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Italian Appetizer
5½ cups chicken broth
2 garlic cloves
1 onion
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, or oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups Arborio* rice
½ cup dry white wine
¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons butter
* = The properties of Arborio are important to this dish. The best substitute for Arborio is Carnaroli, with regular short-grain rice to be used only in a pinch.
Serves 10 or 5 if served as an entree. Takes 45 minutes.
Add chicken broth to pot. Simmer at warm heat. While broth simmers, mince garlic cloves and onion. Dice Italian parsley. Add garlic, onion, and olive oil to pan. Sauté at medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Stir frequently
Add rice. Reduce heat to medium. Sauté for 3 minutes or until rice smells toasty and turns translucent. Stir frequently, making sure rice is thoroughly coated with olive oil. Add wine. Sauté until rice absorbs all the liquid. Stir frequently. Add broth 1 cup at time. Stir gently after each addition until the rice absorbs the broth. This should take about 25 minutes with the rice being creamy and al dente, just a little bit firm. Remove from heat and gently stir in butter and Parmesan cheese. Garnish with Italian parsley. Serve immediately.
1) Karl Marx visited lovely Florence in 1848. While waiting forever for an espresso, Crabby Karl listened as workers at the next table complained loudly and endlessly about the oppressive Austrian rule over their city. His patience exhausted, he yelled at the workers, "So, riot." They did. Fortunately, the chef had been whipping up a new rice dish. He served the workers just as they were about to go and throw bricks at the constabulary. The workers loved their risotto. They completely lost their urge to run amuck. The anagramist among them said, "no 'so, riot.'" He lifted up his bowl of rice. "Risoto." A typo turned that into "Risotto. Oh, and Karl would go on to other things.
– Paul De Lancey, The Comic Chef
My cookbook, Following Good Food Around the World, with its 180 wonderful recipes, my newest novel, Do Lutheran Hunks Eat Mushrooms, a hilarious apocalyptic thriller, and all my other books, are available on amazon.com.


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The joys of HDMI!
I've spent the last 3 or 4 hours troubleshooting an HDMI issue between my Sony amplifier and TV. With the TV in the lounge and the AV kit in the garage, with only a single HDMI cable running between them I figured I was into a world of hurt.
A few days ago my wife informed me that we'd been getting a message saying the Bravia Sync connection had failed while she'd been watching TV, the error message had gone away, so she'd not thought twice about it.
Last night however we got the same message, and then the amp stopped interacting with the TV, culminating this morning with the amp not sending any form of signal to the TV, after multiple powering down / back up of both the TV and the amp still nothing, in a fit of rage I pulled every HDMI cable out of the amp.
One last ditch attempt at trying seeing if anything had changed, voila! the connection started working. As always the cables behind the amp were a mess, no-one else sees that bit do they? I decided to wire each component in with the correct length of cable, one at a time,
Xbox One – check,
Humax Freesat – check,
Apple TV – check,
Blu Ray – check,
Roku – check,
Amazon Fire TV – BANG!!!
So now I have an almost complete set of components running with the amp, but sadly my Amazon Fire is now relegated to one of the other rooms.
I've done some reading on the web now, and found a similar issue with the Now TV box from Sky, supposedly the solution is an HDMI female to male connector with pin 13 blanked out. I shall be investing in one of the connectors in the near future and will see if thats the solutions.

subset: commoncrawl


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Make It
Rent rents them.
+ 1 Reply and 5 Revisions
These pieces are grouped in a collection labeled war. Collections are an evolving classification for pieces grown in Rooster Land. They are sometimes utilized as a shorthand completion of the contextual essence necessary to understand a piece. Just as often they serve to organize serializations or themes that are intentionally curated by one or more animals.


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i love you monster novel pdf
19 years old Davi, married a stranger whom she never seen at all to save her little brother. Until she found herself being bound with a certain mission.
Her mission is to seduce her stone cold husband who is never romantically interested with anyone and bear his child.


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Augusta Ventures ranked as 'tier two' funder in Legal 500 UK Rankings 2023
October 20th 2022
Fiona leads the Diligence and Monitoring Teams at Augusta the UK's largest Litigation Funder by case volume. The Diligence Team assess the merits of cases for funding and manage cases through our review and approval process. Fiona works with the team to ensure we deliver an excellent service to claimants and law firms. In her personal capacity, Fiona has worked on a wide variety of cases including investor state arbitrations, breach of contract disputes, professional negligence claims and large multi-party claims. The Monitoring Team look after funded cases through to resolution and Fiona works with them to provide assistance to law firms and clients throughout the process.
Prior to joining Augusta, Fiona was a Partner at Plexus Law and before that she was a Partner at Pinsent Masons for many years specialising in a wide range of commercial disputes with particular expertise in professional indemnity claims.
Fiona holds an LLB from the University of Sheffield.
Related News & Insights


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Check out our Foundation DONOR WALL!!
Visit our DONOR WALL!
We want YOUR name on the Wall as soon as possible!
The Hastings Public Schools Foundation Donor Wall is located in the lobby of the Hastings Senior High Auditorium. This permanently installed wall is dedicated to the many donors who Extend the Horizon of Opportunity to students in the Hastings Public Schools.
Your contributions are important to the HPS Foundation.
|Wood/Metal Plaque Giving Levels
|___ $ 5,000
|___ $ 75,000
|___ $ 10,000
|___ $ 100,000
|___ $ 15,000
|___ $ 150,000
|___ $ 20,000
|___ $ 200,000
|___ $ 35,000
|___ $ 250,000
|___ $ 50,000
|___ Other
A contribution of $5,000 or more is required for a donor to have an individual wood/metal plaque permanently placed on the Donor Wall. The Wall will be updated yearly. If, in a future year, a donor meets the qualification for the next level of giving, the donor's name-plate will be removed and an upgraded name-plate will be installed to honor the donor's new level of giving.
As a donor's giving levels rises, the wood/metal plaque installed to honor the donor increases in size and prominence.
*Donors who make cumulative contributions totaling $1,000 to $4,999 are honored by having their names on a separate group placard, which has been installed in the High School Auditorium Lobby.


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Noelle H.
Today, our lovely friend (and one of our pandemic medical heroes) Noelle speaks to us about a special beach house … Continue Reading Noelle H.
Today, our lovely friend (and one of our pandemic medical heroes) Noelle speaks to us about a special beach house … Continue Reading Noelle H.
Today, Lisa speaks to us about her love for singing, what we can learn from the turtle, and her goal … Continue Reading Lisa H.
Today, Shaela speaks to us about how prayer is a dialogue, the books she is gathering for her son, and … Continue Reading Shaela D.
Today, Sarah joins us from Brazil and speaks to us about the power of love, the story of Joseph and … Continue Reading Sarah V.
Today, Tara speaks to us about mentorship, accountability and community, and her pursuit of patience. Tara A. Tell us a … Continue Reading Tara A.
Today, Helen speaks to us about how her faith has grown through her incredible running record, her new business and … Continue Reading Helen M.
Today, Miriam speaks to us about seeing the miraculous in everyday life, the fact that everyone is fighting a battle … Continue Reading Miriam B.
Today, Becca speaks to us about the power of being present, how it's ok not to know, and the best … Continue Reading Becca
Today, Jo speaks to us about the amazing book she is reading, being a Christian yoga instructor, and the amazing … Continue Reading Josephine L.
Today, Kelsey shares with us how God cleared a path for her, the impact of Christian bosses, and how God … Continue Reading Kelsey B.
Today, Noemi speaks to us about her desire to mirror God and to not be a replica or mirror of … Continue Reading Noemi C.
Today, I am so excited to share Bailey's interview. I absolutely love her site, Stuff and Guff, and her newsletters. … Continue Reading Bailey L.
Today, Chloe talks to us about how God inspired her to start Missions Trend and how if we call ourselves … Continue Reading Chloe B.
Today, Leah speaks to us about not running on our own strength, being present over perfect and how God was … Continue Reading Leah R.
Today, Sonia speaks to us about choosing life, how we can't hide from God and how she was inspired to … Continue Reading Sonia Q.
Today, Lyn speaks to us about how God can make something beautiful out of a mess, how the Bible has … Continue Reading Lyn A.


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How To Keep Weight OffHealth & Body 4243 1
Kyle shares the secrets of how to keep off the weight you've lost using his tried and tested approach.
Food MattersHealth & Body 6315 2
With nutritionally-depleted foods, chemical additives and ourtendency to rely upon pharmaceutical drugs to treat what's wrong with our malnourished bodies, it's no wonder that modern society is getting sicker.
How to Lose Weight from your ThighsHealth & Body 3894 1
Let's focus first on how to lose weight and then specifically look at the thigh area. There's some good news, there's some bad news…


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Myers Brier & Kelly, LLP (MBK) announces that Nicholas F. Kravitz, Esq. joined the firm's partnership effective January 1, 2018. Nick started at MBK in 2008 as a member of the litigation team after completing a clerkship with the Honorable Vito P. Geroulo. Nick has represented clients in civil and criminal litigation in federal and state trial courts and in appeals before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the Commonwealth and Superior Courts of Pennsylvania and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
The majority of Nick's practice involves representing MBK clients in complex medical malpractice matters and litigation related to the exploration, production, gathering and transportation of Marcellus natural gas.


