and weaknesses of eCommerce are convincing enough to overtake the brick-and-mortar models.
The Customer is Always Right: Strengths and Weaknesses of eCommerce
Customer Con
One of the most common complaints about online retail purchases is the inability for customers to try before they buy. There is no fitting room to make sure that new dress fits the way it should or a way to test out the way a new laptop will run.
Customer Pro
No more nagging employees and long register lines. You shop when you want to, without distractions. Customer service and attention to detail is one thing, but when you just can't seem to shake an overly friendly sales person - you're almost driven to leave the store entirely. Plus, you can avoid busy weekends and holiday lines by buying online.
Customer Con
When considering the strengths and weaknesses of eCommerce - relative timing is a strong point of comparison. While at a physical storefront, a customer can be convinced to buy merchandise right there, right now. No waiting for processing and delivery. They make a decision to purchase and are immediately gratified with the product.
Customer Pro
On the other hand, online retail customers can browse an eCommerce store whenever they want. While waiting in line, running errands, any time. They can also choose to buy instantly - a handy feature for busy moms and people always on the go. You can shop for groceries you'll need later in the week or buy Timmy a new pair of pants for school while you're getting your other tasks done.
Customer Con
There are a lot of online retail stores. One of the many strengths and weaknesses of eCommerce is resource availability. How can a customer be expected to choose between dozens of online retailers? It's hard to stand out against an endless selection of similar store websites.
Customer Pro
It might be a little overwhelming at first, but there are infinite possibilities and deals to be had. eCommerce allows you to effectively shop and do real-time price comparisons between retailers and look for the best deals. Inventory and stock is never a problem, because someone out there is bound to have what you're looking for on hand.
eCommerce Retail Cost Comparison
As a retailer, you may already done your research and know the strengths and weaknesses of eCommerce versus a traditional storefront. Increased customer base, 24/7 availability compared to increased overhead, higher startup costs, etc. Maybe you're already convinced that an eCommerce online retail store is the way to go, or maybe you believe in the power of personal connection and customer-product interaction. Consider the following:
eCommerce Retailer Con:
It's harder to trigger an impulse buy using human conviction and persuasive tactics. There's just something more legitimate about a physical storefront. Someone may wander in from the street and like your branding style or hand-curated inventory. Or maybe they make it a point to come to your store every Sunday after breakfast, a la Breakfast at Tiffany's. These are human hunger factors than an eCommerce store just can't satiate.
eCommerce Retailer Pro:
What you lose via human interaction you gain in marketability. There are infinite marketing opportunities with eCommerce. Your business is not limited to a single location, the world is your oyster! There are many incredibly successful online businesses who never had a storefront (Amazon, Zappos, etsy, Nasty Gal, eBay, etc.).
Here's Some Advice
Now that you know what you're dealing with in regards to the strengths and weaknesses of eCommerce we're here to tell you that a combination of both is best. Remember those successful online only businessesses we mentioned? Well it turns out that some of them are migrating to physical storefronts. They seem to have caught onto the trending potential for retail eCommerce and brick-and-mortar establishments to supplement each other. It's true that customers still want to touch and hold their products before fully committing to a purchase. Creating newer retail experiences and technologies is essential to driving commercial growth and success. And remember, mobile shopping is on its way up, so it's important to always optimize and streamline with frictionless checkout technology. Always always always measure your metrics and keep an eye on analytics


