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Shots, Charles and a coin flip: The 5 defining moments in Phoenix Suns history
If you're of a certain age, you undoubtedly remember where you were and what you were doing the moment Luis Gonzalez's bloop single landed on the outfield grass in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7 of the 2001 World Series.
It was a moment Diamondbacks fans never will forget.
Suns fans haven't been quite so lucky. The franchise, celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, doesn't have that one forever play.
That said, Phoenix has had its share of indelible memories, both for better and worse. Here are five moments that have come to define 50 years with the Suns:
Alcindor coin flip
The date was March 19, 1969. In his New York office, then-NBA Commissioner J. Walter Kennedy tossed a half-dollar coin into the air with his right hand.
The prize, as the coin began to descent, was the No. 1 pick in the draft and the right to select UCLA center Lew Alcindor. The Suns called heads, deferring to the majority vote in a newspaper poll. The Milwaukee Bucks had tails.
"The coin has come up tails," Kennedy announced.
And so, perhaps, the greatest what-if in Valley sports history was born.
What if the coin had come up heads and the Suns drafted Alcindor, who would go on to capture six NBA titles and be a six-time Most Valuable Player? How many championships might the Suns have won? One? Two? Might they have become a dynasty?
The consolation prize in the draft was Florida center Neal Walk. He had a solid career with the Suns, with his best season coming in 1972-73 (averaging 20.2 points and 12.4 rebounds per game). But he wasn't Alcindor, later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
All because of one flip of a coin.
Gar Heard's shot
"The Shot Heard 'Round the World" had to be in here, right? How could it not?
Forget the Suns. Gar Heard's turnaround jumper with one second left in double overtime in Game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals was one of the most astounding moments in league history.
Think about what led up to the moment. Curtis Perry gave the Suns a 110-109 lead with four seconds left in the second overtime, but Celtics veteran John Havlicek raced the length of the floor and banked in a 15-foot shot. The buzzer sounded. Boston Garden erupted. Fans stormed the floor and one of them attacked referee Richie Powers.
Eventually, after order was restored, one second was put back on the clock. The Suns were out of timeouts but Paul Westphal called time anyway, knowing it would give Boston a free throw on the technical foul – but also allow Phoenix to inbound the ball from midcourt.
Perry threw the inbounds pass to Heard, who caught it just to the right and above the free-throw line. Heard turned and launched a jumper that seemed to hang in the air forever before it grazed the front of the rim and fell through the net.
It was the first triple-overtime game in NBA Finals history. The Celtics went on to win, 128-126, but for the Suns and their fans, Westphal's quick thinking and Heard's shot will forever be legendary.
Charles Barkley trade
Some of the biggest moments in a franchise's history don't occur on the court. So it was June 17, 1972, when the Suns dealt Tim Perry, Andrew Lang and Jeff Hornacek to the Philadelphia 76ers for Charles Barkley, who wanted out of the City of Brotherly Love.
Phoenix thought Barkley was the missing piece for a team that had been great but not great enough, losing in the Western Conference finals or semifinals three of the previous four seasons.
Not everyone, however, was immediately in favor of the deal.
"I was disappointed," forward Tom Chambers said. "We were a good team without Charles and we were giving away two young stars and one of my favorite teammates ever in Hornacek."
Barkley would soon change Chambers' mind – and the Suns' image throughout the league. Phoenix would reach the NBA Finals for the first time since the 1975-76 season and it was Barkley who got the Suns there. His jump shot over David Robinson clinched Game 6 and the Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs. Then came his dominant 44-point, 24-rebound performance in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals against Seattle.
And to think, the Suns deliberated for more than a month, unwilling at first to include Hornacek, Dan Majerle or Kevin Johnson in the deal. Finally, coach Paul Westphal poked his head into Jerry Colangelo's office and said, "I think we have to give up Hornacek and make the deal."
Within 24 hours, Barkley was a Sun.
Steve Nash signing
Like the Barkley trade, the idea of signing free agent point guard Steve Nash in July of 2004 wasn't a slam dunk.
Yes, Nash was a two-time NBA All-Star and the previous season had averaged 14.5 points and 8.8 assists for the Dallas Mavericks. But Nash also was 30 years old and experiencing back problems. Dallas owner Mark Cuban refused to match the six-year, $63 million offer the Suns made to Nash because he feared Nash's body would deteriorate.
So much for Cuban's medical acumen.
Nash, of course, would go on to win back-to-back Most Valuable Player awards, revolutionize point-guard play in the NBA and conduct the "Seven Seconds or Less" Suns offense that stunned the league and was the forerunner to today's pace-and-space game.
No, the Suns didn't win a championship when Nash had the ball in his hands but he is, without question, one of the top three players in franchise history.
John Paxson's shot
If this was a list of the five greatest moments in Suns history, Paxson's 3-point shot in Game 6 of the 1993 NBA Finals wouldn't warrant a thought, much less a few words.
But when it comes to defining moments in Suns history, how can it not be on the list?
The details are still burned in the mind so there's no point in rehashing the gory details.
Instead, consider this quote from Majerle:
"When I say this I'm not kidding," Majerle said. "Every week I've thought about that Paxson shot. You get so close and at the time you think you're going to get back. We didn't. I see that all the time and I think about it because I really believe if we got a seventh game at home we would have won a championship."


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Leadership is one of the most important skills you can learn to be the best person you can be and make the world a better place. The great thing is, you have the opportunity to practice leadership every single day in your home, at school, in sports and everywhere in between.
Entrepreneurship skills increases the chances of them becoming future entrepreneurs. Problem solving, leading others, wanting to make money, public speaking, asking questions, learning from mistakes, to sell, to never give up, to be creative, how to save money, ask for help and see solutions instead of problems.
Frountline's Outreach academics personalized approach involves family collaboration, social events, and parent support groups. Our beautiful schoolhouse feels like a home, where kids naturally feel comfortable and safe.
We believe that every child is capable of achieving a level of excellence such that their life will lift themselves as well as their community. It is their destiny.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Global Mapper is an affordable and easy-to-use GIS application that offers access to an unparalleled variety of spatial datasets and provides just the right level of functionality to satisfy both experienced GIS professionals and beginning users. Equally well suited as a standalone spatial data management tool and as an integral component of an enterprise-wide GIS, Global Mapper is a must-have for anyone who works with maps or spatial data.
Features: – Click Here
Home Page: – Click Here
How to Install:-
1. Read Install Note. [In Download Software]
1. Windows 10 All Edition.
2. Windows 8.1 All Edition.
3. Windows 8 All Edition.
4. Windows 7 All Edition.
5. Windows Vista All Edition.
6. Windows XP
Dear friends you have to successfully install this software on your computer or laptop. If you have to any problem regarding to installation process on your computer or laptop, then please you can share your problem and difficulty with me in the comment box. So I have to solve your problem regarding installation this software.
1. This Program Provided For Only Education Purposes.
2. This software provided only Testing Purposes.
3. If You Like This Program, Support Developers, Buy It! They Deserved It
4. I am not responsibility if any problem regarding to install this program on your computer.
Download Links:-
Global Mapper 18.1.0 Build 022117 x32
Global Mapper 18.1.0 Build 022117 x64


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Although many stunts and effects have come and gone throughout the years inside Trimpers Haunted House, one thing is for sure; the Haunted House women have stayed pretty consistent. When examining Bill Tracys stunts which include barely-clothed tortured damsels and rotting corpses, it is hard to tell exactly where he got inspiration for such artistic design.
Most of Tracys women have an enormous amount of sexual appeal, although the majority of them are either getting cut in half, tortured, or suspended upside-down in a heap of chaos. I mean, lets face itthe Torture Chamber women is quite sensual with her moving breasts and over-emphasized facial features. Likewise, the Sawmill damsel would make an ideal prom date if it wasnt for the fact that a 24 circular saw blade was cutting right up her torso.
Tracy, for whatever reason, enjoyed making his stunts semi-risky. Back in the 60s, this kind of artistry was common in dark rides and funhouses. Today, however, if such stunts were introduced to the public by Distortions or ScareFactory, I am doubtful that the public would accept them in the same fashion they did almost a half-century ago.
Tracys Knit Wit, although not an exposing damsel, is a female nevertheless. I always viewed the Knit Wit as the grandmother or overseer of the household as she sits comfortably in her diorama and patiently knits her spider web. Unlike Tracys other women, the Knit Wit is content and remains untortured if you will. Instead of being forced unwillingly into a chaotic state, she sits in peace and enjoys one of her favorite hobbies as she greets your car as it inclines around the bend. The Knit Wit once located in Wildwoods Whacky Shack presents the same sort of disposition.
The most mysterious stunt still remaining in the Haunted House is Tracys Mermaid. Please view picture to the right taken by Bill Luca of
. Although this stunt is not in its original location, the remains are now located on the second floor.
This stunt resembled more of a clown-like appearance in its day with its distorted face and green hair. When this stunt was originally in its diorama across from Frankenstein, an air-powered pneumatic cylinder would rotated the clam shell 180 degrees until she was facing your car, only to return to its original position after your car exited onto the balcony. The remains of the Mermaid now sit upstairs across from the Jumping Goul. With her breasts clearly showing and her jewelry shiny as ever, Tracy pulled out all the stops with this memorable and amusing figure. The bright-colored fluorescent yellow and green paint will force you to take a quick glance as your car treks by.
Tracys women, luckily, still have a large presence in Trimpers Haunted House. Although the stunts are leaving the Haunted House one-by-one, let us hope that the stunts including the staple women figures will remain for a long time to come.
Copyright © 2007 Brandon Seidl
Website content designed and maintained by Brandon Seidl (a.k.a. Notlmpresed) http://trimpershauntedhouse.com | http://ochh.net | http://thhtalk.com