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When searching for a quality auto repair shop, look no further than Webb's Transmission and Auto Repair. With over 45 years in the business, Webb's is the oldest auto repair shop in the area. Servicing Destin vehicles and the surrounding areas, we offer repairs you can trust. We make it our goal to get you back on the road.
Dedicated to keeping you safe on the road, our mechanics will keep your vehicle running in top condition. We use the latest automotive technology to provide the highest quality service in the area. Contact us today to schedule your free diagnostics test today.
web design by revive media services


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Luxury West Coast and Hawaii Special Offer Holiday
Selected dates in 2023
Days 1-4 Las Vegas
MGM Grand hotel and casino offers award-winning restaurants, four pools and fantastic evening entertainment to start your west coast and Hawaii holiday. Famous shows include KÀ by Cirque du Soleil and David Copperfield, or enjoy the swimming pools with three whirlpools and a lazy river. Guestrooms are fully equipped with a massive King or Queen sized bed and all high end furnishings, plus wireless and wired Internet access. MGM Grand features a spacious gaming floor complete with slot machines and table games.
Days 4-6 Los Angeles
Next you will make your way to Los Angeles for all the Hollywood attractions. Located in downtown Los Angeles the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza where you will stay for 2 nights is a 17 story-hotel that offers an outdoor heated lap pool, spa services, fitness center, two restaurants, and an exclusive Executive Club Floor and Lounge plus with the outdoor patio showcasing stunning views of the downtown Los Angeles skyline.s
Days 6-12 Oahu Hawaii
Stay at the Park Shore Waikiki Hotel for 6 nights and experience the famous Waikiki beach and Diamond head views from one of their oceanview balconies. Located right on the Waikiki beach surfing and snorkelling will be at your fingertips. Park Shore Waikiki offers an oceanview pool and sundeck and 2 restaurants to enjoy, plus just a short walk away you can visit The Honolulu Zoo, Kapiolani Park and the Waikiki Aquarium.
Days 12-14 San Francisco
The final leg of your journey will be staying at Hotel Carlton, a Joie de Vivre Boutique Hotel, with very well received tripadvisor reviews this charming hotel will be your home for the remaining 2 nights. Famous attractions are within walking distance and include union square, Powell Street, Chinatown and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Guestrooms are clean and well presented and there is Complimentary wireless Internet access available throughout.
Luxury West Coast and Hawaii Special Offer Holiday Summary
- Flights with Virgin Atlantic and Hawaiian Airlines.
- 4 nights - MGM Grand Hotel and Casino - Las Vegas
- 2 nights - Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza - Los Angeles
- 6 nights - Aqua Park Shore Waikiki - Oahu
- 2 nights - Hotel Carlton, a Joie de Vivre Boutique Hotel - San Francisco
Prices from £3299per person (2 persons sharing)
This holiday has been built by our team of Hawaiian experts, but it is completely flexible and we welcome your input in designing your dream holiday. Call our Hawaii team today and start planning the holiday of a lifetime.
All offers and prices are subject to our terms and conditions and availability at the time of booking. Various travel dates apply, and offers are based on maximum occupancy for accommodation. Resort fees/entrance fees are not included. If this offer is not exactly what you are looking for, or you would like alternative hotels/locations/airports, please contact us and one of our specialist travel consultants will create your holiday to suit your requirements.


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Drive a little, learn a lot at two conferences
There are two good OSU Extension conferences in March a short drive away at the R.G. Drage Career Center, 2800 Richville Drive SE, Massillon, that offer some good learning opportunities. The East Ohio Women in Agriculture conference is Friday, March 24, and the Northeast Ohio Small Farm Conference is Saturday, March 25.
The East Ohio WIA conference runs from 9 a.m.-3:45 p.m. Keynoting this year will be Marlene Eick of Herdmark Media. The conference program features a networking fair, 16 breakout sessions and two new extended breakout sessions, all presented by OSU Extension educators, producers and partner agencies. Breakout sessions highlight five themes including business and finance; plants and animals; communication, home and family, and special interest. The state officers of the Ohio FFA Association will again present a special session just for young women (high school age). Youth participants can also engage in any of the remaining sessions with their adult counterparts. Register online at www.regonline.com/womeninageast. Cost is $55 for adults and $30 for students. Fee includes conference, continental breakfast, lunch and conference handouts.
The Northeast Ohio "Living Your Small Farm Dream" is a program of the OSU Extension Small Farm Program and will provide farm owners and landowners with the opportunity to learn more about skills useful on a small farm, how to make small farms work better, expand operations, or gather ideas on how to utilize rural acreage.
Participants will choose from more than 25 different sessions offered more than four breakout sessions during the day. General topic tracks include horticulture production, livestock and aquaculture, small farm management, natural resources, marketing and selling. Presenters include OSU Extension specialists and educators as well as USDA agency personnel and area farmer entrepreneurs. The trade show represents industries, businesses, services and organizations that provide products or services used on a small farm or rural property.
A sampling of topics includes:
■ Chainsaw safety, maintenance and operation;
■ Raising sheep and goats;
■ Grass-fed beef production;
■ Fruit tree pruning;
■ Hobby maple syrup production;
■ Fruit tree and small fruit disease management and prevention;
■ Micro greens production;
■ Vegetable production and season extension with tunnels;
■ Using and calibrating handheld sprayers on the farm;
■ Growing shiitake mushrooms;
■ Selling eggs, poultry, produce and cottage foods;
■ Marketing meat goats;
■ Renting and leasing farmland;
■ Renewable energy;
■ Small farm tax Issues;
■ Aquaculture opportunities; and
■ Vegetable disease diagnostics.
The chainsaw safety and vegetable production/tunnels sessions both extend over two break-out time periods. The vegetable production/tunnels session will start at the OARDC high tunnels in Wooster and move to the RG Drage Center for the indoor portion. Participants may elect to do only the Wooster part, only the RG Drage Center part or both parts of this topic.
The conference begins with registration at 8 a.m., opens with a general session at 9 p.m. and ends about 3:45 p.m. Registration is $60 per person, which includes lunch and morning refreshments. Registration deadline is March 17. Register online at http://agnr.osu.edu/small-farm-programs/small-farm-conferences-and-trade-shows. A conference brochure listing all the breakout sessions along with a registration form, also is available on the Wayne County Extension website at: http://go.osu.edu/NEOHSmFMConf.
For those attending both the Women in Agriculture conference March 24 plus the small farm conference March 25, there is a discounted registration fee of $100 to attend both. Student discounts also are available.
Recent weather and impact on perennial plants
Although our recent spell of unseasonably warm weather has been enjoyed by those who are not fond of typical winter weather, this is not favorable for our perennial plants. Once buds swell or even burst, plants are sensitive to freezing damage. The bottom line is, we have a long way to go before we are past the risk of frost and freezing temperatures and we may see damage to some of our perennial plants this year. There is an article about temperatures and the timing of dormant spray applications to fruit posted on our website at http://wayne.osu.edu, which may be of special interest to fruit growers.
Rory Lewandowski is an OSU Extension Agriculture & Natural Resources educator and may be reached at 330-264-8722.


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LSU-McNeese State game cancelled due to lightning
BATON ROUGE – It was Saturday Night Lightning in Tiger Stadium instead of Saturday Night Live.
The season opening football game between No. 13 LSU and McNeese State Saturday night was cancelled due to lightning, meaning there will be no resumption of the game.
The Tigers will open the 2015 season at Mississippi State next Saturday at 8:15 p.m. on ESPN. McNeese State will open up against Incarnate Word at 6 p.m. Saturday in Lake Charles. Officials from both schools discussed rescheduling the game later in the season, but the team's lone open dates did not match.
"We tried," LSU coach Les Miles said. "It just didn't seem quite worth it."
LSU and McNeese State kicked off at 6:39 p.m. as scheduled and were tied 0-0 with 10:08 to play in the first quarter when lightning struck in clear view of the stadium at 6:50 p.m., and play was stopped. NCAA rules say a game cannot resume until 30 minutes pass with no lightning. That never happened as dozens of bolts of lightning could be seen over the next three hours and 50 minutes.
LSU, McNeese State and Southeastern Conference officials agreed to cancel the game all together when lightning continued after 10:30 p.m. LSU officials believe this may have been the first game LSU game cancelled due to weather after starting.
"The weather never cooperated," Miles said. "It was another half hour and another half hour and another half hour. We gave every consideration we could to being on the field and playing that game."
LSU athletic director Joe Alleva said he will address game refunds in the near future. McNeese State will still get $500,000 for the game as agreed to when the game was scheduled.
"I want to thank our fans for coming," he said. "It boiled down to player safety. At the end of the day, we have to be concerned about the players' welfare."
Both teams had one possession in the game. Sophomore Brandon Harris of Bossier City started at quarterback for the Tigers, but completed just 1 of 2 passes for -4 yards. Tailback Leonard Fournette carried twice for 11 yards.
"We'll watch the film tomorrow," Miles said as laughter broke out in a press conference that lasted about 10 minutes longer than the game. "That's exactly right. Not a lot to watch."


text: Last night The Ten Tour kicked off in Newcastle for the 5 ladies of Girls Aloud, they are finally back on the road and stage performing their greatest hits from Sound of the Underground to Something New. And the put on on hell of show with their eye catching outfits and and dance moves. Their Hard work rehearsing for weeks and weeks has paid off, the show features the girls in aerial platforms, a stage in the middle of the audience, tiny dresses, dancers, chairs rising from the floor , Cheryl's new Tattoo and their is a moment when Nicola emerges from a trapdoor wearing a giant Native American headdress.


text: I started Carspotter Daily in 2012. I have always had a passion for cars, mainly supercars and hypercars for some reason. I've met some really influential people who inspired me to continue taking photos. The inspiration has been phenomenal from the beginning – most notably from Teamledin and Rob & Carol from the FCA. I love suggestions and general feedback, please, put my media under the microscope!