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"Why Is Football Star, Sergio Ramos Wearing A Nigerian Flag?" – Twitter Users Ask (Photos)
GC Posted On: Jun 04, 2017
After Real Madrid won the Champions League, Sergio Ramos wore a flag that looks exactly like the Nigerian Flag prompting twitter users to ask what's going on.
The flag is actually the Andalusian Flag.
See tweets below:
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About AICS308
Finally read the FAQs
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Knoxville, TN
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Doug Maxwell
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Still running, thanks!
AICS308 replied to jbultman's topic in Brazos Custom GunworksCongratulations on the milestone! Bob built a Open Pro SX 38 Super for me 14 years ago. Absolutely the best pistol I've ever owned.
Vision issues and front sights
AICS308 replied to Phil Dunlop's topic in Tips for ImprovementI tried bigger post, smaller notch along with stock STI sights. I still can't see well enough to get an acceptable sight picture. One thing I had not tried and was told wouldn't work was small post and even larger notch. I went with a .90 post and a .150 notch. The very next match I saw a huge improvement in total points and overall placement. It worked great for me. There was enough light on each side of the post that I could get a very good, consistent sight picture.
Another question...This time about Brazos custom guns
AICS308 replied to lrdchaos's topic in Miscellaneous BEginnersI don't know about the new DVC but have been shooting a Brazos Open 38 Super PRO SX for about 12 years. Bought it new and can say it is a great pistol. Never had any issues with the gun and it runs every time, all the time. Bob has answered all my questions and in my opinion is one of the best gunsmiths around. I have a number of pistols and this is the one I consider a true Custom build.
Howdy from Knoxville, TN
AICS308 replied to LocoGringo's topic in Introduce YourselfWelcome from a local!
AICS308 replied to Jman's topic in Books, Movies, TV & MusicThis movie just did not do it for me. Only the second movie I've ever walked out of before the end.
Resizing with a G-Rx
AICS308 replied to cvincent's topic in 10mm/40 CaliberVery nice!
USPSA Chattanooga TN?
AICS308 replied to mike g35's topic in Travel, Locations, Ranges, etc.No second gun at ORSA. I know I would like to shoot two guns but they have 6 - 7 excellent stages ever month so shooting two guns would really be pushing it.
What did you order? I got a confirmation email the day after faxing the paperwork. Did you get yours yet? Ordered the 700 in .308. I got a email with only an attachment that was like a bill of sale. They made a point of stating that we can not contact them about the status. I just picked mine up today. The email I got gave an order date of 05/21/2015, and the delivery date said 05/22/2015. I didn't think the delivery date was the actual date so I expected 3 to 6 weeks for delivery. Yesterday I got the actual bill of sale by snail mail and it still said delivery date was 05/22/2015. I called
What did you order? I got a confirmation email the day after faxing the paperwork.
Will be going Friday to pick up a couple of shotguns. I placed the order a week ago. Quick shipping from Remington.
I just finished the last episodes. What an ending! That was one of the best season ending episodes I've seen.
This is one of the series I watch. I recorded this season and have been watching 2 to 3 episodes at a time with only 2 left.
Jodorowsky's Dune
AICS308 replied to Graham Smith's topic in Books, Movies, TV & MusicI saw the documentary and enjoyed it. Read the book a long time ago in High School around early 70s. Also enjoyed the following books. I still watch the original movie when it's on. Still have the paperback I read. I've read it more than a few times over the years.
Message from Joyce Wilson - Safety: Our Highest Priority
AICS308 replied to Glockoholic Gal's topic in IDPA ShootingSorry for the thread drift with my comments on picking up 38Super brass. It was not intentional, I suffer from brain fade at times.
Message from Joyce Wilson - Safety: Our Highest Priority
AICS308 replied to Glockoholic Gal's topic in IDPA ShootingSome of us pick up brass because of cost. 38 Super is $140 - $200 per 1000. It's hard to leave it laying when you know it will be gone after the match. There was a day when everyone was pasting, resetting, scoring, and picking up brass. Everyone helped. Now no one picks up brass unless you pick up your own. It is a different time now. I try not to hold up things as I watch to see when stage resetting is finished and stop so the shooting can continue.


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- Format: PSP
- Unleashed: Out Now
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Developer: Square Enix
- Players: 1-6
- Site: http://www.kingdomheartsbbs.com/
It's a very easy thing to brush off the quality of game present within the Kingdom Hearts franchise, thanks to the merger with numerous Disney characters. It remains an extremely strange choice, especially when mixed with Final Fantasy and the plethora of unique characters as well. Nevertheless the Kingdom Hearts games have been extremely popular, almost despite the odds, and though the latest game is on PSP and doesn't have the suffix '3', Birth by Sleep is in no way just another spin-off.
Acting as a prequel to the original game (set roughly ten years before), the player is placed into the roles of Terra, Aqua and Ventus and sees the same story from three different angles as someone manipulates them from the shadows – and sets them all on a course to a very unhappy fate, originally hinted at by the secret ending in the second game. Playing like the main games in the series, players roam around worlds in a third-person hack and slash style with deep RPG mechanics going on in the background.
While the worlds visited within each character's story are the same, the order and events in each differ. They don't, however, offer many different locations and it's safe to say that around 70% of a world will be the same no matter who you are playing as. There is still incentive to play through each story though, as the real finale can only be played after finishing each, and they all deal with a slightly different angle or sub-plot as well. Each individual story will take around ten to fifteen hours, with more scope after that should you decide to aim for Lv99 and the secret bosses.
It is obvious from the off that the PSP has limited the scope of the game somewhat. The number of different worlds is very small and none are particularly large when compared to either of the first two games. Square Enix has almost successfully made up for this fact by including Ad-Hoc multiplayer, co-operative play, and an in-depth levelling and skill system. The multiplayer modes aren't tied directly to the plot at all but do allow you to level up alongside friends as you race, battle or duel.
A deck system is in place whereby the usable spells or skills you can choose from while fighting can be customised, as well as "ShotLock" finishers for hitting multiple targets numerous times and basic traits such as blocks and counters. You can also meld mastered abilities to make stronger versions or get rare mutations to give you powerful attacks, and they can be levelled up outside of combat via a Mario Party style Command Board mini-game.
These features all replace the need for MP, with spells and skills simply having re-use timers and ShotLocks needing a focus bar to be filled by defeating enemies. There is also the D-Link system whereby you can select a person in the story you have formed a link with, and temporarily gain their skill set.
While combat can technically be boiled down to pressing the attack button until Unversed genocide is achieved there is a skill needed in balancing abilities, and the finer points of combat such as when to dodge and when to block. Even on the standard difficulty it can be very easy to be taken out by even basic enemies, should you stumble blindly into one of their more devastating abilities.
The voice talent on offer is of a reasonably high standard. Without going into specifics regarding spoilers, many actors who leant their talents to previous games have returned in one way or another. The Disney characters are still often voiced by sound-alikes rather than the ones who did the various movies, but it was also great that once again James Woods voiced Hades. Of the brand new additions the best is by far Leonard Nimoy, who lends his talented vocal cords to Xehanort and provides a far from phoned-in performance.
It's a little disappointing that the two weakest voices happen to be two of the characters you play as. Aqua is clearly channelling a futuristic android sent back through time to save John Conner and Terra is Anakin Skywalker incarnate.
There are two other brief down points that need mentioning. The first is for PSP-Go users as Square Enix has controversially stated that the game will be UMD only. The second is that even if you do the full 512 MB install for the game and up the processor speed from within the menu, it still strains the PSP and loads quite slowly (not to mention devouring battery life – keep your charger handy). Things can sometimes get choppy when too much is going on at once as well.
As a PSP game on its own merits, the amount of content given to the player for the going RRP is very high, which alone places it high in the list of the best games available for the handheld. More than that though, it doesn't feel like yet another Kingdom Hearts 2 spin-off and is a good scene setter for Kingdom Hearts 3, assuming it appears in our lifetime.
Perhaps we are wrong in assuming that the Disney fluff and Mickey Mouse being on the box would put a lot of people off, but if you do fall into that category then we would urge you to look past that. If we could coax you with one more thing (which is a mild spoiler) it would be that within one of the character's stories you will get to beat up Peter Pan and his smug, child-endangering face.