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Wyrd. An ancient word that echoes into today's weird and wonderful domain of genre fiction. Today we use the word "weird" to describe anything strange or hard to explain. "Did you see those weird lights in the sky?" It can also encompass unexpected or unpleasant behavior. "That kid was acting weird."
But for our long-ago ancestors, wyrd was a religious and philosophical concept. It grappled with the question of predestination. Do people have free will, or are we all prisoners of an unknowable fate?
The origin of this word comes from Norse mythology. The Norns were a magical sisterhood who were responsible for the fate of all creatures. Best known of these are Wyrd (or Urd), Skuld and Verdandy, three goddesses who represented the past, present and future. They held a role very similar to the Three Fates of Greek lore. Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos were depicted as weavers whose tapestry spanned the universe. Both sets of goddesses were believed to hold power over every human, from the lowly peasant to the mighty king.
In the Norse version, Wyrd was not only the goddess who determined one's destiny, but was also used to indicate the actual destiny. Many tales referred to Wyrd and the other Norns as whimsical and inscrutable beings whose will could never be gainsaid.
Yet, there was a parallel belief that people's own actions could influence their wyrd. Presumably, good and kind actions would bring about a happy destiny, while selfish or evil actions would lead to disaster. This applied to groups, as well. The collective actions of a clan, community, or even a nation could shape its wyrd by pleasing or offending the Norns.
This idea of a magical fate that couldn't be denied is one that comes down to us in many forms of modern fantasy and science fiction. How often does a story begin with a prophecy? How many times have we witnessed the struggles of a Chosen One who must rise to meet their destiny?
It would seem that the eternal question of Wyrd is with us to this day.
Did you know I have an author newsletter? You can join! I'll even give you a free e-book for signing up. Just click here.


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Can You Leave The State Or The Country While On A Bond?
The ability or freedom for a someone to be able to leave the state or country while on a bond will vary based on the severity of crime committed. In the case that the crime is considered more severe, travel restrictions may be set by the judge as a bond condition.
If you need to leave the state or country while on bond, you would have to seek permission from the judge presiding over the case at the time.
The your intention to want to leave the country might be genuine but it might also raise red flags. This means you should be able to fully state reasons and be able to convince the judge of the importance of the decision.
In some scenarios, you might be asked to surrender your passport if you are considered a flight risk.
If You Are Granted Permission By The Judge To Leave The State
In the case that the judge or court grants the application to travel to other state or country, you would still be required to fulfill his or her part of attending court hearings.
Several reasons may require that you would need permission to leave the state or country and this may include issues concerning death of a family member or sudden family illness, among other kinds of emergency situations.
If you're in such situation, you need to know how to seek permission to be able to leave or travel to another location. Not getting permission and traveling can trigger consequences that will leave you in a much worse situation than you are already being charged for.
Leaving The State or Country While On A Bail Bond Agreement
The agreement you make with the bail bondsman or bail bond company might be different than what the judge decided. At Second Chance Bail Bonds, you agree to notify us if you plan on leaving the state.
Should you leave the state or country without notifying us, it is considered a breach of agreement and we may and can come after you to bring you back to jail, and your bail money will be forfeit.


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Will Patrick Dempsey Play Doctor Strange?
Star of Grey's Anatomy, Patrick Dempsey, really wants to play a different kind of Doctor. Doctor Strange. And comics artist-working-in-Hollywood Arne Starr seems to agree, whipping up this piece of art that got Dempsey seen by Marvel Studios.
And now a movie has been announced,with screenwriters hired for the job.
With Dempsey still rather popular from Disney's Enchanted with a sequel in the works, could this be a very easy piece of casting for the studio?


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(Politico) – Barack Obama faces a slew of Middle East crises that some call the worst in a generation, as new chaos from Yemen to Iraq — along with deteriorating U.S.-Israeli relations — is confounding the president's efforts to stabilize the region and strike a nuclear deal with Iran.
The meltdown has Obama officials defending their management of a region that some call impossible to control, even as critics say U.S. policies there are partly to blame for the spreading anarchy.
"If there's one lesson this administration has learned, from President Obama's 2009 Cairo speech through the Arab Spring, it's that when it comes to this region, nothing happens in a linear way — and precious little is actually about us, which is a hard reality to accept," said a senior State Department official.
Not everyone is so forgiving. "We're in a goddamn free fall here," said James Jeffrey, who served as Obama's ambassador to Iraq and was a top national security aide in the George W. Bush White House.


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The Volt by Chevrolet was touted by Dear Leader as the car of the future. Stylish and high performance, yet green as Green Tea. Das Wundarcar went on sale in January and racked up…wait for it……….
Great Leader backed this Eco-box with YOUR money. The TAXPAYERS pay 7500 Bucks for every Volt.
The news gets better…
Sales in February were 281 Volts. So there seems to be a Voltage drain on the system. Obama's goal (not GM's, but it really is) to have a million Volts on the road and will take until the year 2243 when we'll have flying cars anyway.


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Confidence and skill win the ball. Work on both in these women's soccer shorts. Clean styling and 3-Stripes detail let you lead anywhere, anytime, while climalite® sheds sweat to keep you dry and ready to play until the whistle.
- climalite® fabric sweeps sweat away from your skin
- Drawcord on elastic waist
- Piping above cuffs
- 3-Stripes on sides
- 100% polyester piqué
- 5" inseam (size Med)
- Regular fit
- Imported
- Product color: Black / White
- Product code: BK4778


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When it comes to buying gold, the Proof Gold Mexican Libertad Series is an excellent option for any precious metal collector. With a beautiful design, varying options, and low mintage figures, the Gold Libertad is the ideal piece to add to any personal collection with each new year of issue from the Mexican Mint. Today, 2017 ¼ oz Proof Gold Mexican Libertad Coins are available to you online at Silver.com.
Coin Highlights:
- Ships to you in a protective capsule from the mint.
- Thirteenth issue of the ¼ oz weight in the Proof Gold Libertad!
- Mintage limited to 1,500 coins only!
- Consists of One-Quarter Troy ounce of .999 fine gold.
- Obverse features the image of Winged Victory and the twin volcanic peaks of Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl.
- Reverse includes the modern version of Mexico's coat of arms.
Gold Mexican Libertad coins from the Mexican Mint are unique among counterparts for a number of reasons. Chief among them may be the unique status of the coins as legal tender. While the coins are considered Mexican coinage, there is no face value attached to any of the coins.
Instead, Banco de Mexico issues the coins with a so-called "floating value." Should an individual decide to actually use one of the Proof Gold Mexican Libertad coins to settle a commercial debt, they would have to call the bank to find out that day's value of the Libertad. Of course, given the value of the precious metal content, its face value would be far less.
All 2017 ¼ oz Proof Gold Mexican Libertad Coins purchased here today ship in their original mint capsules. These capsules protect your investment for years to come, while also ensuring the matte finish on the design sets and contrasting mirrored background are not damaged by handling or the elements.
On the obverse of all 2017 ¼ oz Proof Gold Mexican Libertad Coins you'll find the image of Winged Victory. She has been a symbol of Mexican independence for more than a century now. Her figure holds a wreath above her head as a sign of free governance and holds the broken chains of bondage to Spain in her left hand.
The reverse of all Proof Gold Mexican Libertad Coins has the coat of arms for Mexico. In the case of fractional-weight coins such as this one, only the modern version of the coat of arms can fit on the smaller surface area.
Built in 1535, the Mexican Mint is the oldest operating facility in North America. Located in Mexico City today, it is run by Banco de Mexico and overseen by the federal government of Mexico.
Please feel free to contact Silver.com with questions at 888-989-7223. You can also reach out to us online through our live chat and email address.


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Buster is a static site generator for Ghost made by Akshit Khurana. It is used to generate static HTML + CSS from your local Ghost install, this is perfect for using Ghost on shared hosting (no need for Node.js!).
In this short tutorial I'll be going through the steps on how to install and use Buster. I used a mac to install Buster, but the steps should be fairly similar on Linux or Windows since the install process + usage is done though the command line.
- Ghost installed locally on your computer
- Python
- Terminal
Install pip
Buster is written in Python. In order to install Buster, you will need pip which is a Python package manager. Follow their official install guide to get pip installed on your computer.
Check if your computer has pip installed by running this command in the terminal:
pip --version
Install Homebrew
Buster requires wget, this can be installed through Homebrew which is a package manager for Mac. Follow their official install guide to get Homebrew on your computer.
Check if your computer has Homebrew installed by running this command in the terminal:
brew --version
Install Buster
Once pip and Homebrew are both installed, you can install Buster on your computer.
Just run the following commands in the terminal:
pip install buster
brew install wget
To make sure you have successfully installed buster, you can run this command in the terminal:
buster --version
Using Buster
1. At first you'll need to setup Buster, run this command in the terminal:
buster setup
2. Buster will then ask for you to "Enter the Github repository URL:". You'll need to have an empty GitHub repo at hand. Enter the url and be sure to change the username to your GitHub username and repo to your repo name:
3. Now you can generate the static files:
buster generate --domain=http://127.0.0.1:2368
If you are using a different domain or port for local Ghost install, you should alter the command above.
5. With the preview command you can preview the generated output on your Mac's default browser.
buster preview
6. Finally you can deploy the static files to the GitHub repo:
buster deploy
From here on, you can host the generated static files on GitHub Pages or upload the generated static files to your shared hosting.