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Now you can see which products fit your vehicle directly on the product's category page.
Find the category you're looking for, click the blue Select your vehicle button, and enter your vehicle details to find compatible products. Yes, it's that simple!
Bring your life. From bikes and skis to roof boxes and other cargo, our roof rack carriers help you transport your life on your car. Wherever you want to go – easily, safely and in style.
The low-profile Thule Edge system offers a sleek, integrated design, while the Thule Evo system maximizes the loading area and comes in a variety of load bar options.
Thule load bar features include aerodynamics, durability and styling to complement your car. Once you have selected a Thule load bar, the Thule Buyer's Guide will recommend the length that best suits your specific car.
Thule feet are designed and tested to fit specific roof lines and existing factory-fitted racks, giving you the strongest, safest and most secure foundations for transporting gear on your roof. The Thule Buyer's Guide directs you to the correct foot type for your vehicle. In many cases, you will also need to purchase a Thule Fit Kit (also indicated in the Thule Buyer's Guide). The fit kit consists of custom items like brackets that are made to secure the Thule roof rack to your car perfectly.
For some vehicles, Thule has created complete carrier options that include the load bars, feet, fit kits and locks in a single package. The Thule Buyer's Guide will indicate if a complete carrier is available for your car.
The Thule Buyer's Guide will assist you in selecting the perfect product for your needs. In the guide, you will also find information on technical specifications, fitting instructions and other details to make your product easy and safe wherever your adventure leads you.
The information in this guide is supplied as a service. Thule encourages you to thoroughly read instruction guides and user manuals for products as well as for your car where applicable.
Read more in Legal and Privacy Policy.
How to use the Thule Buyer's Guide
To complement your product, select from the list of accessories and adapters.
To recommend a perfect Thule rack solution, your car information – make, year and model – is mandatory to supply.
Where a car model has several roof variations you will need to specify the roof type of your specific car as well.
Reset car selection
Please select a load bar to continue.
Please select your car to continue.
At Thule, ensuring our products fit your vehicle perfectly is a priority.
If you have a newer vehicle, the Thule fit engineers may still be reviewing your vehicle's fit. Our fit guide is updated frequently with new fit information. Please check back for the latest on your vehicle.
If you have an older vehicle, the Thule fit engineers may not have approved a roof rack for your vehicle. As an alternative, depending on what you would like to carry, we offer racks that fit the rear of your vehicle.
Looking for a roof rack for your car?
We are here to help you find the right roof rack for your vehicle. Our custom fit guide will provide you with all the roof rack options designed specifically for your vehicle. Using the fit configurator, enter the make, year, and model of your car and then select the type of roof you have to determine the best options for your vehicle.


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Rising UK house music group DASCO, who is made up of Dale Askew, Scott Stoddart, and Daniel Green, has quickly established themselves as one of the World's premier club music productions teams and DJ acts. In 2015, Dasco released their hit single "What I Need (Right Here, Right Now) (feat. Justina Maria)" which reached number 1 on the Billboard Breakout Chart. The single also received support from BBC Radio 1, Radio1 Xtra, and many other large stations.
The overwhelming support for their debut single lead to the 2015 Radikal Records release of, What I Need (Right Here, Right Now) US Remixes, which spun the spring-break dance anthem in a variety of new directions.
Now DASCO are back with their powerful follow-up single, Strike Me Down. This new uplifting deep house track, released April 15, 2016 is powered by the soulful and emotional vocal performance of Crystal Monee. The Radikal release is accompanied by an exclusive set of remixes from Giuseppe D., Funky Junction & Pri yon Joni Silky Smooth along with additional remixes by LeSonic, Martijn Ten Velden, and Matte Blac.
For more information on DASCO visit dascoofficial.co.uk.
Follow DASCO online on Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud.


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Thanks to my friend "Voice of the Trailer" for nominating this week's BWA. Viki Knox certainly earns the great dishonor with her homophobic comments on Facebook. Knox, a public school teacher in New Jersey, demonstrated how LGBT youth are bullied by those in power–the teachers that are charged with educating and protecting.
Knox posted on her facebook page:
…that homosexuality was a "sin" that "breeds like cancer" and that marking LGBT History Month was like parading "unnatural, immoral behavior before the rest of us."
Of course, Knox is pulling the "victim" card about freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Sorry, Viki. You don't get to be both the persecutor and victim at the same time. If a comment by a teacher had been against blacks, Jews, Muslims, or any other oppressed and marginalized population, she would be fired. Shame on you Viki for not seeing how your comments only help to support a white, male, heterosexual power structure. Double shame because you are a teacher. When did you chose to be heterosexual?


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Every so often – okay, let's be real here… probably almost every month, and sometimes multiple times a month – I envy men for their lack of menstruation. But then, out of nowhere, I remember that not only do they have an embarrassing display when they are, shall we say, stimulated in public, but they have penises. I totally take periods over penises. For females, we only have to hang around with our periods for about a week every month. But guys, their penises hang around – and quite literally – all the time. That just sucks, in my opinion. I mean, I occasionally also think that breasts are a hassle with running and other bouncy sports. But that is nothing compared to having to deal with something getting in the way of my stride and any other leg movement at all times. Ugh… poor guys.
Post-a-day 2018


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As a donor, your grantees' results are your results—they are creating change for the people and causes you care most passionately about. So collaborating effectively with your grantees is a critical step on your journey from aspirations to real results.
Donors often like to think that they are "partnering" with their grantees. But given the enormous power imbalance between donors (who have money) and grantees (who seek it), "partnership" isn't usually the first word that comes to a nonprofit leader's mind. Behind closed doors, grantees air a raft of complaints about their donors. So it's important to know: Are your relationships with your grantees partnerships—or are they train wrecks?
What are the keys to building a strong relationship with grantees? In our experience, these relationships are grounded in shared goals and buoyed by a productive working relationship.
Sometimes it may appear that you and your grantee are aligned, when you really aren't. For example, imagine that you are funding an organization that runs an afterschool program you believe in and want to help grow. How can you be sure your definition of growth matches that of the afterschool program? Perhaps you envision national expansion while the organization pictures serving the same kids with deeper services, such as summer camps and college counseling services. Donors and grantees should have a common fact base. "Disconnects" like that can cause a donor and grantee to work at cross-purposes; ultimately, the beneficiaries lose out.
Here's a litmus test question—all else being equal, would your grantees prefer you to another funder? While "getting along" is an important component of a strong working relationship, truly successful partnerships do more than that—ultimately boosting each partner's ability to get results. In practice, developing a productive working relationship means really maximizing your gift through managing the true cost of philanthropic capital, and capturing opportunities to add value beyond monetary gifts.
Donors impose (sometimes unwittingly) significant costs of capital on their grantees through the grant application process, program involvement, and grant renewal process. The burdensome nature of the grantee application and renewal process is widely acknowledged but persists nonetheless. A 2011 Foundation Center survey of 66 institutions found, for example, that inconsistencies in the grant procedures, questions, and requirements placed on grantees increased the nonprofits' administrative burdens. However, not all costs donors impose are as obvious. The cost of donor program involvement, for example, is often hidden. This can manifest itself when donors become excessively involved in program design, and pressure grantees to develop or adapt programs so they are not focusing squarely on the organization's mission. For example, when a donor interested in community building asks a youth program to tack on an elderly visitation program that may work for the donor, but does not make sense for the nonprofit.
For obvious reasons, grantees rarely tell philanthropists that these activities create additional burdens for the staff or organization, but that this happens is an open secret. This does not mean that philanthropists should not get involved. After all, many good philanthropic practices—such as thoughtful performance assessment—create costs. The higher the benefit, the more justified any burdens become. But when donors don't understand what their grantees need and the true cost of their requests, the stage is set for trouble. The solution here is clear communication, respect, and a spirit of service. Remember: The grantees' results are your results. Every hour they spend filling out a form for you is an hour they are not focusing on their core mission.
Writing a check is the most common and straightforward form of giving. However, to address the world's most pressing problems, donors must ask themselves if they truly understand what it takes to make change happen, beyond just a great program or investment, and if so, how they can position themselves—through their role, resources, and relationships—to support that change.
To support a grantee, you may have relevant expertise like financial or legal knowledge that can help a nonprofit. You may be able to refer a trusted friend to serve on the board or connect the CEO to other agencies, partners, and funders in the community. The bottom line is that giving shouldn't be a one-size-fits all proposition.
Have you reached true partnership—characterized by highly aligned goals and a highly productive relationship? Or is your situation more like a train wreck, where you are funding an organization whose strategy only marginally overlaps with yours, and with whom you have trouble working?
Many organizations fall somewhere in between. When a donor-grantee relationship looks like a "forced march," donors are behaving like "owners" exerting control, instead of like-minded supporters exercising influence. In an "amiable association," donor and grantee are not strategically aligned, but the working relationship functions well (perhaps because of limited direct involvement by the donor). Where do most of your grantees fit? The first step to enhancing your relationships is diagnosing the situation.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license are available in our Terms and Conditions.