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well my chickens should have hatched the other day but only one survived! There were only 3 that were fertile. The mother hen smashed 4 with her bug clumsy feet! we started with 12.
I JUST HOPE IT IS A GIRL ! it is a soft golden tanny colour, very cute and soft here she is.this is not very true to colour at all. I might try for a better pic tommorow if the sun is out again.
And here she is just popping out of the shell a few hours earlier. You can see her beak just poking out. I just had to go and look and not wait till the afternoon . She actally has a dark stripe down the centre of the head but not much other colour.


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Time-outs, time-ins, ignoring, scolding, losing privileges, behavior charts, natural consequences, hugging it out—sometimes it seems like we've tried everything when it comes to tantrums—and it seems like everyone around us has an opinion on what we should be doing instead.
Dr. Rebecca Hershberg spoke to Fatherly about how to survive toddler tantrums. There is no set age when we should expect them to disappear forever—even adults occasionally have tantrums! But the good news is that by the time children are in elementary school, they'll start to have more control over their emotions. Parents can help by reacting with empathy, not getting caught up in being right or wrong, and anticipating their children's triggers, like hunger or boredom—if you know there's a long morning of errands planned, emergency snacks and small toys could be all that's needed to help your children self-regulate!
Key Takeaways:
—Consistency is important, but so is grace; try to react with love instead of focusing on being firm.
—When you know a stressful experience will be happening, plan ahead to give your child the best chance for success.
—Distraction is useful, but empathy is is the most important tool for connecting to upset children.
Read more at https://www.fatherly.com/


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Newmarket Style Spotter fashion competition women's winner Alexandra Jones (left) and Alexandra with men's winner Dion Herdson and judge Sarah Stuart (right). Images supplied.
Yesterday's OMF Melbourne Cup Day kicked off the first day of the racing season for Auckland Racing Club in style as over 5,500 guests celebrated the event at Ellerslie Racecourse. The crowd was certainly dressed to impress and was a 20% increase on visitor numbers from last year which means this season will be a stellar one.
The Newmarket Style Spotter fashion competition was also launched yesterday with judges businesswoman and Auckland Racing Club Style Ambassador, Carena West, alongside celebrity stylist, Sarah Stuart having their work cut out for them. The women's competition was won by was won by Alexandra Jones from Auckland who wore a stunning ensemble comprised of custom Natalie Chan millinery, a top made from Dolce & Gabbana lace that was created by her aunty as well as an on-trend tulle skirt with gold accessories. It was her first fashion competition winner and she was delighted with the result. The men's competition was won by Dion Herdson from Auckland looking sharp in Hugo Boss, Barkers and Hallensteins.
Each winner took home a generous $1,000 voucher courtesy of Newmarket to be spent in the premium fashion precinct. Alexandra has also qualified for the regional final of New Zealand's Fashions in the Field, The Ned Prix de Fashion, which will be held at Ellerslie Racecourse on Vodafone Derby Day, Saturday 2 March 2019.
Images supplied.