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We offer you to take a fascinating trip accompanied by our professional guide through one of the most amazing and beautiful cities of Spain – brilliant San-Sebastian, located on the coast of the Bay of Biscay, about 20 km from the border with France.
You will be able to enjoy the city view from the panoramic area, walk along the picturesque embankment La Concha, decorated with openwork grill, visit the main temples of San-Sebastian, learn the secrets and curious cases of its history and surely taste traditional local snacks, washing it down with green wine Txacoli or Basque cider.
The tour itinerary runs through the streets of the Old city as well as through boulevards, avenues and squares, arisen in the Belle Époque. Our guide through San-Sebastian will acquaint you with the most emblematic buildings of the city (Miramar Palace, Casino, Maria Cristina hotel, Buen Pastor Cathedral, Basilica of the Virgin Mary, Gothic church of St. Vincent and many others).


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Are you going on a bicycle tour in Portugal? Ask for a quote for the transportation of your luggage.
Transport Luggage and Backpacks between accommodations, this way is a service that we provide in order to facilitate your bike tours in Portugal.
This way, be it on the road or in the mountains, design your circuit with the kilometres you want to do daily and define your stages. In this way we ensure the transport of luggage. We will pick you up at the accommodation where you leave in the same way as we will deliver you to the next accommodation.
This service is also available for groups on the Camino de Santiago.
If you're going to make the road to Santiago on a bicycle if you walk? First of all learn more information about Baggage Transport and Backpacks to do in a more relaxed way you can count on our service.
Check availability and price by filling out the following form.
See how to request the transportation of backpacks
Baggage must be ready at the collection points from 10 a.m. and then delivered at the next stage by 5 p.m.
Travel luggage (max. 80 x 50 x 30 cm), only slightly different dimensions are allowed, so that the maximum volume on all sides does not exceed 160 cm and a maximum of 20 kg.
In this way, if the luggage is of other dimensions, it is in fact subject to prior budgeting.
On the Camino de Santiago, if you're on foot, it's likely to be more tiring as an experience. This way you can ask us for a bicycle as a rental. We deliver to the accommodation where you are and also pick up where you are staying. You can rent for only one stage or more, but in some cases they rent until the end. Since they deliver in Santiago de Compostela.
How to rent a bike here
The options are yours for the cities and kilometers to do day. If you need help to create a private tour, ask within your conditions, so we respond with a suggestion.
Make your reservations in the cities where you will spend your tour
Táxi Bikes
But you can also search here where you can stay and make your reservation.
Make your vacation program by booking your stays. We prepare the rest of your trip. We will pick you up at the airport, you and your luggage. You can also rent bicycles during your stay. We deliver together with your transfer to the locations of your stay.
Visit Portugal use our bike rental services as well.
Make your holidays your own by choosing the hotels of your choice. We can help you with transportation and mobility.
You can change hotels during your holidays, with our services and if you wish with rented bicycles.


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1-800-724-0833 ext. 5018 or 5022
The Bookkeeping Certificate can be completed in one year of full-time study at 13 credits per semester. It provides the student with focused instruction in introductory accounting theory and practice, accounting software (QuickBooks), and sales and payroll taxes. There is also emphasis on accounting for non-profit and government agencies, and spreadsheets used in business decision-making. The graduate is prepared for entry-level bookkeeping positions in both the private and public sectors, such as accounts receivable/payable clerks, payroll clerks, and county or town account clerks and bookkeepers. All the courses listed in the certificate can be transferred to our A.A.S. degree in Business: Accounting as part of the core curriculum.
Upon completion of the certificate program, students will have achieved the following learning outcomes:
For More Information
For more information contact Admissions.


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VCL Reopening Policy
In accordance with the State of Illinois' Shelter-in-Place order, Village Church of Lincolnshire (VCL) has not met as a congregation since March 8th, 2020. As Illinois follows Governor Pritzker's reopening plan, VCL will be taking every precaution to keep its congregants and local communities safe. Because of this, the elder board is moving forward toward reopening according to Governor Pritzker's plan, which is broken up into five phases:
- Phase 1: Rapid Spread
High rate of infection among those tested, number of patients admitted to the hospital is high or rapidly increasing.
- Phase 2: Flattening
Rate of infection and the number of patients admitted to the hospital beds and ICU beds increases at an ever slower rate, flattening or even moving downward.
- Phase 3: Recovery
The rate of infection is stable or declining. Hospitalizations and ICU capacity remains stable or is decreasing.
- Phase 4: Revitalization
Continued decline in infection rate. Hospitals have capacity and can quickly adapt for a surge.
- Phase 5: Illinois Restored
Testing, tracing and treatment are widely available throughout the state. Either a vaccine or treatment options are readily available that ensures health care capacity is no longer a concern, or there are no new cases over a sustained period.
For these phases, the state has been divided up into four regions, and VCL finds itself in the "Northeast" region. Each of these phases have different restrictions for gatherings:
- Phase 1: Essential gatherings must be 10 or fewer. No nonessential gatherings
- Phase 2: Essential gatherings must be 10 or fewer. No nonessential gatherings
- Phase 3: All gatherings of 10 or fewer allowed
- Phase 4: Gatherings of 50 people or fewer allowed, following CDC guidelines
- Phase 5: Large gatherings of all sizes can resume
Currently, the Northeast region remains in phase 2, and will not move to phase 3 until the test-positivity rate falls below 20%. VCL's normal activities will not be able to resume until phase 5.
VCL's Ministry during Phases 3 and 4
As VCL continues to follow the direction of the State of Illinois, we are adopting certain policies:
- All VCL gatherings of 10 or more people remain canceled.
- This cancellation includes non-Sunday gatherings, including youth group, children's events, committee meetings, and young adult events. The elders are advising committees to communicate electronically.
- This cancellation includes all choir rehearsals and non-VCL gatherings at the VCL building.
- The church office will be opened only to essential personnel. "Essential personnel" includes:
- Pastors/Elders
- Paid staff
- Worship leaders
- Finance Committee
- Building and Grounds Committee
- The church building remains closed. All persons are prohibited from entering the VCL building without the prior consent of an elder. This is to ensure a sanitary environment.
- VCL will begin live-streaming services starting June 7th. These services will take place at the church building, and may include no more than 10 people in-person.
- The elders are encouraging congregants to gather together in small groups once the Northeast region moves to phase 3 and as they feel safe to do so. VCL will provide a "best practices" guide for those who choose to do so.
During this time, the elders are hopeful that this may be a season of growth and revival among our community and our congregation. During the Phases outlined above, the elders encourage the congregation to:
- Pray daily. Pray fervently. Pray for the medical professionals, for the church, for those people suffering from COVID-19, and for your hearts.
- Continue to give generously. You can give via our website, http://evcl.org/give/ or via mail.
- Continue to foster family worship. You can use the New City Catechism's web app as well: http://newcitycatechism.com/new-city-catechism/#1
- Remember the Fruit of the Spirit when engaging with others, especially those with whom you disagree.
- Consider ways to be a blessing to your community, such as offering to pray via Facebook neighborhood groups, not hoarding resources, and displaying calm in your communications on social media and otherwise. Share VCL resources, especially video sermons, on social media and via email.
- As guidelines ease and you feel safe to do so, invite friends and neighbors into your home to worship with you.
The Lord bless you and keep you during this time,
The Pastors and Elders of Village Church of Lincolnshire
For Kenny's pastoral letter on reopening, click here.
For a list of commonly asked question and answers, click here.


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Ebony Truscott, Teacher
Ebony Truscott is an Australian artist employing observational realism in painting and works on paper. Her work is marked by an interest in human sensation and perception, particularly the relationship between sight and touch. She has taught at the National Gallery of Australia, The University of Melbourne and the Victorian College of the Arts, and is represented by Niagara Galleries in Melbourne.