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When Volkswagen first announced it was going to build a plant in their area, Chattanooga mayor Andy Berke recalls, it was 2008 and people needed jobs. And they got them, 10,000 of them.
"Obviously, those were years where people needed employment during a critical time in our city's and country's economy, and they created jobs," Berke adds. "We want a diverse sector and advanced manufacturing meets the workforce needs for a lot of Chattanoogans."
Volkswagen still plans on investing $340 million to build a new SUV at its Chattanooga plant despite the company's statement that President Trump's proposed steel and aluminum tariffs would make manufacturing in the United States less competitive, threaten job growth and result in higher prices for consumers.
That's good news for Chattanooga, whose biggest employer is Volkswagen, the U.S.'s only factory for the car manufacturer. It's also good for the area in general, which has 20,000 people working auto jobs.
But that doesn't mean Volkswagen officials are happy about it, judging by a statement the company released about the tariffs.
"The Volkswagen Group has made significant long-term investments in the United States that would be impaired by restrictive changes to trade including the proposed steel and aluminum tariffs. As part of a global company with an enthusiastic outlook for operational growth in the United States, it is our hope, in view of the importance of the automotive industry, that the policymakers will maintain free and fair trade. Maintaining the existing trade rules keeps the United States a competitive marketplace for jobs, cost of goods and investments."
When President Trump proposed tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum, ultimately 25 percent and 10 percent respectively, it caused the price of domestic steel to rise, so even companies like GM that use 90 percent American-made steel are feeling the crunch.
"When Volkswagen sells more cars, we employ more Chattanoogans," Berke points out. "We know that higher steel prices affect how many people are going to purchase vehicles. I think everybody in Chattanooga certainly wants trade to be fair. We also know that we need reasonable prices so that people can afford to buy the goods.
"So, we want to make sure that our economy continues to expand and that we keep those paths to the middle class like advanced manufacturing in our country."
President Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs also propelled China to institute retaliatory tariffs targeting U.S. agricultural exports. The USDA says Tennessee exported $1.5 billion in farm commodities in 2016.
"There are a couple of effects to the steel and aluminum tariffs," says Tim Meyer, a Vanderbilt law professor who specializes in public international law. "Most immediately, it increases the cost of importing steel aluminum into the United States. If you have, for instance, a company like Nissan or any company that is importing steel, it's going to raise their costs, because it's going to require them to pay more for their steel."
And, of course, that's its intended purpose, to make steel producers that are located primarily in places like Ohio and Pennsylvania more competitive with steel that is, for the most part, imported from Canada or Europe.
"Automakers in Tennessee, if they import their steel, they're going to have to pay more for it, because they're going to have to pay the U.S. government," Meyer says. "It's going to end up being more expensive for them. That may cause them to shift and buy some of their steel from U.S. producers, that's the intended effect of the tariff.
"But, that still will also be more expensive because it's not subject to the same kinds of price competition that it would be in the absence of a tariff."
But Meyer says there is economic research that says not all of the burden necessarily gets passed on to the consumer. Still, a loss is a loss no matter who bears it. And for automakers, steel is going to be more expensive no matter where they get it.
"It is certainly the case that some of it, perhaps much of it, will be passed on to the consumer," he adds. "But in a situation in which you have a lot of businesses that are competing in the marketplace, it might be that what it does is hurt the profitability of the company. So, the companies and the consumer might actually share the loss."
The American International Automobile Dealers Association also expressed opposition to Trump's tariffs, which they report could directly counteract any benefits American manufacturers have seen from tax reform. An analysis the AIADA did of tariffs on steel imposed in 2002 found that the Bush steel tariffs cost 200,000 jobs
"These proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports couldn't come at a worse time," explains Cody Lusk, AIADA president and CEO, in a statement. "Auto sales have flattened in recent months, and manufacturers are not prepared to absorb a sharp increase in the cost to build cars and trucks in America.
"The burden of these tariffs, as always, will be passed on to the American consumer. Car shoppers looking for a deal will instead find that they are paying a new tax to transport themselves and their families."
Chattanooga has a reputation for having a diverse economy, Berke says. They have the fastest, cheapest, most pervasive internet in the world, a fiberoptic network that goes to every single home and business in a 600-square mile area. That has spawned a large startup world with many technology businesses continuing to grow. In addition, the city has an expanding healthcare industry, and financial services. Unemployment is below the national average.
"When people have money to spend, they build a new house," Berke adds. "They find a new apartment. They buy a new car. All those things build other sectors. So, we love to see VW growing. At the same time, we need a diverse economy. No city wants to be overly reliant on any one sector or industry. And for Chattanooga's economy to grow, we have to sell to more people than just live in our city, to export goods domestically and internationally."
"We want to make sure that there are markets that are out there that'll buy the things that we make. Again, we know that that means trade has to be fair. At the same time, we have to keep markets open so that our businesses here can sell products elsewhere and employ more Chattanoogans."


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The Kid Daytona is back with another video off his album Come Fly With Me. The song is produced by 6th Sense and features Kardinal Offishall. Check out the video below. The video was produced by Noah Christofer.
The Kid Daytona – "Contact!" feat. Kardinal Offishall (Video) from The Kid Daytona on Vimeo.


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There are a lot of parenting sites out there geared only at women, so I thought it was a breath of fresh air to find this site dedicated to parenting from a male perspective and geared towards dads.
You'll find a handy search engine in the top right of the page. If you have something specific you want to search for immediately.
Below that you'll find two navigation menus. The blue navigation strip offers the options Home, Age Groups, Resources, We Recommend, Marketplace, Dad blogs, and Father's forum. The green side menu offers: Toilet Training, Sleeping, Shopping, Baby Names, Sex, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Calculator, and Mother's Day.
Below that you'll find featured content and scrolling forum topics, and Dad News.
This is an awesome site. I hope you'll check it out today. I'm going to share it with my friends who are dads!


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…thanks to Becky B for doing an excellent job hosting Square Perspective
If you missed any of Becky's photos you can see all of them in today's post.
Here's my contribution for today. I couldn't pick just one so here are my final entries.
What's he thinking?….."Maybe if I sit here long enough they won't notice me"