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Perfectly nice man normally, Sadiq Khan, mayor of London. Ambitious as Lucifer, obviously, but unpompous and cheerful in his manner, which is always good. But on Trump, he's lost it, hasn't he? Yesterday he was complaining about Trump and other far-right leaders 'using the same divisive tropes of fascists of the 20th century'. You don't use the f-word lightly if you're grown up. And you hesitate, if you've got any sense, before using it about a US president who's here to commemorate the contribution of US forces to the D-Day landings. Trump was wholly unfazed by the observations. In a tweet, he replied: 'He is a stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London, not me…'
Now Sadiq's gone in again, saying, as the Evening Standard reports today, Mr Trump's values are the 'complete opposite of London's values and the values of this country'. And as proof, he cites, in a video released by Elle magazine, the Trump take on abortion. 'What we are seeing in the USA is a rolling back of the reproductive rights of women….What we can't afford to do is return to backstreet abortions. What we can't afford to see is a return to the situation in yester-decades where you had women having no control over their bodies'. He goes on: 'we respect women and we think they are equal to men.'
Mayor of London, @SadiqKhan has a message for @realDonaldTrump on his arrival to London about how women ought to be treated globally. 'Dear Trump…' https://t.co/hJ5uhS9wU6 pic.twitter.com/MwlwJu5Lpf
— ELLEUK (@ELLEUK) June 3, 2019
Oh please. Give us a break. In the first place, as the president observed, Sadiq's got other things to worry about. Does he need to suck up to London's woke women by sounding off about abortion laws in Alabama? Then there's the issue itself. As it happens, I'm anti-abortion myself, on the grounds that abortion always involves killing a pre-natal human being, and I'd be quite grateful if people like Sadiq could stop treating the issue as a single-sided matter of human rights…there are, self-evidently, human rights on both sides of the equation. Deciding the extent or the point at which the law should favor the fetus or the women is one of the great moral dividers of our day. Only a nitwit would reduce this to a fatuous slogan like 'we respect women'.
But we're not really talking about morals, are we? It's more about signaling to a particular constituency – the teenage girls on anti-Trump demos, the Twitter fascists – that the mayor is on their side. It's about the political equivalent of wearing a This is What a Feminist Looks Like T-shirt. It's about laying down markers for his own ultimate ambitions in the Labour party. It's about choosing the side which is more vocal and edgy and safe and with the program and siding inexorably with that. It's about riding the anti-Trump wave, which in London, is the easiest course on earth. Would he really do all this were he leader of the Labour party, potential PM, which at one time looked possible?
There is an awful lot about the president's policies not to like – his approach to the Palestinian issue and to Iran, to name just two – but he's a guest of the nation and, for now, of London. Sadiq's great pro-Brexit initiative was to launch a project to put up banners all over the capital saying, 'London is Open'. What? Just to people he agrees with?


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10 Attitude Era Moments That Went Too Far
The adage about sex selling wouldn't be so cliche if it wasn't true and that applied heavily to the Attitude Era. Even though most women on WWE TV are half-naked anyway, graphic nudity was never a thing until Armageddon 1999, when Stacy "The Kat" Carter intentionally took off her bra to expose her bare breasts on PPV. Officials covered her up in less than a second and the whole thing was made to look like Kat breaking the rules.
With women's wrestling being taken much more seriously, keeping segments like this away from the fans' memories is very important.


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Today's Wiccans self-identify as witches, reclaiming the word that was historically used to oppress minorities (Stein and Stein 243). Wiccans fully understand that one connotation of witch is a person believed to be inapposite of society, or to be an outsider. Wiccans, by adorning themselves with the identity of witches, acknowledge and live in their difference, being proud of it and boasting it to the world. Seemingly going along with the trend in Wiccan communities, witches in contemporary media, such as Elphaba in Broadway's phenomenon of Wicked (2003), proudly self-identify as witches and as outside of the norm in order to present female characters who are "defying gravity" and patriarchal norms ("Idina Menzel" 00:03:017-00:03:18). And although this focus on female empowerment is necessary, literary and pop culture criticism overlooks how witch characters in queer communities can be used to similarly embrace their difference from a heteronormative society (Lindemann 758). Through examining Todrick Hall's drag performance of The Wicked Witch of The West in his retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), Straight Outta Oz (Hall 00:52:25-00:56:13; 01:06:03-01:09:22), I will look to answer research questions such as: How does a renegotiating of a witch identity into a queer context provide sites of empowerment for individuals in LGBTQ+ communities, communities that are often deemed as outsiders? How does the performance of a visible queer identity through drag relate to the presentations of witches as visibly deviant in historical narratives? And lastly, as a queer person of colour, how does Todrick Hall's wicked witch performance become representative of his experience of having intersecting minority identities?
Theorist Adrienne Rich, in her article on "Compulsory Heterosexuality," discusses how society positions heterosexuality as the norm, queerness as a deviation from that norm (283). I will compliment Adrienne Rich's concept of Compulsory Heterosexuality by examining how drag queens, such as Todrick in his musical, or, for example, Sharon Needles and Evah Destruction elsewhere ("Wizard of Odds"; Surian), take their outsider position created by a compulsorily heterosexual society and embrace it through presenting as a wicked witch, making themselves visible in the process. As critic Marilee Lindemann notes, queer individuals have "served as the bad witches of a culture desperate to preserve and protect the boundary between 'normal' and 'deviant' sexualities" (768). Drag performers as queer individuals, therefore, personify this exclusion and, just as with women, can find community and empowerment through witch figures in contemporary media.
In its more conservative time period, the main witch character in The Wizard of Oz, The Wicked Witch of the West, was presented relatively negatively. In modern remakes of the Land of Oz, being a witch like the Wicked Witch of the West, a witch that is definitely seen as an outsider just as a queer identity is, becomes an empowering place to be in. Through key changes to the depiction of the Wicked Witch characters of the Oz story, I will argue that Todrick Hall is able to effectively present his witch characters as sites of empowerment for individuals in the LGBTQ+ communities, communities that are often deemed as outsider. Witches in contemporary culture and literature are seen less as distasteful characters who do not belong and more of a symbol of acceptance of differences as in the Wiccan community. In Todrick's musical, Witches no longer cower, but say: I am different, and my difference makes me powerful, and if you're looking to mess with me, "you've got the wrong bitch" (Hall 00:55:49-00:55:52).
Student Creator:
McKenna Boeckner: McKenna Boeckner is from Thunder Bay, Ontario, and is currently a 4th year student at Lakehead University. He is majoring in English, specializing in Writing. Outside of class, he is president of Lakehead University's literary magazine, The Artery, which has become the heart of creativity on campus. McKenna knows that, as humans, we define ourselves through stories, and while also writing and performing his own stories, he works to cultivate and promote creativity in all people, generating a wealth of narratives with which people can identify.


