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My waist-high to-read stack of single issues has finally been whittled down to shin-height, right in the stratum of The Uncanny X-Men. So lately, I've renewed the attack on my to-read stack of trades with vigor. Let's discuss, won't we?
Rabbi Harvey vs. the Wisdom Kid (Jewish Lights): The Jews are funny. This is an irrefutable fact. Jerry Seinfeld, Milton Berle, Red Auerbach, and the Three Stooges are all firm proof of this predilection of the Hasidim for comedy. So when I came across this little book, the third in a series, and saw also that it was a western, another favorite genre of mine, I was immediately intrigued.
And I was far from disappointed. Artist and writer Steve Sheinkin spins a familiar western fable, only instead of a draw-down at high noon, we get the wisdom of the Torah. I infer that this book's main purpose is to make Hebrew school less boring for the kids, so that they're not tempted to steal their Uncle Max's toupée and glue it on their faces to portray Moses. But this certainly doesn't mean that the goyim can't enjoy it as well. Even though it's geared towards kids, it's genuinely funny and the ancient Jewish wisdom abounds, if you're into that sort of thing. I wouldn't say I couldn't live without this book, but it pleasantly killed a half hour or so.
Ghostopolis (Scholastic): For those of you not in the know, I pay the bills by being a warehouse schlep for a joint that deals largely in kids' books. The company gets a lot of advanced reader copies of kiddie-lit, and a good chunka that includes the funny books, and an even gooder chunka them end up in the Free Box in the breakroom. Most of 'em aren't even worth the (non-)price, and most of the good ones are stuff I already have (like the Scholastic reprints of Bone). But when I saw this title in there about a year ago, I think it was, I recognized Doug TenNapel's name from his Iron West, which I enjoyed but didn't bother to hold on to. So I grabbed it up and it sat and collected dust for months on end.
Well, imagine how sheepish I felt when I finally cracked this bad boy open and found it to be one of the finest comics I'd read in years. It reminds me greatly of the aforementioned Bone: a very Campbell-esque quest story, very kid-friendly but never pandering, and just very enjoyable on all levels. I don't remember noticing what a huge Chuck Jones influence TenNapel shows in his artwork before, but here it is very clear indeed. My only regret other than not reading this sooner is that, since this is an ARC, only the first few pages are in color, and the contrast is far too noticeable for me to justify not shelling out the bread for this when it is officially released this here July.
I was talking to Cameron about this book, and from what he'd seen, he was surprised that I dug on it. But when I threw down the Bone comparison, he seemed convinced, as should you be. And I don't mind telling you that the last couple pages brought tears to my eyes. I may be a big pussy, but that sorta thing doesn't happen as often these days now that they got me jacked full of the anti-depressants. So do yourself a favor and buy two copies: one for yourself, and one for your ten-year-old nephew who always gets picked last for kickball.
Jonah Hex: Welcome to Paradise (DC): One of the few really good things about Hollywood adaptations of comics is, in the case of a character like Jonah Hex, the publisher will try to take advantage of the renewed interest in the character by reprinting some of his earlier adventures. This movie may bomb like the Enola Gay, but I've already got this nice little trade, so my troubles are over. The second volume of the Jonah Hex Showcase is permanently in publication limbo it would seem, even though it was solicited a handful of years ago. And even though this volume is a lot more slender and contains a good chunk of stuff from the first Showcase, the color reproduction is well worth the price of admission alone.
Though I feel the current monthly Jonah Hex by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray is by far the best rendition of this character, there is much to be said for the original. As I've said before, DC's westerns had it all over Marvel's back in the '70s, in much the same way that the spaghetti westerns of the 1960s kick the living shit out of the oaters of yesteryear. Like the films of Sergio Leone and his ilk, DC's westerns like Weird Western Tales portray a heavily de-romanticized version of the Old West, where morality is not worth more than what's printed on a wanted poster. Particularly striking in this collection are three stories by long-time Hex scribe Michael Fleisher, who is often also remembered for his losing lawsuit against Harlan Ellison and The Comics Journal, which he filed after Harlan playfully (according to Harlan) called him "bugfuck" among other things in an interview in that mag (having read the interview myself, I'd say Fleisher was pretty much misinterpreting things, and really only cemented anything negative Harlan may have had to say by going so far off the deep end).
But really, none of that has any bearing on the man's comics output, and if shitheads like me would focus on that instead of interdisciplinary gossip like this, we'd all be better off. In "Face-off with the Gallagher Boys!" we meet the title gang, who are largely folk heroes for their war of crime against the big-shot railroad companies. But during their encounter with Hex, they're revealed to their supporters to be just as much a buncha greedy capitalistic opportunists as their antagonists. It's a lovely bit of a cautionary tale about the underdog and what a rat he can often be.
The next two stories are pretty much one narrative which finally puts to bed the sub-plot of the mysterious Mr. Turnbull who'd been trying to have Hex killed almost since the beginning of the character's run. It also fills in the blanks as to Hex's reputation as a coward and a traitor to the Confederate States of America. Seems that young Lieutenant Hex could no longer fight a war to keep a race of people enslaved. Although he dearly loved his southern home, he surrendered himself honorably to the Yanks, pledging to never betray his homeland. But due to the manipulations of the petty Union captain, Hex is framed as just that: a traitor who not only gave up the location of his unit, but who then lead them to slaughter during an escape attempt.