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Background and Objective: The continual research into increasing yield in rice is very important in ensuring food security. There has been stagnation in yield/hectare of rice since the introduction of IR8 in the 1980s, therefore there is the need for breeders to go back to the wild relatives and landraces of Oryza sativa, which have proven to be veritable sources of genes for germplasm improvement. This study was aimed at highlighting vegetative characters that are directly associated to yield which can help the breeder during selection process. Materials and Methods: Thirty-seven accessions selected from four local varieties of landraces were used in this study. These were planted on the field in rows of fourteen plants, each row representing an accession. Data were collected in the accessions on vegetative traits and yield characters. The data were subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to assess diversity among accessions. Pearson correlation coefficients was used to determine relationships among characters and principal components analysis was used to identify major attributes that are responsible for the variations observed in the accessions. Results: Results showed that the number of days to booting and maturity highly correlated with the total number of spikelets produced as well as the leaf area index (LAI) of both the penultimate and flag leaves. The two groups of yield patterns observed were intermediate or late maturing, high tillering, dense panicle with low TGW (1000-grain weight) on one side and early maturing, low tillering, less dense or sparse panicle with high TGW on the other. Conclusion: The length of the ligule was shown to be the significant distinguishing morphological character between these two categories.
The Oryza genus belong to the sub-family Oryzae and family Poaceae, possessing about 25 species occurring in the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Australia and South America1. While it is widely accepted that Asia is the center of origin for the Oryza species, some researchers have considered it to be Africa since it is the continent with, by far, the largest number of indigenous species2. The most common of the members of this family is Oryza sativa Linn. (also called Asian rice), a common staple cereal crop which had fed millions of people over the years. The recent population boom has, however, increased the need for maximum production of rice without necessarily increasing the agricultural inputs or cultivation area3-5. The econometric International Model for Policy Analysis of Agricultural Commodities and Trade (IMPACT ) was used to predict that the production of rice has to increase by 43% before 20306.
The genetic richness of the rice germplasm is being threatened by the extensive promotion of improved varieties by seed companies and its indiscriminate use by farmers, leading to constant erosion of the indigenous varieties or landraces7. Zeven8 defined landraces as varieties which have the capacity to tolerate biotic and abiotic stress, giving them high yielding stability (i.e., can give high yield under varying environmental conditions) and a moderate yield level when cultivated with low input agricultural system. In maize, landraces and wild varieties have been widely used in breeding for higher yields, drought tolerance, disease resistance among others over the years. However, in rice, breeding for higher yield have stagnated at 10 t h1 since the introduction of IR8 in the 1980s, which is a semi-dwarf tropical indica inbred variety1. The semi-dwarf stature and photoperiod insensitivity which were characters that were peculiar to this hybrid (IR8) have unfortunately yielded little success for improvements, since maximum yield is mostly determined by the genetic richness of a variety and the environment9,10.
Monteith11 carried out a study on some cereal crops and determined that the amount of insolation directly affect yield. However, Long et al.9, was able to prove that the genetic makeup of a plant is of more importance that the plants available photosynthetic surfaces since sink size i.e., yield is a product of the efficiency by which a plant can utilize and store photosynthates. This is essentially due to the fact that increase in leaf area will lead to increase in self-shading i.e., the upper canopy of leaves cast shade on the lower canopy thereby limiting the amount of insolation available to them. Therefore, Long et al.9, designed an ideal rice plant which will be efficient in energy usage as one possessing thin leaves (which are better adapted to photosynthetic efficiency) with lower canopy of lax leaves and top canopy of erect leaves, so that the upper leaves can intercept minimal amount of energy and the remaining energy can be used by the lower canopy.
Furthermore, Montieth11 inferred that increase in maturity period of cereal plants can increase yield since the plants will have more time to build vegetative biomass which can, in turn, help in the final grain filling hence increase in yield. This was corroborated by Efisue et al.12, who determined that plants with moderate maturity period and high leaf area index produce more spikelets/plant.
Yoshida13 had however pointed out that highlighting yield components would yield a meaningful blueprint or template for selecting and breeding for the target yield, since yield is a complex character which is a function of interaction of the plant genes and the environment9,10.
The objective of this study therefore was to identify reliable secondary traits that can be used for indirect selection for improved grain yield of landraces of rice. This study will help both the rice researchers and breeders to identify promising high-yielding rice plants from landraces for improving known varieties or ultimate development of new lines.
A field experiment was conducted in the Department of Botany, Obafemi Awolowo University between 2013 and 2016. Thirty-seven accessions were selected from four landrace (collected from different agro-ecologies, Table 1) population and proper characterization was made on them through 2 planting seasons between 2014 and 2015. The selected accessions were seeded in nurseries and transplanted to the field when they were two weeks old, using a plot size of 18.7×10.5 m2. Each accession was planted in 14 replicates and data was collected on the best five at maturity. The vegetative characters considered were: Days to booting (DB), days to maturity (DM), culm length (CL), number of tillers (NT), average ligule length (AvLi), flag leaf area index (FLAI), penultimate leaf area index (PLAI). The following reproductive parameters were also documented: Panicle length (PL), number of filled spikelets/panicle (NFS), number of unfilled spikelets/panicle (NUS), Percentage of filled spikelets/panicle (PFS), Panicle density/panicle (PD) and 1000-grain weight/plant (TGW). Panicle density was calculated using the formula below:
Statistical analysis: Data were subjected to analysis using Statistical Analysis Software (SAS), version 9.0 (SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina, USA). One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the significance of the variance within accessions. The TGW was measured/plant, not in 5 replicates, hence not included in the ANOVA procedure). Pearson correlation coefficients was used to determine the strength and significance of the relationships among the vegetative and yield characters. Principal components analysis was used to determine the major morphological characters that contribute to the variations observed in the population under study. The correlation coefficients were used to construct a cluster diagram using Paleontological Statistics Software (PAST) (Version 2.17).
Probability level used was 0.01<p<0.05.
The DB and DM showed that the accessions ranged from early to late maturing, CL indicated the accessions ranged from dwarf to tall individuals and NT showed they ranged from low to high tillering plants (Table 2). Also, the PF ranged from very low (about 43%) to high (100%) and panicle density ranged from sparse to dense. Results from ANOVA showed that all characters considered varied significantly among accessions (Table 2).
Table 3, PL was shown to have highly significant correlation with CL, PLAI and FLAI. NFS had highly significant correlation with DB, DM, NT, PLAI, FLAI and AvLi. NUS had highly significant correlation with DB, DM, NT and AvLi. TNS had highly significant correlation with DB, DM, NT, PLAI, FLAI and AvLi. PFS had negative but highly significant correlation with DB and DM. PD showed highly significant correlation with DB, DM, NT and AvLi. TGW had negative but highly significant correlation with DM, DM, CL AvLi and PFS.
The principal components analysis (Table 4) showed the factor loading of characters on 13 axes with the first three axes being the most important. The first principal component, PC1 (Table 5) is of primary importance having eigen proportion of 0.50. The traits associated with this axis were DB (0.35), DM (0.34), NT (0.31), AvLi (0.34), TNS (0.34), PD (0.32) and TGW (-0.34). Also, attributes like PLAI (0.50), FLAI (0.49), PL (0.47) and CL (0.43) are of secondary importance since they loaded on the second principal components axis with an eigen proportion of 0.22. The percentage of filled spikelets (0.58) and NFS (0.43) loaded on the PC3 indicating (eigen proportion = 0.16) that they are of tertiary importance.
The cluster analysis as shown in Fig. 1 and Appendix 1 divided the accessions under study into two broad groups:
Results in this study showed that DB and DM had positive and highly significant correlation with TNS and PD. The magnitude of this relationship as revealed by r2 which is ≈0.45 indicated that the length of maturity period is of importance to number of grains produced/plant. This means that the number of spikelets produced/panicle is a direct effect of the length of the period involved in building vegetative biomass and panicle production, supporting the findings of Montieth11 and Long et al.9. Peng et al.14 and Kropff et al.15, have also observed in separate studies that there is a positive relationship between growth duration and the period of time from panicle initiation to full heading. As such, early maturing plants have shorter period of time for panicle production compared to the late maturing ones, hence, less number of spikelets/panicle. This in effect is an indication that yield in terms of number of grains produced is a function of maturity period in rice i.e. the higher the maturity period, the higher the number of grains produced. The above elucidation is also true for NT, indicating that individuals that produces more tillers are more likely to have high grain yield/panicle.
This is in support of the findings of Rao et al.16, that the gene that signals the development of tiller meristems is also responsible for determining panicle architecture i.e., panicle branching and number of spikelets produced/panicle.
The high positive correlation that exists between days to maturity and NUS and its (days to maturity) high negative correlation with PFS point to the fact that grain filling may be low for late maturing plants than the early maturing ones. Long et al.9, pointed out that this is a function of individual plant and its genetic makeup.
The PL had highly significant correlation with CL, PLAI and FLAI. This is an indication that these vegetative characters determine how long a panicle will be. However, since the only yield parameter that had highly significant correlation with CL is the PL, we agree with the findings of Ameen et al.17, who posited that there is a weak relationship between paddy yield and culm height. The insignificant correlation of PL with other yield characters i.e., NFS, NUS, TNS, PFS and TGW also suggest that the length of the panicle is neither a function of how much spikelets it will bear nor the weight of the grains. Yang and Zhang18 are also of the opinion that a number of high yielding cultivars which have been released after various experiments fall short in grain yield due to poor grain filling capacity.
The AvLi had highly significant correlation with TNS and PD. However, AvLi has negative but highly significant correlation with TGW (r2 = 0.69). In other words, plants with longer ligules are likely to produce more spikelets or grains but low 1000-grain weight. The above trend of observation for AvLi was also observed in the NT although the correlation coefficients were lower compared with that of the AvLi. It is also worthy to note at this point that though 1000-grain weight may be low in the individuals with high NT, grain weight/plant may prove to be a more reliable method to determine the trade-offs between weight and number of grains in the rice plant as observed by Afiukwa et al.19.
Results from the principal components analysis further strengthens the hypothesis that the ligule length is an important morphological character when considering yield in rice. This stems from the fact that it is the only morphological character that is not directly associated with the reproductive phase of the rice plant life cycle. Hence, it can be used as a selection criterion where the luxury of time is unavailable for reproductive stage selection. This strengthens the position of Sharma et al.20, that selecting for ideotypes of rice plants with desirable character composition helps in achieving better breeding procedures through early elimination of undesirable defects in cultivars.
It is noteworthy to mention here that, since the ligule is an outgrowth of the leaf sheath, forming a kind of support system for internodes at the node, one can say that this is a way by which a plant helps the culm to bear the weight of the panicle it eventually produces. Interestingly, this character can be determined in a rice plant at seedling stage and can be used as a selection criterion for grain yield as indicated by pearsons correlation coefficients as well as principal components analysis in this study. The efficiency of seedling stage characterization has been demonstrated in rice for drought tolerance21,22, salinity23 among others. While the number of tillers may also be considered as an indicator, the fact that this character is usually not determined until the onset of booting in the rice plant is be its disadvantage against the ligule length as selection criteria.
This study concluded that the period of time from seeding to maturity and the tillering ability of a rice plant are important factors that determine grain yield in terms of number and weight. Also, the ligule length (as observed in this study) is a good indicator to distinguish between the two established yield patterns in the selected landraces. This will be very useful for breeders to select plants from landraces for the improvement of yield in this all important crop.
It was shown in this study that the length of the ligule is of high and important significance in yield determination either for weight or number of grains. This study has therefore provided a solution to the rice breeders problem of identifying a high yielding variety in a population of yet-to-be-characterized landrace by using the length of the ligule.


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Quality of Life. Functional Fitness. Longevity.
Healing is an inside job! As Pilates is taught from a bedrock of self-awareness, discerning the body, not as a machine that needs to be fixed and trained, but a living process, a verb not a noun, lends distinction to a human being as bio-intelligent that can; self-orient, self-regulate and self-heal. We all want to be our best self. Whatever activity we are undertaking, we want to perform with "spontaneous zest and pleasure" as Joseph Pilates said. This is available to everyone through "complete coordination of body, mind and spirit."
Once released to exercise by a doctor, we have worked with individuals to overcome the effects of:
- Joint Replacement
- Concussion and Brain Injury
- Broken Bones
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Pulled/ Torn Muscles
- Sciatica
- Hernia
- Bulging Discs
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Shin Splints
- Fusions
- Autoimmune Disorders


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Hello and welcome. Today I am participating in the Joy Of Sets Blog Hop. Our theme is all about Fonts and Multimedia. Don't you just love a good font?!? Many of us do and that's why this month's theme is all about Reading is FONTS-amental! The FONT of the sentiments can convey so much more than just the words... whether it's the typewriter font in a book, the hand-lettered phrases on a worn page in a journal, the fading title along a book spine - what?!? Yes, it's all about texture, too!
I have been itching to use the new letter dies I have, so broke them open today to create this funky greeting on my card. I used 3d foam behind the letters when I cut them out, so they really pop off the front of the card.