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Before moving on to the CD review, here are a few suggestions for kicking off the long holiday weekend.
Alt rock/country & western band Dolly Varden and The Phil Angotti Band will be sharing a double bill tonight at SPACE in Evanston. The show is at 8:00 PM.
Quenchers Saloon is staging a Black Wednesday Rock n' Roll Show tonight, featuring No Enemy!, The Safes, and The Sonnets. Quenchers is located at 2401 N. Western Avenue in Chicago. Show time is 8:30 PM
Note: The following review first appeared in the Illinois Entertainer.
Don't Records isn't the first independent label to showcase its roster of fledgling artists on a collection of cover versions, but the Milwaukee-based record company does the tradition proud with Gag Me With A Spoon. The CD lets a number of local acts sink their teeth into some of the bigger new wave and alternative hits of the 1980s, with varying degrees of respect or irrelevance.
The Blow Pops and Alex Ballard & Sugarfoot deliver faithful renditions of "The Ghost In You" and "Talk Of The Town" respectively, while The Falling Wallendas replace the energy of "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" with a slower, dreamier arrangement. Willy Porter serves up a bluesy take on "Whip It," and Pet Engines give "How Soon Is Now?" a revved up cowpoke spin. Citizen King's all male version of "I Know What Boys Like," along with several other inventive interpretations, helps make Gag Me With A Spoon a fun party record.


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Phil Castle, The Business Times
What's usually the slowest quarter of the year for real estate activity in Mesa County was even slower this year.
Year-over-year declines in sales and dollar volume in both March and January pulled down the overall numbers for the first quarter.
"You still see the slowness we've been hoping would go away," said Annette Miller, senior vice president of Heritage Title Co. in Grand Junction and a long-time observer of the real estate industry.
But as the weather warms in the busier second and third quarters, so could the market.
Robert Bray, president of Bray Real Estate in Grand Junction, expects the market to hold steady overall for 2014 and come close to matching 2013 for the highest levels of sales and dollar volume since 2008.
"Being the same is still not a bad thing," he said.
Miller said 250 real estate transactions worth a total of $47.6 million were reported in Mesa County during March. Compared to the same month last year, sales slipped 5.8 percent and dollar volume dropped 19.2 percent.
For the first quarter, 649 transactions worth a combined $133 million were reported. Compared to the same quarter last year, sales fell 10 percent and dollar volume declined 8.3 percent.
Miller said a number of factors likely contributed to slowing during the first quarter of 2014, including inclement winter weather and uncertainty over health insurance premiums associated with new federal law.
Labor conditions didn't help, she added. The monthly unemployment rate in Mesa County spiked at 8.3 percent in January before edging down to 8.1 percent for February. March estimates haven't yet been released.
Bray agreed cold weather played a role in reducing the number people who go to showings and open houses that subsequently lead to contracts and closings in the residential market.
While Mesa County entered the recession later than other parts of Colorado, the county also has lagged behind in the subsequent recovery, Bray added. "I think we're lagging a little longer this time."
There are indications, though, real estate activity soon will pick up.
"We're already seeing that in the office," Miller said.
Another encouraging factor is the continued decline in property foreclosure activity in Mesa County.
For March, 53 foreclosure filings and 40 foreclosure sales were reported, Miller said. Compared to the same month last year, filings dropped 23.2 percent and sales tumbled 46.7 percent.
For the first quarter, 148 filings and 137 sales were reported, Miller said. Compared to the same quarter last year, filings declined 18.7 percent and sales fell 23.9 percent.
The resales of 91 foreclosed properties represented just 14 percent of all real estate transactions during the first quarter of 2014. That proportion keeps moving closer to the threshold of 10 percent Miller considers indicative of a healthy market.
At the same time, home prices have increased, according to CoreLogic, a California-based firm that collects real estate data.
Including such so-called distressed sales as foreclosure sales, home prices in Grand Junction were up 4 percent in February compared to the same month a year ago. Excluding distressed sales, year-over-year prices increased 6.6 percent in February 2014 compared to February 2013.
Miller and Bray both said they expect year-end real estate numbers for 2014 to come close to 2013. Last year, 3,589 transactions worth a total of $770 million were reported in Mesa County. Those totals were the highest since 2008, although still far below what was at that time a robust market.
Meanwhile, though, it remains frustrating the figures for the first quarter of 2014 reflected a decline, Miller said. "I wish steady was a lot more steadier than it is."