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The 10 Worst Members of Congress
An amazing thing happened this summer as BP CEO Tony Hayward was testifying before an Energy and Commerce subcommittee. When it came Joe Barton's turn to grill the SOB whose rotten company was befouling the waters off Barton's home state, Barton instead abjectly apologized to a stunned Hayward for President Obama's demand that BP pay for the disaster the foreign corporation had created in American waters. Call Barton a private servant, because throughout his deplorable career, he has never much served the public. His is a strain of conservatism that gives preference to private interests over the public interest every time. And worst of all: Barton stands to become chairman of Energy and Commerce should the Republicans take the House this year.
It is precisely because Jon Kyl is so very smart and capable that he earns a highly coveted spot on this list. It is precisely because he is of such influence, precisely because he is the second-highest-ranking Republican in the United States Senate. Because unlike many of the lesser lights who wander the Capitol grounds like so many mental patients off their meds, Jon Kyl should know better than to throw the full weight of his powerful (or so we thought) intellect behind the lunatic effort to repeal the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution just to score points with the lunatic Tea Partiers. Don't be fooled: Kyl was spouting off not to actually accomplish anything other than to inflame the most vile nativist passions and gain cheap advantage over the complex and painful issue of illegal immigration. Ditto when he made the shameful and false claim that Phoenix is now the "kidnapping capital of the United States." Time named Kyl one of the "one hundred most influential people" this year. Congratulations, Senator, you've just made a much more exclusive list.
There was a time when Lieberman's quavering sanctimony act was somewhat convincing (e.g., his blistering speech against President Clinton during the Great Blowjob Crisis of 1998). But not anymore. Oh, the quavering sanctimony is still there, but it is now but a fig leaf for Lieberman's utter venality, for these days he quavers not on behalf of the country but on behalf of himself. He has never gotten over the fact that his party had no interest at all in supporting him for the presidency in '04, and then actually went and knocked him off in the Democratic Senate primary in '06. Reelected as an independent, Lieberman's now about as popular in Connecticut as bank foreclosure. His favorite game to play now when it comes to major bills is to keep 'em guessing — Will he go with the Republicans this time? With the Dems? Will poor Harry Reid have to do the dance of the seven veils again? Memo to Senator Lieberman: No one cares for your act anymore.
Once the coveted "sixtieth vote," Nelson, the most obstreperous Democrat in the Senate, maneuvered for a sweet deal for his home state to have its mandated expansion of Medicaid paid for by the federal government permanently in order to get his vote for health-care reform. This is a deal no other state gets. Republicans mocked this arrangement as the "Cornhusker Kickback," and Nelson was stunned to find that every last person in his home state was horribly embarrassed by his deal; he muttered that it was all a misunderstanding, and it was really all about abortion funding anyway, which is one of his standby excuses for everything. Antiabortion groups, once stalwarts for the senator, decided that they didn't trust him, either. Now no one trusts him, and he has been tarred with a catchy new name for the stupid thing he did, which imperiled the passage of health-care reform. In the end, Harry Reid found a way to pass the House bill without Nelson's vote, and Nelson was compelled, pathetically, to plead that his sweet deal be removed from the final bill. Because that's how Ben Nelson rolls.
When you've been in Congress for forty years and have ascended to the chairmanship of the incredibly powerful House Ways and Means Committee, which drafts all of the tax laws for the United States, are you to be believed when you say that you didn't realize that you were supposed to have paid taxes on that swank beachfront property you own? And then when you get fairly busted for other corruption of office and you vow to fight, fight, fight, what exactly are we to believe you are fighting for? Well, in the sad case of Charlie Rangel, you are fighting for none other than yourself. And you are taking your place in an embarrassing pantheon of black urban public officials who with discouraging regularity act as if they own the office to which they have merely been elected.
Stark is the only avowed atheist in the Congress, and under most circumstances we'd be more than happy to celebrate this diversity. And Lord knows, his areligiosity has nothing whatsoever to do with our dim view of Stark. Rather, he has just been too bad for too long, and an aggressively dumb liberal is as aggravating as an aggressively dumb conservative. His idiocy fills volumes (it's called the Congressional Record) — for instance, in 1991 he said that it was because of his "Jewish colleagues" that the first President Bush had gone to war against Iraq, and more recently he said that Republicans sent soldiers to fight in the second Gulf war "to get their heads blown off for the president's amusement." Making matters worse, he is a dumb liberal who thinks he owns his seat. And why shouldn't he? His East Bay constituents have given it to him by ridiculous margins since 1972. Just how bad is Stark? In a House in which seniority means everything, he was next in line to become chairman of Ways and Means when Rangel got the hook for his pile of ethics problems. The Democratic members of the committee said no — unanimously — and gave the committee to Sander Levin of Michigan.
Now, it's one thing if you're a whoremonger and make no real pretensions to be anything but. There's even a kind of Laissez les bon temps rouler integrity to that type of rascal that we may even have to admire a little bit. He is, after all, what he appears to be. Edwin Edwards comes to mind. Remember a few years back when David Duke wrested the Republican nomination for governor of Louisiana to face Democrat Edwards in the general election? All the establishment Republicans panicked about having an actual sheet wearer as their standard-bearer, and so they all lined up behind the colorful Edwards with the slogan: "Vote for the crook. It's important." Now, those were the days, way back when slippery characters didn't pretend to take God's dictation.
Which brings us to the very special case of David Vitter, who is the worst kind of reprobate to be found in heaven, hell, or Washington. For Vitter is not at all what or who he says he is. A self-described "values conservative," the public figure of David Vitter that we are all subjected to is a pinched, prissy man who sits in judgment of everyone and won't shush about Jesus. Just a horrible bore who doesn't like for sick children to have health insurance, hates family planning, is appalled by gay people and gay marriage and brown people from south of the border and the United Nations, all of which in the Vitter moral universe blur into the same thing: grave threats to the tautly ordered no-fun zone that is David Vitter's immortal soul.
And, oh, how David Vitter does like to instruct on personal sexual conduct. "Abstinence education is a public-health strategy focused on risk avoidance ... by teaching teenagers that saving sex until marriage and remaining faithful afterwards is the best choice..." says Vitter.
Well, Aristotle and Shakespeare knew where this story was going centuries before any of us were ever born. Because of course David Vitter loves prostitutes. And of course he got caught. And yet he still wears his grotesque mask of righteousness, and Louisiana seems poised to be fooled again by the hypocrite this Election Day. Maybe they should first talk to Mrs. Vitter, who during more innocent times said of Hillary Clinton (and her husband's manhood), "I'm a lot more like Lorena Bobbitt than Hillary. If he [David] does something like that," Wendy Vitter said, "I'm walking away with one thing, and it's not alimony, trust me."
At this point, one can come to no other conclusion than that there are parts of this great nation in which a politician can adopt a position that takes us all hurtling over the Cliffs of Sanity without disqualifying said politician for fame, fortune, and relatively high national office. It's hard to know when we as a nation abandoned the goal of having as few crackpots as possible in positions of power, but the exotic fauna of the conservative movement has abandoned the underbrush for good and is now stalking the landscape unafraid.
"She's not going to call her crazy," said the spokesman for Tarryl Clark, a Democratic state senator in Minnesota who is trying to rid the Congress of the comic stylings of Michele Bachmann (above, left), the Republican who first got famous by gobsmacking Chris Matthews shortly before the 2008 elections by asserting that she wanted an investigation into which of her colleagues were anti-American. Subsequently, she was one of the first onto the Tea Party crazywagon, telling audiences of the agitated elderly about death panels and about how the Obama administration was going to make "slaves" of us all, and even leading a rally on the steps of the Capitol at which people protested the health-care-reform bill by waving pictures of Dachau. Not campaigning on the issue of Bachmann's transcendent nuttiness is tantamount to running against Rod Blagojevich and not pointing out that he's a crook.
A few degrees south of Minnesota, Iowan Matt Campbell is taking on Republican incumbent Steve King (above, right), the man who has never met an Obama conspiracy he didn't love. It was King who brought birtherism to the floor of the House. It was King who accused the White House of serving "ACORN cookies" at a social event. It was King who joined Bachmann in arguing that $10 billion intended to save the jobs of 160,000 teachers around the country was actually "money laundering" on behalf of the teachers' unions. And it was King who told the world that President Obama has a "mechanism that favors the black person."
"King insists on name-calling and divisive politics, and I don't think that plays well with western Iowa," Campbell says. Alas, we shall have to see about that. The odds are not good, however.
Moving even farther south and even deeper into the dementosphere, we find Louie Gohmert (above, center), the representative from the First District in Texas, and believe us when we tell you, Gohmert makes Steve King look like Cicero and Michele Bachmann like Margaret Thatcher. A characteristic Gohmert speech on the House floor during a debate on the military's Don't Ask — Don't Tell policy had Gohmert raving about bestiality, necrophilia, and voting for a black man. Most often, it seems as though he is unaware of his surroundings, as if maybe Louie doesn't realize that he is in the Congress. As yet, none of his fellow representatives have seen fit to throw a net over him, so Gohmert now has moved on famously to warn us about "terror babies" — infants born here to Al Qaeda operatives who will use their automatic citizenship to attack us down the line.
And the craziest thing of all? Louie Gohmert is running unopposed.


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Even post-presidency, Barack Obama continues to be the beacon of hope that he embodied when he first announced his candidacy for President of The United States back in 2007.
This time around the 44th POTUS was joined by Chance The Rapper and Steph Curry in a new public service announcement for My Brothers Keeper Alliance, which was established to help inspire and support young men of color.
"There is nothing, not a single thing, that's more important to the future of America than whether or not young people all across this country can achieve their dreams" states a positive Barack Obama. Remember when we used to have a President that encouraged us to be our best selves instead of dividing and judging us based on our race, religion or creed?
Check out the video below and hope that one day we as the people can get the trainwreck that was 2017 back on track for 2018 and beyond.
Photo: WENN.com


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Press Information Bureau
Government of India
13-May-2015 12:20 IST
Approval to Namami Gange - Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission / Programme under National Ganga River Basin Authority
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today approved the flagship "Namami Gange" Program which integrates the efforts to clean and protect the Ganga river in a comprehensive manner. The program has a budget outlay of Rs. 20,000 crore for the next 5 years. This is a significant four-fold increase over the expenditure in the past 30 years (Government of India incurred an overall expenditure of approximately Rs. 4000 crore on this task since 1985).
Marking a major shift in implementation, the Government is focusing on involving people living on the banks of the river to attain sustainable results. Drawing from the lessons learnt from previous implementation, the program also focuses on involving the States and grassroots level institutions such as Urban Local Bodies and Panchayati Raj Institutions in implementation. The program would be implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), and its state counterpart organizations i.e., State Program Management Groups (SPMGs). NMCG will also establish field offices wherever necessary. In order to improve implementation, a three-tier mechanism has been proposed for project monitoring comprising of a) High level task force chaired by Cabinet Secretary assisted by NMCG at national level, b) State level committee chaired by Chief Secretary assisted by SPMG at state level and c) District level committee chaired by the District Magistrate.
In order to ramp up progress, the Centre will now take over 100% funding of various activities/ projects under this program. Taking a leaf from the unsatisfactory results of the earlier Ganga Action Plans, the Centre now plans to provide for operation & maintenance of the assets for a minimum 10 year period, and adopt a PPP/SPV approach for pollution hotspots. In an attempt to bolster enforcement the Centre also plans to establish a 4-battalion Ganga Eco-Task Force, a Territorial Army unit, apart from contemplating on a legislation that aims to check pollution and protect the river.
The program emphasizes on improved coordination mechanisms between various Ministries/Agencies of Central and State governments. Major infrastructure investments which fall under the original mandate of other ministries viz. Urban Development (UD), Drinking Water & Sanitation (DWS), Environment Forests & Climate Change (EF&CC) etc., will be undertaken in addition.
'Namami Gange' will focus on pollution abatement interventions namely Interception, diversion & treatment of wastewater flowing through the open drains through bio-remediation / appropriate in-situ treatment / use of innovative technologies / sewage treatment plants (STPs) / effluent treatment plant (ETPs); rehabilitation and augmentation of existing STPs and immediate short term measures for arresting pollution at exit points on river front to prevent inflow of sewage etc.
Significantly the approach is underpinned by socio-economic benefits that the program is expected to deliver in terms of job creation, improved livelihoods and health benefits to the vast population that is dependent on the river.