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New series documents the challenges of private startup enterprises in Cuba
April 12, 2018 08:30 AM
Updated April 12, 2018 03:33 PM
Starting a business anywhere in the world is always like "swimming upstream," says the entrepreneur behind a popular Havana restaurant.
But if you're trying to navigate the private sector in Cuba, it's like being "in a boat without oars in a current twice as turbulent," said Sasha Ramos, the owner of El Cocinero, a restaurant located in an old brick cooking oil factory. With a fashionable rooftop bar and small plate specials, El Cocinero could be at home on South Beach.
But because the restaurant is in Cuba, it's difficult to get enough of the same kinds of plates, glasses and cutlery so the place settings match, said Ramos, one of the entrepreneurs interviewed in a new nine-part documentary series on Cuba's private sector.
The series, StartupCuba, premiered Tuesday on VERV.tv, a new digital media company for the U.S. Hispanic market, and also may be watched at YouTube.com/startupcuba.
After a two-week hiatus, new eight-minute episodes — on topics such as private cab drivers and mechanics; internet entrepreneurs; independent designers and artists; budding restauranteurs and bed and breakfast hosts; and entrepreneurs finding a niche in providing services to private businesses — will be released weekly on Tuesdays.
VERV.tv's mission is to bring U.S. Hispanics news they may not have heard about, and the emergence of Cuba's entrepreneurial sector was one of those stories, said Ken Deckinger, executive producer and host of StartupCuba. Even though Cuba continues to be run by the Communist Party, things are happening on the island and entrepreneurs "are indisputably changing their lives, and possibly their country, as they build their businesses," he said.
Cuba allows self-employment in 201 categories of work. Some jobs are quite modest and involve people working on their own selling artificial flowers or refilling cigarette lighters, but there are also "entrepreneurs starting real businesses," said Deckinger. "It's so much more than people just working for themselves. We wanted to add that color to the conversation."
The inspiration for the series came in June 2015 when Tamara Park, executive producer and director of StartupCuba, made her first trip to the island. "I've sought out stories on transformation and change on five continents and I was just blown away by Cuba's entrepreneurs.
"Cubans have this endless ability to re-engineer beauty out of scraps, to rally when situations seem impossible," she said. "They always find a way and their ability to master the workaround is sure to inspire viewers in the U.S."
Many of the new entrepreneurs grew up in the 1990s during a period of scarcities following the collapse of the former Soviet Union when Cubans learned to survive by working with what they had, and they have translated those skills to their businesses.
Because independent magazines aren't allowed in Cuba, Robin Pedraja created Vistar, a digital magazine delivered via el paquete, another Cuban invention in the absence of widespread home internet connections. El paquete is a weekly compilation of American TV shows, recent movies, MLB games, apps, digital magazines and more that is copied and distributed on portable hard drives and USBs across the island.
"The cuentapropistas (the self-employed) are actually starting industries such as advertising and marketing" that haven't existed in Cuba in many years, said Park.
Billboards and signs in Cuba tend toward extolling revolutionary values, but Pedraja and photographer Luis Mario Gell, who are featured in one of the episodes, began creating their own fashion and consumer product ads for the magazine. Now, Pedraja said, instead of commenting on the stories and interviews, "sometimes [people] just talk about the ads."
StartupCuba was shot between March and September last year — without official permission from the Cuban government. The producers tried to get journalist visas but never heard back from officials. "Finally we just went for it," said Park.
Despite the creativity and enthusiasm of the entrepreneurs in the series, StartupCuba debuts at a time of uncertainty for Cuba's more than 540,000 cuentapropistas. Last summer, Cuba began cracking down on some businesses suspected of improprieties and shut down several popular private restaurants.
While new regulations are formulated, the government has stopped issuing new licenses for private restaurants, bed and breakfasts (casas particulares) and for several other approved categories of self-employment. Licenses had been issued to 2,000 private restaurants and there were around 22,000 rooms offered in casas particulares at the time new licenses were frozen.
Cuban leader Raúl Castro, who began emphasizing cuentapropismo in 2010 as a way to move hundreds of thousands of workers off bloated state payrolls, has said self-employment is now essential. But government officials appear willing to only tolerate it to the point that private entrepreneurs don't become too successful or too wealthy.
With Castro expected to retire next week and to pass the reins of power to a new president selected by the National Assembly, Cuba's parliament, it will fall to his successor to oversee the new rules for entrepreneurs.
StartupCuba's producers will be watching those developments carefully. They're considering a second season of the show and will be traveling to Cuba next week to throw a party for those they met in the cuentapropista community.
"We're thankful to the Cuban people for welcoming and accepting us and letting us into their lives," said Deckinger. "It's this warmth and spirit of the Cuban people that we wanted to share with Americans."
Follow Mimi Whitefield on Twitter: @HeraldMimi


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It's that time of the week again! Lets do our end of the week news round up and open topic discussion thread for the weekend. Here are a few links to kick off the chat:
–BOC warns condo boom could be ending
–Euro crisis puts Canada at risk
–Jesse on the BOC over at Housing Analysis
–Two of the ten richest postal codes are in Vancouver
–We have the poorest postal code too, yay diversity!
–Low income housing at OV comes with high water bills
–CIBC economist warns global slowdown of 'Biblical scale'
So what are you seeing out there? Post your news links, thoughts and anecdotes here and have an excellent weekend!


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Cosmetology program grooms students for success
July 16, 2019
Students looking to be successful in the field of cosmetology often leave school with the skills to do just that, however, it's important for them to build up their entrepreneurial skills as well. At Palo Alto College, the cosmetology program gives students the ability to do just that.
Students not only have the chance to earn a certificate in the program, but also have the opportunity to earn an Associate of Applied Science, all at an affordable cost. By earning an associate degree, students will have the opportunity to take the next step and pursue a bachelor's degree.
"By providing the option of obtaining an associate degree, we're giving more value to the field of cosmetology because that hasn't been a viable option in [San Antonio]," said Lydia Hannawi, academic director for the cosmetology program. "There are other community colleges that offer cosmetology, but in San Antonio that didn't exist. We're the first community college in San Antonio that's offering the opportunity to obtain an associate degree."
The cosmetology program provides students with the skills needed to excel in the ever-changing beauty industry by allowing them to study one of two tracks: esthetics (skin) and operator (hair and nails). Students who choose to study esthetics will learn all about the discipline while having the opportunity to perform advanced skin care services. Students who choose the operator track will demonstrate knowledge related to haircutting, as well as hair coloring techniques, highlights, and balayage, among other skills.
Students must also pass the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Cosmetology Licensing Examinations in order to practice in Texas, which will afford them the opportunity to directly enter the workforce when they finish their degree plan.
"It's an excellent option for those individuals that plan to someday have their own business," said Hannawi. "You have to know about business management, business principles, so that when they're out there, they're successful business owners. We want to provide that knowledge to them."
Students in the program are given the opportunity to learn in a way that goes further than a typical classroom. Through hands-on instructions, the Cosmetology Learning Studio serves as an operating salon where patrons can get salon-quality services like hair cuts and styles, manicures, pedicures, and more. It's a win-win for everyone, as the patrons get high-quality service for reduced prices, while students get hands-on experience.
Hannawi said recent cosmetology graduates have already taken their licensing exams, and the results show these opportunities are paying off.
"[The students are] passing with flying colors," said Hannawi. "That speaks to the knowledge and training that they received here in our program and through our labs."
Prospective students interested in pursuing a career in beauty and wellness are encouraged to apply for the upcoming Fall semester. Students can contact the Welcome Center at 210-486-3100 to set up an appointment with an advisor, or visit the cosmetology website for more information.


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Counting bike riders
This Bikeometer in Rosslyn, Virginia, provides a highly visible, engaging and fun view of the volume of bike usage on the Custis Trail in Arlington. Ride past the Bikeometer and notice the daily bike count tick off another digit and acknowledge another car-free trip in Arlington County. The information displayed is real time and also includes month and year-to-date data.
The Rosslyn Bikeometer is the sixth in the United States, preceded by versions in Portland, Seattle and California. It highlights Arlington's extensive bike and pedestrian automated counting program, which includes all the data from multiple counters on trails and bike lanes throughout the County. The Bikeometer is a fun feature, but it's also an important reminder that biking is a popular choice and an integral component of the transportation solution.


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Hi Darling,
The Carr-Fassett family has a lot to be grateful about. If you've been following our adventures on Facebook and Instagram (where I post most of my personal pix and lots of animal adoption updates) you know that we found a big ole blessing in the woods (with the help of some awesome New Yorkers!): A sweet, emaciated (35 pounds underweight), sick and struggling-to-stay-alive, hound dog who we named…Buddy!
After weeks of searching for his owner, making countless trips to the vet, nursing him back to health around the clock (how do you moms out there do it?!), and showering him with love, respect and compassion, it's official—he's doing great and we're keeping him! He's our soon-to-be-healthy boy now and we couldn't be happier. Welcome sweet Buddy!
Today Buddy is quite the celebrity. Thousands of people from around the world have been praying for him and cheering him on (#gobuddygo). Folks have been logging into their social media accounts just for Buddy, especially on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
If you're one of those people, I just want to take a moment to thank you. I know your love matters. It's been part of his medicine and ours.
What's more, I've read at least a dozen comments from people who went out and adopted a first or second fur-child. And countless others who have said, "now you've really got me thinking, I really want to adopt." Booyah! Nothing makes me happier. I swear I've cried hundreds of heart-opening tears as I read all the love and possibilities. You all are so wonderful, yet another reason I have to be grateful.
When I first saw this skinny guy, I knew the road would be long. And I heard the voices in my head: "Um, you don't have time for this. He's too sick. You're already spread too thin. Lola doesn't like to share. You travel too much. He's bigger than your house. He's a hunting dog, you eat plants!" Sound familiar? I bet you have practical voices that tell you not to do stuff you really want to do too.
Soon I came to understand that Buddy was my spiritual lesson.
I constantly talk about the importance of loving kindness—extended to all beings. How could I pick and choose when it's convenient? How could I not take this guy into my life and heart. Brian felt the same way (thank the Gods!).
That was our rubber meets the road moment. Who better than us to care for this guy? We have 16 acres of woods to explore, 6 of which are fully fenced in—crucial for Buddy's built-in wanderlust. We work from home. We love animals. We want more joy in our lives. It quickly became a no-brainer.
As for Lola, she's dealing and healing too. I think Buddy is the only brother she'd ever tolerate. Because he was so malnourished and wounded, she gave him space and reverence. Though she really doesn't appreciate when he takes over her bed (that's way too small for him), I think she likes to have a pal to trot around and explore with (which he is slowly starting to do). We're doing our best to make her feel super special during this time. Translation: She's getting chubby. "Hello piglet, enjoy it now cause it ain't gonna last!"
After only a few days, Buddy is putting on weight—close to a pound a day. His coat gets shinier, his eyes get brighter and his tail wags more and more. He's even starting to look our way when we call his name!