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As I can't make it to Musicon today herewith the first review of this festival although limited to the Pre-Party only. For the history of this festival I suggest the interview on Lords of Metal with organizer Dennis Kuiper. When reading that I looked back to find why I did not go last year and found it fell together with Doomsday Celebration in nearby Leiden on one day. While Saturday goes to the heavier extreme end in metal on Friday we got groove and heavy metal by 4 bands. Opener Mullet I missed for the biggest part. Upon entering they covered For Whom the Bells Toll pretty good and closed the set with a jumping song in Dutch about Automatic Pilots and Beer. As they are from The Hague I might see them soon again for a full show. Next on were Skullsuit a band playing groove metal. They played well, but lacked some variation to me. While saying that, the last song offered more on this front. What did look great were their banners in front of the stage, some time and work obviously spend on logo's and artwork. Mourn brought some familiar faces. Vocalist Pieter Verpaalen sung on Textures' debut Polars and bassplayer Robin Zielhorst I saw playing with Cynic and Exivious before and also is member of Our Oceans. Our Oceans music is nowhere close to this band and also Textures and Cynic were not omnipresent. Given the mainly screaming vocals they were the heaviest band of the evening. I quite liked the songs and the groove that lay behind them. I read they are recording a debut album now, so expect them back as well. I shall go and see them again when in the area.
The evening was closed by Martyr a band that needs no introduction really. Martyr live is always a party and tonight would not be much different. Since the eighties they play heavy metal and bring a smile on your face watching them doing so. Vocalist Rop van Haren likes to sing between the audience or directing the audience on the stage. During two songs we got some 20 people on stage and as always the mood is great during a Martyr show. I always feel that they understand very well what it is all about. People come to enjoy themselves, so they push and pull until we are all in the right atmosphere. Martyr is good on CD (got their last one "You Are Next"yesterday) but they are brilliant on stage. Perfect closing act for any festival like this. So I hope today is a ssuccesfull as last night and also that I can attend both days during the next edition of MetalCon.


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Red THYME Essential Oil
tax included 1 oz 30 ml
Chemical free (solvent extraction free)
Native to Canada and grows and is harvested here in our factory
Along with many of our oils.
A top note with a strong aroma,
Thyme has a woody, medicinal scent described as spicy and green.
Native remedy Thyme oil is one of the strongest antioxidants known. thyme components like caryophyllene and camphene, the oil is antiseptic and kills infections on the skin and within the body.
Thyme oil is also antibacterial and inhibits bacterial growth; this means that thyme oil is able to treat intestinal infections, bacteria infections in the genitals and urethra, bacteria that builds up in the respiratory system, and heals cuts or wounds that are exposed to harmful bacteria. Thyme essential oil is a good antiseptic and safeguards wounds and sores against infections. This is mainly due to the presence of components like Caryophyllene and Camphene in thyme.
WE OFTEN ADD THIS TO OUR CRACKED HEEL CREAM.HAND REPAIR CREAM it heals and disinfects.
all our oils are great for candles too! We try our best to keep it competitive Made local
[catch-instagram-feed-gallery-widget title="Catch Instagram Feed Gallery & Widget" number="6″ size="standard_resolution"]


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Easy to assemble, minimal tools required. Made of high quality wood for sturdy and durable using. The sufficient space to place your plants and help them grow efficiently. Color: As shown in the picture. Overall size: 48.4"L x 22.4"W x 29.9H.The actual planting area's deepth is 9.84'. Item weight: 36.4 lbs.
Furnituremart is a leading and emerging company in exporting business. We strive to provide our customers with quality products at the best prices possible. Our goal is to make sure that you can find exactly what you are looking for and make it easy for you to place your orders.
We look forward to serving you, our customer, so take a look around our site and find the product that you want. You can put your trust in us! The item "Kinbor Wooden Raised Garden Bed Elevated Planter Kit Grow Flower Vegetables" is in sale since Tuesday, April 03, 2018. This item is in the category "Home & Garden\Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living\Gardening Supplies\Plant Care, Soil & Accessories\Baskets, Pots & Window Boxes".The seller is "furnituremart" and is located in Atlanta, Georgia. This item can be shipped to United States.