text:
The courses aim to:
This course focuses
on underpinning learning theories for design, implementation and
evaluation of different teaching and learning strategies. This course is
a pre-requisite for Teaching & Learning - II.
By the end of the course students will be able to:
Design teaching and learning programmes and sessions in HPE by applying current theories of learning
Incorporate teaching and learning activities that cater to individual learning preferences & needs
Develop a lesson plan
Conduct teaching activities based on principles of learning and learning theories
Evaluate effectiveness of the various teaching strategies in small and large group setting
Contribute to building a conducive learning environment at their own institution(s)
Reflect on their teaching practice and maintain a reflective journal
Develop and use appropriate instructional material and resources
Use information and communication technology (ICT) to enhance learning
This is a sixteen week course from August to December, 2022. It includes,
It is a core course for the Master of Health Professions Education
programme. It is also open as a standalone course to all health care
professionals in Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry and Allied Health with a
proven interest/responsibility and at least two years teaching
experience in Health Professions Education (HPE). Other candidates may also apply as per the selection criteria.
See the selection criteria here.
(Selection is purely merit based. Acceptance in the course will be based on the number of seats available)
Introductory Short Course in Health Professions Education
All students have to pass the continuous and end of course assessments.
satisfactory completion of the course requirements, student has to
attain at least 55% scores in continuous assessment and the written
assignments independently, with an overall aggregate of 60%.
The educational strategies are multi-modal with focus on active learning, critical thinking and reflective practice. It is offered through interactive plenaries, student presentations, experiential individual and small group learning sessions, and technology based asynchronous learning.
Mid-course feedback is provided.
Local participants: Rs 39,750 per person
Please send an online registration form click here
This course focuses on teaching and learning in clinical settings, developing learning resources to engage students, student support systems and their contribution to creating a positive learning environment, evaluation of teaching and scholarship of teaching and learning.
Apply critical thinking and decision making skills in clinical teaching
Develop cases for effective student learning
Develop personal/professional development plans
Effectively use and provide input for available student support systems at their own institutions
Develop a teaching portfolio
Demonstrate providing effective feedback
The educational strategies are
multi-modal with focus on active learning, critical thinking and
reflective practice. It is offered through interactive plenaries,
student presentations, experiential individual and small group learning
sessions, and technology based asynchronous learning.
Local participants: Rs 53,000 per person
Dr Tabassum Zehra
Programme Coordiantor, MHPEDr Shazia Babar
Course Director
Dr Azam Afzal
Course Coordinator
Dr Rahila Ali
Mr. Aslam NathwaniAssociate, MHPE ProgrammeDepartment for Educational DevelopmentAga Khan UniversityMr. Meeran AyazSecretary, MHPE ProgrammeDepartment for Educational DevelopmentAga Khan UniversityContact us: email@example.com Tel: 92 21 3486 2419/2154


text:
While production is underway for Sony's Venom film from director Ruben Fleischer, fans are still waiting eagerly for any glimpses of the upcoming Spider-Man related film. Thanks to @Mister_Batfleck on Twitter, we may have gotten our first look at the film logo.
A banner was spotted at the ongoing Comic-Con Experience in Brazil where we see a possible logo with that tag "We Are Venom", which is a nod to the classic phrase that the symbiote says in various versions. You can catch the images below of the potential movie logo.
— MisterBatfleck (@Mister_BatfIeck) December 6, 2017
Production recently kicked off for the film as the Eddie Brock centric film will be the first of a new cinematic universe that Sony is working on. Gina Prince-Bythewood's Silver & Black, featuring Silver Sable and Black Cat, will be the second installment of that universe. Be sure to follow Venom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @VenomMovie.
Ruben Fleischer's Venom, starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, Riz Ahmed, Michelle Williams Jenny Slate, and Reid Scott, is set to hit theaters on October 5, 2018. Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner wrote the screenplay for Venom, with Amy Pascal, Matt Tolmach and Avi Arad producing.


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Well, folks, the word is out: [and it is spoilerific if you haven't watched the season two finale of Orphan Black, so turn away now if you haven't!] Ari Millen is Project Castor, the male set of clones, created seemingly concurrently with our Project Leda sestras. Joining the Clone Club is no small feat — especially when one considers the rabidity of the OB fanbase — and it's something the actor is keenly aware of when stepping into his new, many-headed role on the BBC America series.
We had a chance to sit down with Millen at the Television Critics Association winter press tour stop in Pasadena to talk about tackling the bro-clones (a completely original and unique name for them that we came up with), working with scorpions, and why he's seriously obsessed with working on the show.
Ari Millen: Bro-clones, love it. It's a full time job now, you know? Sometimes five days a week, so it's not slowing down. We're coming to the end of our holiday hiatus though, and I think for the first week I only woke up to like, eat. I didn't realize — I don't think most people realized — how tired we were until we had the chance to sit down and take a breath. And that's great, you know? I'm very happy that I can say that this job has tired me out. It's been a blast.
N: John just told me, too, that right before break you guys watched the first episode together. What was that like?
AM: Well to a certain extent, it's kind of been happening in a bubble, right? I start with doing the work, doing pre-production, and figuring out who these guys are, and I get the scripts and we start shooting. And I'll watch a take here or there, but seeing that first episode? And seeing it cut together, in context, seeing it told as a story was like, 'Thank god,' you know? Because I didn't know! I didn't know if I was doing it right, if I were these distinct characters, so it was such a sigh of relief. And for my money, that's the best episode yet.
N: I'm so excited to see it. I wonder what it must be like to come up with these clones now that you've played on both sides of it. I know you spoke a little bit about it at the panel, but did you have any challenges with that?
AM: Yeah, they're all precious to me [laughs], because this whole experience is so exciting to me, so yeah. I don't take any of them lightly, I don't one-off them. I put so much work into creating these guys, that when they're in danger I get sad and go, 'Oh, no!' you know? They mean so much to me, so I can't definitively say 'No, I like this guy [the best],' but on the day I'm doing something — if Rudy's doing something — I'm like 'This is the f**king best thing I've ever done.' And the next day I'm Mark and I go, 'Ah, you're kidding me! This is awesome!' And the same goes for Miller and on and on. So kudos to John and Graeme [Fawcett and Manson, the series' co-creators] and the writing team for creating such great story and giving the fans what they want. Trust me.
N: John was saying — and it looks to be that way from the clips we say — that things just go off the rails in a really exciting way. Was it anything like how you anticipated?
AM: [laughs] I think for the longest time I couldn't get over the idea that this is going to happen to me. And it was only as I started to read things, and go to Comic-Con, that it became realer and realer and I thought 'Oh, wow, this is going to be fuuuun.'
N: You must've come to Tatiana with just a totally different outlook on things after your first day as a clone. I hope she held your hand a bit throughout this process, metaphorically speaking. Or maybe even literally, too. [Laughs]
AM: Oh totally! I mean definitely. I've been working opposite her a lot more this season and while handholding isn't the right term, it's just so effortless to work alongside her. If there's any handholding it's just the fact that she's making it easy. We're just playing. I think, in the cast, there's a real sense of freedom and wanting to play — and not nailing something down. The first take is not the fifth take and it's not what the coverage is going to be either. We let the editor tell the story but give them as much as we can and just have fun with it.
N: What are you most excited about for this upcoming season?
AM: Where the story's taking us this year, and the clone scenes that we get to do — either with Project Castor and Project Castor or Project Leda and Project Castor, or even Project Leda and Project Leda — the scenarios they're creating are just like [Millen blanches with amazement], if I'm peaking now? If this is the last thing I do? I'll be happy, this really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
N: Well it seems like there's a lot of layered stuff going on there. There's definitely a rich feminist territory that Tatiana gets to play into with her scenes. But it's seems like it could be really subversive to see some of those struggles played out with the male clones, even though they're self-aware.
AM: I think what it comes down to is the fact that there are male clones and there are female clones — yes this can set up a male versus female dynamic, but Project Castor also has questions that it needs answered. It's not a juggernaut of power that's infallible. Why we're in the story is because we need answers and we want those answers from Project Leda. So our answers are also going to help answer what Project Leda is looking for. Even though we're kinda working against each other — and Project Castor is not going to make life easier for Project Leda — as a story tool we're there to help solve that mystery. We're only strengthening the sisters.
N: Well there was this idea that really centered the first two seasons with the Leda ladies, but since then it's expanded in a way that does leave you guessing. Which is so exciting for TV because it sucks when you're able to figure out the mystery before it's unfolded for you. Whereas here, you have an actual scorpion seemingly crawling out of Tatiana's stomach and it's like, 'OK wait though, because like what in the actual f**k is happening?' [laughs]
AM: [laughs] Oh god, I don't know how she acted with that thing. I was terrified. That is literally the scariest animal on earth. It has claws! It has a stinger! It has 6 legs! Ugh. Ugh, ugh, ugh. And the only thing protecting her was like, crazy glue or something!
N: Oh no, really?
AM: And I think Kathryn [Alexandre, Tatiana's clone double] got clamped one day because it came unstuck!
N: Um nope dot com, backslash never.
AM: Hashtag screw you!
N: Hashtag hardest of passes.
AM: [Laughs] Exactly.
Are you looking forward to Millen's turn as a clone? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!