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Beatles Biopics: 'In His Life: The John Lennon Story'
Created | Updated Dec 5, 2016
'Birth of the Beatles' | 'John and Yoko: A Love Story' | 'The Hours and Times' | 'Backbeat' | 'Two of Us'
'The Linda McCartney Story' | 'In His Life: The John Lennon Story'
'Nowhere Boy' | 'Lennon Naked'
In His Life: The John Lennon Story is a biopic of the formative years of John Lennon's life. Made in 2000, this television film is predominantly set between 1957 and 1964, with a short flashback section to 1946 and a largely pointless blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene set in 1999.
|John Lennon
|Philip McQuillan1
|Paul McCartney
|Daniel McGowen
|George Harrison
|Mark Rice-Oxley
|Brian Epstein
|Jamie Glover
|Mimi Smith
|Blair Brown
|Julia Lennon
|Christine Kavanagh
|Cynthia Lennon
|Gillian Kearney
|Freddie Lennon
|Paul Usher
|Stuart Sutcliffe
|Lee Williams
|Astrid Kirchherr
|Pálína Jónsdóttir
|Ringo Starr
|Christian Ealey
|Pete Best
|Scot Williams
|Peter Eckhorn
|Charles De'Ath
|Bruno Koschmider
|Alex Cox
|Ivan Vaughan
|Barry Sloane
|Pete Shotton
|Neil Brannan
|Rory Storm
|Dean Anthony
|Decca Executive
|John Draycott
The film begins in 1957, when John started his skiffle band, the Quarrymen, named after Quarry Bank School, which he and the members attend. His mother Julia, who knows how to play a banjo, teaches him music. His Aunt Mimi, with whom he lives, is unimpressed with rock and roll, saying, 'Listen to Mozart, John, that's real music.' At school John spends his time drawing cartoons rather than studying, and is suspended for his disruptive behaviour. Despite this, he is accepted at the Liverpool College of Art.
On 6 July, 1957, fate plays a hand when the Quarrymen plays at the Woolton Parish Church Fête, attracting the attention and admiration of a young Paul McCartney. By playing 'Twenty Flight Rock' and tuning John's guitar, Paul impresses John enough to be invited to join the group.
At the Liverpool College of Art, shown with the obligatory nude model art class scene2, John befriends Stuart 'Stu' Sutcliffe. When Stu sells one of his paintings3 he becomes the band's bass player. Meanwhile Paul introduces John to George Harrison, much to his aunt's disgust as she feels George is too working class and common to be a positive influence on the middle class John, informing him, 'There's a creature here to see you.' When George plays 'Raunchy' on the upstairs of a Penny Lane bus, John lets him into the band.
On 15 July, 1958, Julia dies in a road accident after visiting her sister Mimi. Distraught, John unleashes his anger but turns to his music for comfort. Later that year John encounters Cynthia Powell in the pub, tells her she could look like Brigitte Bardot if she dyed her hair blonde and asks her to dance, even though Cynthia tells John she's engaged.
Shortly after, the Beatles begin to become a more talented group, and Stu is seriously assaulted outside a club in 1959. When the band are booked to perform in Hamburg, John writes a letter home to Cynthia. Last seen, she was a redhead who appeared in a brief scene reluctant to dance with John as she was engaged to someone else. The audience should probably have been told that she is now in a passionate relationship with John, and has changed her hair colour and look to appear more like Brigitte Bardot in order to please him. Still, the letter is a nice bit of exposition explaining to the audience who Pete Best and Richard 'Ringo Starr' Starkey are, as well as introducing Stu's girlfriend Astrid Kirchherr. Astrid is then seen taking photographs of the band and introduces them to what would become their trademark hairstyle. A blink later the band are being deported from Hamburg when Bruno Koschmider, owner of the first Hamburg club that they played, seeks revenge for their deserting him in order to play in a better, rival club.
Back in Liverpool in November 1961 at NEMS, the North End Music Store run by Brian Epstein, someone looks for a copy of 'My Bonnie', a single released in Germany by Tony Sheridan that the Beatles had been the backing group on. Intrigued, Epstein visits the Cavern Club where the band are performing. He is entranced, and soon offers to become the Beatles' manager, promising to secure them a record contract. On New Year's Day 1962 they audition for music company Decca, who decide not to sign them, feeling guitar music is on the way out.
The Beatles return to play in Hamburg for one last tour, only to discover that Stu had died the day before. A blink later, at EMI's Abbey Road studio they audition for George Martin, who offers them a recording contract provided Pete Best is not the drummer for recording sessions. He is replaced with Ringo without any fuss. As Cynthia reveals she is pregnant, John agrees to marry her, although his aunt Mimi refuses to attend the ceremony. Brian insists they keep the marriage secret as he believes that unless the Beatles appear single and available, their female fans may stop buying their records. (Oh, they're releasing records now, by the way.) Cynthia gives birth while John is off busy being a Beatle, though he drops by long enough to name his son 'Julian' after his mother Julia, and ask the infant, 'Are you gonna be a famous rocker like your dad?'4.
Soon after, a montage of news reports shows the Beatles' rise to stardom, with many famous Beatles moments recreated. The film ends on 15 January, 1964; John Lennon's 'secret' marriage is announced in the newspapers on the day that Brian is contacted by Ed Sullivan. He requests that the Beatles appear on his show in America, where 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' is their first US Number One.
Biopics are usually a bit like dot-to-dots, where you see occasional key points in the life of someone famous; by joining these dots up, you get the overall picture. The first few minutes of In His Life: The John Lennon Story is more like a game of Snakes and Ladders. In the first two minutes the film begins in 1962 where we see the Beatles performing in the Cavern Club, shoots up a ladder to 1999 for a pointless scene in which John Lennon's first guitar is auctioned for US$225,000 before zooming down a snake back to early 1957, where a 17-year-old John is at Quarry Bank School, forming a skiffle group with his schoolmates and dreaming of buying that very guitar. After that, the film settles down into chronological order, with the exception of snaking back to 1946 for a single flashback scene. There are still moments when the film jumps up a ladder into a scene set several months after the one before, leaving viewers unfamiliar with the early days of the Beatles bewildered.
Someone watching a film entitled In His Life: The John Lennon Story might be forgiven for assuming that the film would be the story of John Lennon's life. Instead, the film shows John being the driving force behind the Beatles, and charts their path until they achieve chart success. In other words, it shows highlights of seven years rather than the full 40 years of his life. Many key points, such as his childhood, solo career and life with Yoko Ono are therefore completely left out. Even showing seven years in 80 minutes means that the film is rushed, although the fast pace reflects the rock 'n' roll music it celebrates.
This film is the first biopic of the early days of the Beatles to have been made following their superb Anthology project. This was a television series, book and set of albums that attempted to chronicle the story of the band from its inception through to splitting up.
As it is a biopic, a biographical picture telling the story of a well-known celebrity's life, the film is expected to reach a fairly high standard of accuracy. The film begins with a statement reassuring viewers that their expectations are going to be met:
A Drama Based on Actual Events
The film ends with a further statement reinforcing this belief that the audience know how accurate the film has been.
John LennonCertain events and dialogue in this drama based on fact are interpretative, certain characters are composites or have been fictionalised, and some names and locations have been changed.
In other words, the film is stating that absolute truth has had to undergo understandable, minor concessions to the fact they are making an 80-minute drama. For instance, in the film, John meets Cynthia Powell and George Harrison and then Paul McCartney meets Stuart Sutcliffe all within the space of two minutes, on the same day. Though this is not exactly how they all met in real life, it is an interpretative dramatisation of real events as all those people did meet. In the film, George arrives in Hamburg in 1962 at the same time as Paul and John when in reality he travelled the following day with Brian as he had been ill. These sort of minor deviations from actual events do no harm; a lengthy scene showing George suffering from measles and debating which day to travel on would not be entertaining. As long as the spirit of events is maintained and the details match expectations, most minor deviations from the truth are of no consequence whatsoever.
When the look of the era is flawlessly recreated and the Beatles are seen singing the right songs in the recreated Cavern that matches surviving newsreel footage, the aura of overall authenticity is quite high. This, despite interpretative dialogue and some understandable changes to names and locations, is reinforced in a montage partway through the film that uses genuine newsreel film footage. Famous poses and familiar scenes are recreated to help convince viewers that they are seeing the true story of the Beatles in general and John Lennon in particular.
Unlike other Beatles biopics, In His Life: The John Lennon Story includes scenes filmed in Mendips, the house in Menlove Avenue where John Lennon grew up. Other genuine locations include the gates to Strawberry Field, a glimpse at Penny Lane, the resurrected Cavern Club, Quarry Bank High School, Liverpool Art College and St Peter's Church Hall, the actual room where John met Paul. In London we also see the Abbey Road zebra crossing, re-enacting the Abbey Road album cover. This is an achievement of which the film can feel justly proud, as all other biopics have not featured genuine locations so prominently5.
Major Mistakes
Unfortunately there are some flaws in the film that sadly jolt the viewer out of the time period. The first of these is the auction scene. Since 1979, there have been many, many John Lennon biopics. This is not the first to show how the Beatles got together. It is not the only one to show John meeting Paul, or the Beatles in Hamburg, or John's friend Stu, or John's relationship with his father. It is, however, the only one to include an auction scene in which we see one of John's possessions being sold. In 1999. For a film entitled In His Life: The John Lennon Story, it seems unbelievable that there would be included a scene set 19 years after John Lennon's life had ended.
Another mistake takes place when Brian Epstein convinces the Beatles to stop dressing in leather jackets and start wearing suits on stage in a scene immediately after one showing the band performing while wearing those suits.
My God, how can any of us forget Blackpool?
The most serious major mistake is the Blackpool6 scene. It begins with Julia reciting John's life story in what is pure exposition while they both walk along the Mersey. Then the audience's attention is yanked with a 'pay close attention now' zoom shot right up the actress playing Julia Lennon's nostrils as she hams dramatically, 'My God! How can any of us forget Blackpool?' as cheesily as is humanly possible.
We then get a fade back 11 years to an unconvincing scene when John and his father spent the summer of 1946 in Blackpool. This Blackpool, though, has had its famous tower drift out to sea somewhat and turn into a small, white lighthouse, even though Blackpool doesn't have one. Similarly all Blackpool's piers have vanished, as have the illuminations, and indeed, has Blackpool - there isn't even a stick of rock or picture postcard in sight, though fortunately a donkey has survived. The scene shows John being asked to decide whether he wants to spend his life in New Zealand with his father, or in Liverpool with his mother. At the end of this scene, John asks his mother whether he will ever see his father again, to which she replies that he won't – with no mention in the rest of the film of the fact that he did.
Just Gimme Some Truth
There is no denying that strong attempts were made to make the actors look as similar to the real people as possible, so John dresses in the style of the real John Lennon. When growing up in Liverpool he strolls through the grounds of the Strawberry Field orphanage, which later inspired the name of a song, and sees Eleanor Rigby's grave, although that is a McCartney song.
When the band, then called Johnny and Moondogs, change their name to the Beatles, this name was suggested by Stu and inspired by the Crickets. The film implies that the Beatles were inspired by the name of the rival motorocycle gang from the 1953 film The Wild One, which was the Beetles. However, this film was banned in Britain until 1967 so it is extremely unlikely that it would have influenced Stu7.
In the film, this name change takes place after Johnny and the Moondogs audition and are hired to tour Scotland - on two conditions. First, that they come up with a better name and that Stu's wages come out of the group's pay, as the music promoter will not pay him as he isn't able to play his bass guitar. In fact, this audition took place on 10 May, 1960, when the group was called the Silver Beatles and auditioned for music promoter Larry Parnes. He had several acts including Billy Fury. Parnes himself has stated he was impressed with Stu's performance, but had reservations about their drummer, Tommy Moore, who had arrived late. Parnes wrote on the day, 'Silver Beatles – very good. Keep note for future work', and signed them up for a week touring Scotland, backing Johnny Gentle.
Although the Beatles spent much of 1960-62 in Hamburg, this barely registers on screen. For instance, although in truth the Beatles played four different clubs in Hamburg, the Indra, Kaiserkeller, Top Ten and Star Club, only two are seen. One, the Indra Club, is portrayed as a strip club in which the band are the backing group to a drag striptease act, when in truth it was a former strip club that was being turned into a rock 'n' roll venue, until the neighbours complained about the noise.
The film also implies that Stu's headaches began as a result of an attack outside a club in Liverpool in 1959, and that he refused to see a doctor about them. Although Stu was involved in a violent incident in 1961 in Liverpool, his early death is usually now associated with drug addiction and withdrawal. Similarly, in truth he saw many doctors and had hospital appointments in both Britain and West Germany. The film, however, makes no mention of drug-taking at all.
Unlikable Lennon
That said, the film is not afraid to show John in a negative light. John is shown as being an uncaring husband, missing the birth of his son Julian in order to play with the band, and then immediately going off for a two-week holiday in Spain with Brian Epstein.
Immediately after, the film shows the events of Paul's 21st birthday. John, heavily drunk, is seen to aggressively attack Cavern disc jockey Bob Wooler, who had joked that John had had an affair with Brian whilst in Spain. Savagely punched and kicked, with a black eye, bruised ribs and knuckles torn after trying to defend his face from John's foot, Wooler was driven to hospital by Brian and John was initially unrepentant, describing the incident with the words:
He called me a queer so I battered his ...ribs in.
Although this is not shown in the film, John then tried to 'prove' he was not gay by aggressively groping a female bystander, before being taken home. It took John two days to calm down and agree to send a cable apology to Bob, giving him £200, with no restitution given to the woman he assaulted. To date, no other Beatles biopic has included this event, one that shows John's worst possible behaviour.
Like other Beatles biopics, the film shows John Lennon and his group, originally the Quarrymen, later Johnny and the Moondogs and eventually the Beatles, performing a variety of songs. Although these performances are not by the real Beatles but by a tribute act, the performances show how John's band developed from being in a skiffle group playing tea chests and dustbin lids to the band that took the world by storm.
Songs in Bold were released by the Beatles, with the album mentioned after the song. Songs in Italics were released by one of the Beatles after the group had split up.
The songs shown being performed by the Beatles, either as a group or individually are:
- 'Roll Over Beethoven' - With The Beatles
- 'Midnight Special' – Paul McCartney: CHOBA B CCCP
- 'Maggie Mae' - Let It Be
- 'Love Me Tender'
- 'Yakkety-Yak'
- 'Railroad Bill'
- 'Be-Bop-A-Lula' – Paul McCartney: Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)
- 'Twenty Flight Rock' – Paul McCartney: CHOBA B CCCP
- 'Raunchy'
- 'Kansas City' – Paul McCartney: CHOBA B CCCP
- 'The Saints' - The Beatles Featuring Tony Sheridan
- 'My Bonnie' - The Beatles Featuring Tony Sheridan
- 'Love Is Strange' – Wings (Paul McCartney): Wild Life
- 'Stand By Me' – John Lennon: Rock 'N' Roll
- 'Mr Moonlight' - Beatles For Sale
- 'Roll Over Beethoven' - With The Beatles
- 'Twist And Shout' - Please Please Me
- 'She Loves You' - 1
Unusually, one song, 'She Loves You', was a Lennon-McCartney original, rather than a song that the Beatles covered. This is played to celebrate them having a number one success with a completely different song.