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Firecracker Star
- Details
- Last Updated: Tuesday, 31 May 2016 17:12
Cheesecloth provides the textured effect on the background.
- MB-992 - Star Plate - Large
- CG-756NT - Firecracker
- FN-001 - White
- SC-24 - Dandelion
- SC-27 - Sour Apple
- SC-39 - Army Surplus
- SC-74 - Hot Tamale
- SC-75 - Orange-A-Peel
- BT-910 - Synthetic Sponges
- CB-106 - #6 Script Liner
- CB-604 - #4 Soft Fan
- Begin with properly fired shelf cone 04 Bisque. Moisten a clean Sponge and wipe Bisque to remove any dust.
- Using a CB-604 #4 Soft Fan, apply 2 Coats of FN-001 White to the front of the star plate.
- Cut out the pattern while the Glaze is drying.
- Pencil in flowers and leaves on the plate. Mark the position of the flower with a dart from the pattern to the plate. Cut the pattern into three pieces - flower, stem and leaves. This will make it easier to work with on the design. Also cut out the swirls for the center of the flower.
- In this technique you have to think in reverse. What you paint first on the pattern is what will show up first on the finished design.
- Using a CB-106 #6 Script Liner, apply SC-74 Hot Tamale on the flower, SC-75 Orange-A-Peel on the traced large flower centers, and SC-24 Dandelion on the center of the smaller flower.
- Apply SC-39 Army Surplus mixed with some SC-27 Sour Apple, for shading, on the leaves up to the flowers and stems on the plate.
- Using a CB-106 #6 Script Liner, dab on SC-24 Dandelion to the center of the small cut out flower pattern. Using the same brush dab on SC-74 Hot Tamale on the rest of the flower pattern. Apply a liberal amount of Glaze. If you take too long and let the Glaze dry your pattern will not adhere and may be splotchy when finished.
- Lay the cut out flower pattern on the plate, press lightly. Allow the pattern to sit a minute so it grabs hold of the plate. Then gently press from the center out to remove any air bubbles. With a Sponge remove excess Glaze that seeps out.
- For the large flower, cut out the spiral center, brush the paper with some SC-24 Dandelion and SC-39 Army Surplus then lay in the center of the flower on the plate.
- Using a CB-106 #6 Script Liner to brush the backside of the paper flower with SC-75 Orange-A-Peel in the center and the remainder of the flower with SC-74 Hot Tamale. Press on the painted flower on the plate.
- Using a CB-106 #6 Script Liner, apply SC-39 Army Surplus and SC-27 Sour Apple to the stem and leaves, painting the backside of the paper. Apply to the plate. Overlap the stem onto the flower so it looks like it is growing from the flower. Do not press down for a few minutes. Use a Sponge to clean off excess.
- Using a CB-604 #4 Soft Fan, apply 1 coat of FN-001 White to the front of the plate.
- Cut a piece of cheesecloth large enough to cover the surface of the piece.
- Wet the cheesecloth and ring out all of the water. This will allow the Glaze to go through the cheesecloth.
- Lay the cheesecloth on to the top of the plate. Make sure it is making contact with the entire plate.
- With a CB-604 #4 Soft Fan, apply a thinned coat of FN-001White over the cheesecloth. Thin the Glaze with water.
- After the cheesecloth is dry to the touch, using the colors listed above and a dry Sponge, lightly dab on colors over the cheesecloth. This is an accent design, so do not apply the colors heavily.
- Remove the cheesecloth when dry to the touch.
- Remove the paper pattern with a pin or tweezers.
- Using a CB-604 #4 Soft Fan, apply 3 Coats of CG-756 Firecracker to the back of the plate and with a CB-106 #6 Script Liner, apply 1 thin coat of the crystals to the flowers only.
- Do Not apply Clear Glaze.
- Stilt and fire to shelf cone 06.