text:
Lawyer says sexual assault victim was illegally barred from testifying
A Sudbury nursing home resident who claimed she was sexually assaulted by an aide early this year has been illegally blocked from testifying in next month's trial because of her disability, her lawyer said.
The 62-year-old woman, whom the Daily News is not identifying because the allegations involve a sexual assault, was improperly ruled incompetent to testify, attorney Wendy Murphy says.
Murphy filed an appeal on the woman's behalf with the state Supreme Judicial Court, challenging the ruling by Framingham District Court Judge Paul Healy Jr.
The woman suffered a stroke in 2001 and was living at Sudbury Pines Extended Care. She has a condition called "expressive aphasia," a disorder that makes it difficult to communicate through speech or writing but does not affect her mental capacities, Murphy said. The woman remains at the same facility.
"When a court rules that a fully competent person is unable to testify because she can't communicate, that's a problem," Murphy said. "A lot of people have disabilities that make it difficult to testify. To have someone shut the courtroom door, slam it shut, to a woman who is cognitively competent, is wrong."
In February, the woman claimed she was sexually assaulted by Kofi Agana, who worked as an aide at the nursing home. Through movements and pointing to areas of her body, she claimed Agana touched her breasts and genitals.
Agana, 47, of Fitchburg, was arrested and charged with two counts of indecent assault and battery on a disabled person older than 60 and one count of assault and battery on a disabled person older than 60.
At one point, Agana's lawyer, Robert Canty, asked Healy to determine whether the woman was mentally competent to take the stand. The judge assigned forensic psychologist Rosemary Klein to perform a competency exam.
"Dr. Klein concluded that (the woman) is mentally competent," Murphy said in her appeal to the SJC. "(The woman) was able to express to Dr. Klein that Kofi Agana committed a sexual offense against her as well as other relevant information that indicated her capacity to recall and relate life experiences reliably."
Healy then held a competency hearing in August, and required the woman to testify without the help of an interpretive assistant, Murphy said. After that hearing, Healy ruled the victim was not competent to testify.
Murphy said she believes the ruling is the same as if a judge ruled a deaf person could not use a sign language interpreter while testifying and is a violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
"We want to facilitate the ability of the disabled to have all their rights and the ability to testify," said Murphy. "It's not only a very serious issue with the victim in this one case, but victims in many cases. We would like to send a very different message about the vulnerabilities of disabled people."
Canty could not be reached for comment, but in his response to Murphy's filing, he argued that the nursing home resident has no legal standing to appeal the judge's ruling.
The Middlesex district attorney's office took no stand in the appeal, but noted in a letter to the court that it also believes the victim has no standing to file an appeal.
In a statement, Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone said prosecutors still plan on trying to convict Agana at a trial scheduled to begin Dec. 15 in Framingham District Court.
"We pursued and exhausted every legal, ethical recourse we had within the law and facts of this case, but ultimately are bound by the trial judge's findings on the issue of the victim's competency to testify in this matter," said Leone. "Despite the resulting serious trial challenges that we are faced with, given the trial judge's ruling, we remain ready to fully prosecute this case at trial on behalf of the victim and the commonwealth."
If the SJC does not rule on the appeal before Agana's trial, or if it rules against the appeal, Murphy said she will appeal the case federally.
Agana, who is from Ghana, is being held in federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody because authorities say he is in the country illegally.
The MetroWest Daily News writer Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or email@example.com.


text: The Miguel Cotto vs Danny Geale fight pulled in an average of just under 1.6 million viewers Saturday night on HBO, according to the Neilson ratings. The fight was broadcasted live from the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn, NY. Viewership peaked at 1.62 million making it the thirst highest watched boxing event of the year on HBO or Showtime and the fifth highest viewed boxing fight all year long. Canelo's fight against Kirkland brought in 2.1 million viewers and Klitschko's fight against Jennings brought in a rating of 1.7. Only the PBC on NBC cards have exceeded those numbers. Thurman-Guerrero peaked at a rating of 4.2 million while Danny Garcia's fight against Lamont Peterson peaked at 3.4 million.


text:
20.10.16ReleasesNew BalanceSneakerboot
ARTICLE BY Adam Jane
New Balance Hl Rain
New Balance just shut the door on the sneakerboot game with the classic styling of the big ol' HL Rain. The fully equipped rugged boot is split right down the middle between sneaker and hiker with its full Gore-Tex lining, D-Ring lacing system and chunky Vibram outsole, cushioned with some trusty EVA foam. The combination of leather and nylon panelling on the upper leaves the shoes lightweight but still incredibly sturdy for the heaviest bush bashing you can throw at it.
The New Balance HL Rain is available now from select stockists, including online from End.


text:
Google's Gender Problem Is Actually a Tech Problem
Silicon Valley takes pride in its progressive views on climate change, same-sex marriage, transgender rights and other cultural issues. So why does it have such trouble with gender equality? Women are underrepresented in the U.S. technology industry and hold disproportionately fewer tech-related jobs throughout the developed world. Allegations of bias have pushed some companies to promise improvements, and some high-profile executives have been shown the door. Progress has been slow, however, and in some areas the situation has gotten worse:
The Situation
Women increasingly are speaking out about what they see as a hostile culture. Some complain of unconscious bias: Managers don't view them as leadership material, for example, and informal "buddy networks" that benefit male peers often exclude them. Others say discrimination is more overt and that they're subject to demeaning comments, questions about their personal lives and unwanted sexual advances. A former software engineer at online ride-hailing service Uber Technologies claimed in a 2017 blog post that her boss had propositioned her—and that higher-ups ignored her complaints. Investigations resulted in the resignation of the co-founder and chief executive officer, Travis Kalanick, and calls for numerous policy changes. Venture capitalist Ellen Pao sparked a national debate when her gender discrimination lawsuit against a former employer, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, went to trial in 2015. (She lost.) A campaign of harassment against female video-game developers was exposed in a 2014 scandal dubbed Gamergate. Some of Silicon Valley's biggest companies years ago acknowledged a gender-disparity problem and announced steps to improve family-leave, hiring, pay and training policies. Google parent Alphabet and Apple have committed to hiring more women and publishing data to track the changes. The latest results from Apple: Women held 23 percent of technical jobs by mid-2016, up from 20 percent in 2014. Google, which is fending off a U.S. Department of Labor lawsuit alleging it discriminates against women, in August 2017 fired a male engineer who criticized the company's diversity policies. He had argued in an internal memo that biological differences in part explain the shortage of women in tech.
The Background
Gender disparity in technology jobs is wide and deep. It exists at U.S., European and Asian companies; it's seen at the rank-and-file, executive and board levels; and it extends to salaries as well as slots. Female tech entrepreneurs also get far less venture capital than startups led by men. Larry Summers, as president of Harvard University, suggested in 2005 that innate differences between boys and girls might explain the lack of female scientists and mathematicians. He later apologized, but the incident exposed a grim reality: The education pipeline isn't fixing the problem. Even though high-school girls outperform boys in math and science, boys are more likely to take the standardized tests that lead to a college major in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects. One study showed college-age women tended to steer clear of those majors because they think they must be brilliant, not just hard working, to succeed—a consideration that doesn't seem to deter young men. Women also leave high-tech jobs at twice the rate of men, putting a spotlight on the culture of tech workplaces.
The Argument
One theory for the gender disparity is that tech startups begin with a core of young, like-minded male employees who recruit from their social circles. They are so keenly focused on expanding the business that employment policies are an afterthought. By the time they add a human-resources department, the "bro culture" is hard to dislodge—especially if the company is successful. Some corporations and tech executives say it's time to do more than set hiring goals, citing studies showing the more diverse a company, the more innovative it is and the better its financial performance. Intel is investing $300 million in suppliers, startups and anti-harassment awareness programs in hopes that, by 2020, it will be the first tech company with women and minorities in the same proportions as the U.S. workforce. Girls Who Code, a nonprofit program, teaches middle-school and high-school girls to write computer code at free after-school and summer programs. The Girl Scouts of America is expanding the merit badges girls can earn to include such STEM-related skills as video-game development and digital art. Sheryl Sandberg, the Facebook chief operating officer, in her 2013 book, "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead," says there are things women can do, such as volunteer for tough projects and accept leadership roles when they're offered. Sandberg acknowledged in 2016 that she failed to grasp some of the challenges that women, and especially single mothers, face.
The Reference Shelf
A corporate-sponsored study examines the female brain drain in science, engineering and technology. A 2017 Atlantic magazine article analyzes why Silicon Valley is hard on women. A 2016 study shows how scarce women are on high-tech companies' boards of directors. An American Association of University Women report on why women aren't going into engineering and computing. Catalyst, a think tank that supports women in the workforce, gathers global data and studies on women in STEM fields. A Bloomberg data visualization on the gender pay gap in high tech jobs. A Credit Suisse study shows companies with women in senior positions have better returns on equity.