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BEIJING (MarketWatch) -- State-owned PetroChina Co. (PTR), China's largest oil and gas producer by output, will register a 20.5% on-year rise this year in natural gas output and projects an increase of 22.7% in 2007.
Completed construction of production facilities at five major gas blocks resulted in this year's growth, including Kela II and Yingmaili in the Tarim field in the northwestern Xinjiang autonomous region, China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC.YY) the parent company of PetroChina, said in a statement on its Web site Friday.
The company's robust growth in gas production is helping to meet soaring domestic demand for the clean fuel and may reduce China's urgency to import more expensive liquefied natural gas.
The startup of production at the Sulige gas block in the Changqing field, which spans northwestern Shaanxi province and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, also contributed to the growth.
Production facilities at eight more gas blocks are still under construction, which may accelerate output in the coming years, it said, without identifying the blocks.
Output from the company's three largest gas fields - Tarim, Southwest and Changqing - will account for over 70% of its total this year, CNPC said.
PetroChina aims to increase gas output by 10 billion cubic meters in 2007, up 22.7% from an estimated 44 billion cubic meters this year, CNPC said in another statement on the Web site.
The company plans to increase development of difficult-to-extract gas reserves in 2007 to reach the growth goal, it said.
PetroChina's gas output accounts for the bulk of China's total gas output. The company produced 31.7 billion cubic meters last year, meeting about half of China's total gas demand of 65 billion cubic meters.
China's gas demand is expected to grow to 100 billion cubic meters by 2010, according to a government forecast.
-Edited by George Bernard
-Contact: 201-938-5400


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Booking one of these experiences might be a once-in-a-lifetime event for you, but it's all in a day's work for our travel specialists. We asked them for advice on how you can get the most out of your trip.
Don't wait until the last minute. "Call soon!" Virginia Irurita urges. "This will give us time to arrange your trip and help guarantee availability."
Do explain specifically what interests you. Andrea Grisdale asks her clients endless questions to suss out exactly what attracted them to a specific experienceor to suggest something that they didn't know was possible. "We take that information and use it to personalize the event."
Don't order à la carte. Says Paul Irvine, "Most of us will make arrangements only for clients who are booking a full itinerarywe are travel organizers, not concierges, and make money from tailoring complete trips."
**Do know that timing is everything. ** Some experiences are available only at certain times of the year, and others are improved by careful planning. According to Susie Worthy, for instance, Scotland is great anytimebut in September, you'll have the added bonus of seeing the Scottish hills all purple with heather.
**Do trust the experts. ** Warns Nancy Craft, "Try not to present your planner with a long list of requests based on the advice of friends with very limited knowledge of the destination. You are paying a premium for inside information, so take advantage of it."
**Don't just wing it. ** Travelers who do their homework are likely to have a better time. Says Vanessa Guibert-Heitner: "Request reading materials, films, or other background information that can help you to prepare. If you ask all the right questions, you'll get the most out of it." Adds Craft, "Learn ten basic words or phrases in the local language. Knowing that much will open doors for you."
**Don't stick to a rigid schedule. ** "That's especially true in Russia," says Greg Tepper. "Major museums will close unexpectedly. Obama's visit to Moscow shut down the Kremlin for two days straight, with no warning." Cushion your itinerary with extra days so that you can be flexible.
**Do manage your expectations. ** "Having a predetermined mind-set of what you want to take away from the experience may ruin the outcome," says Christos Stergiou. "Think of it like a concert you're looking forward to. You pick the band, but you don't tell them what kind of music to play."
**Do be respectful. ** "Don't take pictures of people or government buildings without permission, particularly in Cameroon," says Cherri Briggs.
**Don't be afraid to tackle issues as they arise. ** "If you have a problem," advises Linda Friedman, "bring it to my attention immediately so that we have a chance to correct it. But remember that in places like Africa, things don't always operate as you are accustomed. Don't forget to pack patience, a sense of adventure, and humor."