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Breaking free from the eggshell of beliefs
Many times, we meet the new through the "old."
We pretend to understand something "new" based on our previous experiences.
We try to make sense of life based on our own preconditioning.
The above is neither wrong nor right. It is just a way of meeting life and newness. A limited way.
For instance, every religion has beliefs. Those beliefs will shape up the way we perceive life. A collective perception of life will give the illusion of "rightness."
A desire that we have may bring an expectation, which needs to be fulfilled. A human tendency is to manipulate the events occurring in "reality" to fit our own beliefs.
That is why, honesty cannot survive along beliefs.
For example, we typically believe that Science is the yardstick for "truth." We may fail to realize that scientific instruments measuring something are just an extension of our senses and those senses that we possess have a particular way of perceiving "reality."
That is why, it is said that the only thing that we can "know" is ourselves. That is the ultimate. That knowing takes some "time" to be alone with yourself.
It takes time and patience to peel off the layers of beliefs, traditions and cultural upbringing, which are latent in our personality as a way to meet "reality."
Let me give another example. This link will show the basic Christian beliefs. This could be for any other religion as well.
All of those beliefs are fine if someone wants to believe in that. However, there is nothing for self-knowledge in those beliefs. That is, there is nothing that I could experience as true in myself. It is just intellectual stuff.
The above holds true for every monotheistic religion. It is about worshiping God and forgetting about "you."
This is one of the most conflictive items in the conscience of individuality.
"I" forget "myself" to remember and worship what "I" believe to be God. That is the "method" offered by religions to forget "yourself." To conquer what is believed to be "ego."
If God is not meant to show you the beauty and potential of who "you" are, then who needs God? 🙂
Another King to worship? Another Queen to be fearful of? Another Lord to serve in His quest to conquer evil?
If you refuse… You are doomed…. for eternity 🙂
Do you see from which beliefs the above come from?
Your belief could be "real" for you, but it will not make a change in your consciousness. You may be able to look at the world and "reality" in a determined way, however. All according to your beliefs.
For instance, I could believe in predestination and time being cyclical and repetitive. This belief will not make the change in consciousness necessary to live a life of fulfillment.
It is merely intellectual information, which is unable to change consciousness; but information that could bring however, intellectual answers for a curious mind or intellectual doubts as well.
When consciousness changes there is openness to see in different ways. A belief merely narrows down the options. Obviously, we could start our own path of Spirituality from a belief, but a belief is just like an eggshell.
It protects you from something, but it does not allow you to grow.
That is why, it could be necessary to break free from the eggshell.
That is if you are ready.


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Invisible Clip On Dangle Earrings, Cross 35mm
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Nearly Invisible Clip on dangle 13mm wide x 35mm long (.51 x 1.37 inches) cross earrings for non-pierced ears.
The clear plastic clip-on style is light, gentle and are hypoallergenic. They slip over and hug the earlobe and many say they can't even feel that they are wearing earrings unlike most metal style clip on earrings that pinch and feel heavy.
The cross is made of silver-tone plated base metal that does not come in contact with the skin (for metal sensitive ears) as it is attached to an acrylic clip-on style back.


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When I first got a SUN Prepaid line over 5 years ago, one of the things I liked the most about it was the fact that I could talk to my mom who's in the US for 22 minutes using a P100 SUN Prepaid Card. It was the best deal there was. After all, talking over the phone and hearing each other's voice is still a lot more personal compared to typing on a screen to chat. Our calls were clear and uninterrupted, getting cut only when my load runs out. It was a far cry from the time I had to dial 108 to on my landline and go through an operator to make a long distance call. I couldn't even do that on a regular basis because it was very expensive.
Needless to say I was very surprised with SUN's latest IDD offer. With SUN's current IDD rate of P2 per minute, I can talk to my mom for 50 minutes using the same P100 SUN Prepaid Card. I'm just so amazed that 5 years later, the cost of IDD calls to the US has decreased by more than half. The usual case with services is they get more expensive over time. Not with SUN. I know you're probably thinking that with the advent of the internet (think Viber, Skype, Kakao, etc.) do you still need this? My answer is yes and I will cite a personal example. My lola, who is 80+ years old and also based in the US, is not into computers or technology and the only way we can communicate is through voice calls. She calls me from her landline using an IDD phone card and we talk. I do the same from my end here in Manila. With SUN's P2/min IDD rate to the US, I can call her virtually any time and we can talk as much as we like. With SUN Todo IDD, there's virtually nothing stopping us from connecting with our loved ones abroad. 😀
The bottomline is, you need not miss any important occasion or event because even across the miles, your loved ones are just a phone call away. 😀
For more information, log on to http://suncellular.com.ph/todoIDD.
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Deadline reported, Chelsea T. Zhang, known for her role as Brittney from Disney's Andi Mack, has been cast as a series regular in DC 'Titans.'
Zhang will join the season 2 as Rose Wilson aka the Ravager.
You could read the full details below:
As Ravager, Zhang will be in the ranks of the Wilson family, who famously provide both friend and foe to the Teen Titans in the pages of DC Comics since 1980. Esai Morales will portray the patriarch, Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke, frequently billed as the most accomplished assassin in DC mythology and the arch enemy of Titans leader Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites). Chella Man was recently cast as Joseph Wilson, aka Jericho, the mute son of Slade and brother of Rose.
The character bio for Ravager: "Daughter of the deadly assassin, Deathstroke, Rose Wilson was forced to undergo the same procedure that granted her father nearly superhuman abilities, becoming a weapon known as Ravager. Ever resentful, she seeks out the Titans not only for their protection but to get back at her father. Knowing how dangerous it is to be the offspring of their deadliest foe, the Titans take her in but that doesn't necessarily mean they trust her."