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Send digital content to smartphones through LED light, ideal for signage and entertainment applications
|Screen size
|55-inch (1387mm)
|49-inch (1232mm)
|42-inch (1064mm)
|700 cd/m²
|700 cd/m²
|700 cd/m²
|LCD panel
|IPS/ E-Led
|IPS/ E-Led
|IPS/ E-Led
- 42", 700 cd/m2, 6,3 mm bezel width
- Built-in LinkRay™ transmission function allowing to send digital information to smartphones using an app
- High brightness and strong reliability enable continuous 24/7 operation with highly durable panel
- High-performance image engine for optimal picture adjustment
- System expandability : USB media player and DIGITAL LINK functions enable simple setup and low system costs
Built-in LinkRay transmission function allowing to send digital information to smartphones
Panasonic has developed a unique, high-speed backlight control technology, which allows the transmission of digital content using the light emitted by the display and a mobile app.
The ID signals transmitted from the screen are read by the smartphone* on which the user will immediately view interactive and customized information, such as as traffic guidance or marketing incentives for instance. The displayed content can also be delivered in the smartphone owner's native language.
Users receive content quickly, easily and securely through a simple, fast, intuitive and impactful experience.
*Panasonic provides a free dedicated LinkRay Solution app for iOS/Android™. Panasonic also provides an SDK (Software Development Kit) that enables collaboration with third-party app developers.
LinkRay Benefits
Simple signage with a LinkRay-Compatible USB Media Player
The SF1H series features a USB media player. This makes Signage operation easier, by simply inputting the desired content (still images or videos) to be displayed via USB, eliminating the need for a set-top box.
The content on the USB memory can now also be used in combination with LinkRay ID signals*, to configure an interactive signage system.
*A separate contract for a Light ID license must be concluded with Panasonic to configure a LinkRay system.
. Content shown on the display can be linked to various digital information sent to the smartphone
Multiples Light IDs can be individually linked to match with each content shown on the display. This allows more information to be delivered on a single display.
. Standalone type
Produced playlists are stored in USB memory. When the memory device is inserted into a display, the content is automatically played.
. Easy playlist production
A playlist can be easily produced using Multi Monitoring & Control Software (free). The playlist is stored in a USB memory device and inserted into the display unit (standalone type). The playlist can also be delivered to a number of displays on a specified, LAN-connected network, and easily rewritten (multiple device delivery type).
Download the software from our Website
. Multiple device delivery type (Intranet)
Content is delivered from a single PC to multiple displays on a specified network. With Multi Monitoring & Control Software, it is possible to remotely change the content of the USB memory via LAN after installation. Content can then be changed even when the display is not easily accessible. Data can be delivered according to a schedule enabling smooth and easy operation.
•Synchronized playback is not possible.
Stylish design and high visibility
The IPS Panel provides a wide viewing angle and minimal colour fluctuations
There is very little change in colour, compared with the VA panel, when the screen is viewed at right or left angles, so the images are crisp and clear. This is ideal for providing correct information in crowded places, such as public spaces and facilities. In addition, the powerful image engine allows to provide the highest picture quality, by automatically refining image parameters such as colour tone, colour density or brightness level, as well as correcting imperfections like blurry contours and noise effects.
Flexible installation
Choose the installation to match your application
The SF1H Series is designed for use in either portrait or horizontal orientation with no effect on panel colour and lifespan, further reducing TCO. A tilt installation up to 45 degrees forward or backward is also possible. The angle can be adjusted for easy viewing when installed in a high location.
Efficiency and reliability for continuous 24-hour operation
The use of highly durable panel materials and quality electronic components ensures dependable 24-hour operation seven days a week. This makes the SF1H Series ideal for installation in retail, hospitality, transport, entertainment industries, and other applications... where absolute reliability is critical.
DIGITAL LINK function enables simple installation and low system costs
Using DIGITAL LINK makes it possible to transmit video, audio and control signals over a long distance (up to 150 m (492 ft)) with a single LAN cable.*1 Easy cabling also reduces labour during setup. This provides transmission of high-quality images and sounds, as well as remote control.
*1 When connected with the [Long reach] mode, the maximum transmission distance is 150 m (492 ft). In this case, the unit can receive the signals of up to 1080/60p. A CAT5e (STP) cable or higher is required.
Cloning function
Cloning function saves labour when setting up multiple devices
You can easily copy the setting data of a master display to other displays using USB memory. This saves labour when making screen settings during the installation of multiple devices.
* If the inch sizes/series for the displays differ, the cloning function does not operate. Use common inch sizes/series.
Failover and failback
Failover and failback safeguards for mission critical situations
The SF1H Series is equipped with a variety of signal input terminals : two HDMI, DVI-D, DIGITAL LINK, and USB. If the main video and audio signals are interrupted, the system immediately switches to alternative signals. This makes it ideal for mission critical control rooms and surveillance centers. If the main signals are restored, the original image is displayed.
Multi Monitoring & Control Software
Multi Monitoring & Control Software (Free) lets you control devices in groups
This free Panasonic software enables you to monitor and control up to 2048 devices over a LAN network from a single PC. As a monitoring
function, the status of multiple devices can be listed in groups, and then detailed information on each device can be separately displayed. As a control function, control commands such as power ON/OFF, input switching and command inputs can be executed, and a schedule function can be used.
Early Warning Software
Compatible with "Early Warning Software" for predictive maintenance
The SF1H Series support Early Warning Software (optional: ET-SWA100), which monitors the status of devices (projectors or flat-panel displays) connected to an intranet, reports device failures, and gives advance warnings by detecting predicted abnormalities, after installation to the PC has been completed. The status of displays in an intranet is observed, and problems are forecast, the occurrence of other problems is sensed, and notification is sent to the user.
* The use of this software will not detect malfunctions in all devices and equipment in advance.
- Images
- Brožury
LinkRay Solutions for MuseumsLinkRay Solutions for Museums
LinkRay Solutions for MuseumsLinkRay Solutions for Museums
Panasonic LinkRay Retail BrochureLinkRay Retail Brochure
Please see below the services available for this product. You can also use this section to access the general Service & Downloads area of the website or contact our Technical Support team.General service & downloads Contact technical support
Please see below the services available for this product. You can also use this section to access the general Service & Downloads area of the website or contact our Technical Support team.General service & downloads Contact technical support
There are currently no key services available.
Please see below the services available for this product. You can also use this section to access the general Service & Downloads area of the website or contact our Technical Support team.General service & downloads Contact technical support
There are currently no other services available.
|700 cd/m2
|Contrast Ratio
|Aspect Ratio
|Response Time
|8 ms (GtoG)
|Effective Display Area (W x H)
|927 x 521 mm (36.5" x 20.5")
|Number of Pixels (H x V)
|1920 x 1080 pixels
|Panel Type
|LCD IPS Panel/E-LED
|Viewing Angle (Horizontal/Vertical)
|Dynamic Contrast
|15.3 kg (33.7 lbs.)
|Power Consumption
|Power Requirements
|110-127/220-240 V AC,50/60 Hz
|Operating Environment
|Temperature : 0℃ to 40℃(32℉ to 104℉)/Humidity: 20-80% (non-condensation)
|Power Off Condition
|Bezel Width
|T/R/L/B : 6.3 mm (0.25")
|Dimensions (W x H x D)
|947 x 541 x 72 mm (37.3" x 21.3" x 2.8")
|Standby Condition
|Wall-Hanging Pitch
|VESA Compliant 400 x 400 mm(15.8" x 15.8")
|Screen Size
|42-inch (1065 mm)
|Dimensions (W x H x D) Excluding Handle Part
|947 x 541 x 57 mm (37.3" x 21.3" x 2.3")


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You may contact me for:
- eBook download problems
- Volume discounts
- Publishing and distribution deals
- Interviews
- Typos & errors
- Questions regarding the content of the book
- Comments and thank you notes
- Scalability consulting
You can send a message to: scalingexperts [ at ] unscramble.jp
My name is Alex Williams and my personal website is a1w.ca. I have been working in the IT industry (specifically in web hosting) for over 18 years, handling infrastructures with up to 20,000 servers. I have experienced my fair share of successes, failures, disasters, problems and unimaginable situations within the confines of a datacenter, NOC and customer support desk. This eBook has been compiled with the help of many skilled and experienced system/network administrators.
Feel free to contact me with questions or comments, but please keep any flames to yourself.
Alex Williams


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Burrows Moving Company is an independent, professional Chicago Moving and storage company. Over the last 30+ years, Burrows has established itself as one of the top moving companies in Chicago focusing on residential and commercial moves. In addition, the company has a long history of moving specialty items such as luxury furniture, grand pianos, organs, and more. In addition, Burrows can assist with packing, hoisting, and storage needs.
Visit our website to learn more about our Chicago land moving and packing services, learn about the areas and suburbs we serve, and see what makes us different.


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Contrary to popular belief, earthquakes are not unique to California or the West Coast. In fact, there are 45 states in the U.S. that are at risk for an earthquake, which makes most of us vulnerable. Like all natural disasters, earthquakes can be a frightening event, but perhaps more frightening is that they are almost impossible to predict.
Since an earthquake can strike at any moment, it's important to take precautions ahead of time to be well prepared and lessen your chances of being harmed. The following are five simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your family.
- Keep an emergency supplies kit handy. Purchase or create your own emergency kit with essential items. Depending on the seriousness of the event, it may take hours or even days for rescue workers to reach you. Some items to include in your kit are: first aid kit, battery-powered radio, flashlight with extra batteries, a whistle to call out for help, non-perishable food and water to last for three days.
- Arrange your furniture carefully. During a strong earthquake, it's possible that furniture pieces and other objects may move around and potentially cause injuries. Secure tall furniture such as bookshelves or china cabinets to the wall to prevent them from falling over. Also, be sure to hang picture frames, mirrors and other heavy objects away from beds and sofas where they can easily fall on people.
- Choose a safe go-to spot in your house. Many people think the safest spot during an earthquake is the doorway. In reality, it's safer to be under a sturdy piece of furniture such as a table or desk. Another option is to stand against a wall that's located away from windows or furniture that may fall on you.
- Learn how to shut off your gas valve. It's possible that the shaking may damage the gas pipes and cause a natural gas leak, which can lead to a fire or even an explosion. Become familiar with your house's gas valve and learn how to shut it off. Be sure to have a wrench handy to do this.
- Practice an earthquake drill. Make sure to practice how to "drop, cover and hold on." If you have a sturdy table or desk, drop under it. Use one hand to cover your head and the other to hold on to the table or desk.
Though earthquakes are never a pleasant experience, it's better to be prepared for them as much as possible. For more tips on earthquake preparedness, visit redcross.org/prepare.


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Roman Hamata
The Romans used mail shirts with and without shoulder doublet protection. Mail "Hamata" was generally worn by the Auxiliary troops, in the Empire Period; but legionaries also utilized it. Mail is particularly good as protection against slashing or blunt weapon attacks, but was not as effective as segmentata plate armor as a defense from arrows and stabbing weapons. It requires that a heavy fabric or leather arming gambison garment be worn behind it for maximum protection.
Brand: Deepeeka
Era: Medieval
Series: Chainmail
Material: MIld Steel
The lorica hamata is a type of mail armour used by soldiers of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. During the 1st century AD it was starting to be supplemented by lorica segmentata, but had been reintroduced as sole standard-issue armour by the 4th century AD. It was issued to both primary legionary and secondary auxiliary troops and was mostly manufactured out of iron rings.


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If you know me, you will know that I'm a fairly confident person. When it comes to my womanhood, however, I know there was a time where I embraced it much more than I do now.
In the last couple of years I have noticed that while I try to get a grip on my job, my plans for the future, and my life in general, the idea of being sensible began to cast a shadow over my womanhood. Though I have always been encouraging towards other women with what they wish to do with their lives and their bodies, I was unknowingly beginning to cover myself up.
What I want for my womanhood
I have always been surrounded by a wonderful group of friends who share the same values as me when it comes to womanhood. Your body is your own, no one can or should tell you what you can or cannot do with it, no one can decide whether your sexual actions are taboo or otherwise, and you should do whatever you like as long as you're never intentionally hurting anyone in the process (we also have to remember that people are only human and make mistakes so it would be foolish to shame someone for hurting another unintentionally). So why do I not apply this to my own womanhood?
Don't get me wrong, if you don't WANT to do something sexually, there is no reason to argue otherwise, that is your personal stance on your own womanhood. If you want to wear clothes that cover you head to toe, then that's perfectly okay. If you don't want to talk to friends about your sex life, that's okay too. For me, however, I'm one of those people who wish to wear more "risque" clothes and has honest conversations about what goes on in the bedroom, but sometimes I find myself being blocked by my conscience, and I find it to be a knock to my womanhood.
You can't judge a book by its cover
Though you may have seen photos and other posts on my social media accounts that suggest I'm extremely confident with my womanhood, knowing me on a more personal level would perhaps suggest that I tend to put up a shield without intending to do so. I'll put an outfit on that I think looks fabulous, then in an hour, I'm in a public place, worrying about the fact that I look "too slutty" or that I appear to be trying too hard.
I will say, however, that pole is something where I don't even have to think about my womanhood. When in training, I don't see myself as either being too sexual or too prudish, my body is simply mine and I'm working hard to be proud of it. But despite having a sanctuary where my womanhood doesn't feel sheltered, I want to bring that out of the studio and into my everyday life.
Baby steps to rediscover my womanhood
So what changes have I chosen to make? Many of you may have heard of Katherine Elizabeth if you are based in Manchester. Though she is a dear friend of mine, she is also an incredible photographer with a knack for making anyone feel comfortable in front of the camera. As part of the plan to rediscover my womanhood, we came up with the idea of a simple photo shoot to help rebuild my confidence.
If I were to go to any other photographer, I fear we would have been there for hours trying to get the right selection of images. We had too many to choose from by the time we were done, and we were surprised that the shooting time took as little as it did. We managed to narrow down the images to a selection of around thirty. I had to ask her to surprise me with the final few as I was so overwhelmed with how happy I was with the photos!
Seeing things clearly
I don't remember the last time I looked at a photo of myself and thought "Wow, I am hot!" It's just not the norm to think that way, we're supposedly not allowed to fully embrace our womanhood. We are told that we should love ourselves more, but the second we start to embrace how we look, our sexiness, our "duck faces" and "smizes", we are suddenly vain and full of ourselves.
Since the photo shoot, I have felt more confident in my womanhood. I won't say that I am where I aim to be just yet, but it's a start and a big one at that. I'm taking more selfies, being more adventurous with my makeup and wardrobe choices, and caring less about what others may think.
What do you want for your womanhood?
As I said, this is journey is my own. I can't determine what your idea of womanhood is, nor anyone else's, but if you feel that something is missing then I encourage you to look for it. It's not up to the rest of the world to decide what we do with our bodies or our life, so it's important to look in the mirror from time to time and tell yourself that you are amazing, wonderful, spectacular and that no one else can determine otherwise.
However you view your womanhood, it is always going to be yours and it's up to you to own it!
Though I have said it a so many times in these last few weeks, I am beyond grateful to Katherine Elizabeth for taking the time to do this shoot with me and put a reminder in my brain to love my womanhood for what it is and how I want to carry it with me. You may see some changes in my social media now, but I don't think my journey to loving my womanhood is complete just yet.


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House Beautiful has teamed up with the Federation of Master Builders to bring you this unique service.
- To find an expert builder in your area, please click here to be directed to its directory service.
- If you already have an account with the Federation of Master Builders, please log in here.
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Time to do the same thing every site does this time of the year, make a top 5 list. Considering that Deedo and I do a podcast on Anime, why not make a list of our favorite anime of 2012? You might notice that a lot of the anime was featured on the podcast, but hey it's the reason why I started the podcast. Keep in mind that these are our personal favorites and there are no numbers behind any of these, it's just the 5 we liked!
The list starts below the break!
1) Ano Natsu De Matteru
If you have been listening to the podcast you know that I am totally in love with this show. There aren't that many anime that get me so excited where I'll do something like commission a plushy of a character. The anime is about a bunch of friends that decide to make a movie during their summer vacation. For the star of the film they get a new transfer student, Ichika Takatsuki, is actually an alien who has traveled to Earth to find a place that she keeps seeing in her dreams. The funny thing about this anime is that it's not about the fact that Ichika is an alien but the different relationships between all the characters. Fans of Onegai/Please Teacher and Onegai/Please Twins you will definitely like this anime, it's from the same creator! Just remember: Rinon, Remon (ok I cheated and changed it from Lemon), Ramen!
2) Kokoro Connect
This is the only anime on my list that didn't end up being a featured anime on the podcast. That being said, this anime is way too good to pass up. This anime knew how to pull the right heartstrings in every episode. Kokoro Connect is about a group of friends who mysteriously start to switch bodies randomly with each other. Each character reacts differently to the body switching and we learn about some of the inner demons that each character has. It's definitely an anime to watch and, if you can, marathoning it will keep you from agonizing to see the next episode. I really didn't expect to get this from this anime but it totally sucked me in.
3) Kuroko's Basketball
First of all let me just say I love basketball that fact alone sold me on this anime. I haven't seen an anime about basketball since Slam Dunk. You really can't go wrong with this anime, even if you aren't a sports fan. What scared me about this anime was that it would get repetitive very quickly. Kuroko's Basketball managed to keep it new and fresh every episode, there was a good balance of action both on and off the court. Plus Tetsuya #2 is too adorable to not watch this anime (I actually own the plush!). The ending was a bit slow for me but I can't wait for the spring to see how Seirin does in the winter cup!
4) Psycho-Pass
So far all the anime I have mentioned has been on the light side, Kokoro Connect is probably the darkest. Psycho-Pass on the other hand is definitely a darker anime. In the world of Psycho-Pass everything is quantifiable, including a person's mental state, which is called their Psycho-Pass. If a person's psycho-pass gets too high, the person is considered a latent criminal. Overseeing this is the SIYBL system, it decides what your job will be and your mental state, all in the name of making sure everyone is happy. Akane Tsunemori is the newest member of the public safety bureau and the anime follows her as she discovers the world and SYBL might not be utopia everyone promised. The reason I love this anime is that it brings up philosophical questions in a world where are relying more and more on technology.
5) Sword Art Online
What happens if a game is more than a game? Where if you die in game you die in real life? Sword Art Online (SAO) is an anime that asks that question, you literally plug your mind into the game to play. We follow Kirito as he tries to battle his way through the game so he can free everyone from this virtual prison. You might be wondering why in the world isn't higher on the list; it is a fairly popular anime right now. The reason why is the first half of the anime was really good, you felt for the characters and could see their drive to beat this game. The second half on the other hand is a bit disappointing, you just don't get the same feel and drive from the characters like you did in the first half. It might just be the victim of such a good first half but because of the second half it got a lower ranking for me in this list. If anything I would consider the first half a must watch and the second being pretty much optional.
So that's my top 5 anime of 2012. Let us know in the comments below, on twitter or facebook your top 5 anime of 2012.
I just wanted to say thanks for all of you guys who have been watching, listening and/or reading the stuff Deedo and I have been doing. We love doing all of this stuff and it means even more when we see that you guys enjoy it too! Here's to 2013 and what new adventures that await us!
Tags: 2012, anime, Ano Natsu De Matteru, KOKORO-CONNECT, ktdata, Kuroko no Basuke, Psycho-Pass, Sword Art Online