It is this story which can be pointed to as mostly deftly characterizing the bounty hunter known as Jonah Hex. It's from this point on that Hex becomes a country unto himself, polarizing himself from society by not only continuing to wear the uniform of a Confederate, but by becoming a hunter of men, a profession largely looked down upon back then (as opposed to now, when it gets you a TV show despite how stupid your haircut might be). The reader is often witness to Hex acting in the interests of justice, but that is always despite himself. His deeply abiding hatred for humanity is well reflected on himself, especially in a beautiful sequence in "The Trial." Hex stops in a saloon in Virginia, and is soon recognized as the traitor of the 4th Calvary. Every single patron leaves in disgust, as does the proprietor, leaving Hex there alone to ruminate. Staring at his disfigured face in the big picture mirror, Hex smashes it into shards. The loathing of one man for his kind as well as for himself practically slaps the reader in the face.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Jonah fuckin' Hex.
FreakAngels, vols. 3 & 4 (Avatar): Look, either you're already reading this series for free on-line or buying the trades like me and the rest of the suckers or you're not gonna bother. So instead of telling you that this is more Warren Ellis goodness with more of Paul Duffield's excellent art, I'd like to take this opportunity to talk about on-line comics.
Way back when, when I first read the preview of Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics in the back of Cerebus, I had only an inkling of how indispensable this book would be to the study of comics literature. By the time the follow-up, Reinventing Comics was released in 2000, I was all primed to have my mind blown further as to the possibilities within the greatest medium known to man.
Well, I'm still waiting on that mind-blowing. The furor that this book caused, with its intensive focus on on-line comics as the future of the medium, lead McCloud himself to consider the book "dangerous." I'd say the most dangerous thing about the book is how much it insults my intelligence. At one point, he even says something to the effect of, "I drew this whole book using a computer and nary a pencil or piece of paper, and you couldn't even tell, could you?" What am I, a fucking moron, McCloud?
But that was ten years ago. As should be obvious, I've become far more accustomed to our futuristic on-line society, with its rocket-packs and space-pets. But I still hedge at considering the on-line world the next logical step for comics. I mean, really, if comics become (or as they may already have become) as interactive as McCloud predicted a decade ago, well, then they're hardly comics anymore, are they? I mean, I know McCloud technically considers Egyptian hieroglyphics and medieval French tapestries to be forms of comics, but I ain't bagging and boarding them big clunky things. And the same goes for the future: on-line comics are more likely poised to become some blend of sequential art, video games and viral video, deserving of a terminology a little more specific than "on-line comics." I mean, otherwise, we'd still be referring to movies as kinetoscopes.
In the meantime, your more traditional on-line comics, which are pretty much static, Internet-only versions of the things stacked in my closet, are fine as far as comics goes. Some are good (read LaMorté Sisters now, if you aren't already. If I recommend a vampire story to you, you can be reassured that it's worthwhile, since I find vampires more boring than I do your girlfriend), some are for sucks (oddly, I find LaMorté Sisters' creators Johnny Zito and Tony Trov's The Black Cherry Bombshells to fall more under this category), just like any print comics. Personally, I spend plenty of time as it is on this computer machine, so I generally prefer to read my comics the old-fashioned way, and yeah, I'll pony up good money to do so rather than reading it for free on this contraption. But that's just me.
This is all to say, read FreakAngels.
Blankets (Top Shelf): I'm as surprised as you are that it's taken me this long to read this book. I remember hearing a lot about it, but I dunno. For one thing, I'd never heard of this Craig Thompson guy, and since I buy so many books, I usually don't have the money to roll the dice on stuff like this like I did when I was in high school and was a non-smoker. But John let me borrow it, and I am plenty glad he did.
Thompson is a very talented cartoonist as well as a top-notch story-teller. Really, even given my above comments, I should just buy everything Top Shelf puts out from now on, because even if I don't keep it all, it's all still very worthwhile.
All that being said, I do have a few...well, not problems, or even criticisms. I dunno what you'd call 'em, but here goes: first, I think I still have a major hang-over from the indie autobiographical comics boom of the '90s. Seth, Joe Matt, and Chester Brown formed this confessional Canadian troika back then, and even though they put out some good comics, I really got fed up with reading about sensitive guys and their sensitive up-bringings. And if I'm really being honest here, a lot of the embarrassing crap these guys go through tends to strike pretty close to home as well, and I just wanna shove it away. Not the most mature attitude to take, I know, but when you consider how much time and effort I dedicate to the adventures of grown men in spandex, this attitude shouldn't come as much of a surprise.
Another feeling that is a little difficult to pin down is the notion of child molestation. It's gross, to say the very least, and I should hope that I don't have to point that out to anybody here. Since Blankets is autobiographical and since the episodes with child molestation relate directly to the narrative, they're not only disturbing and powerful, but they play an important part in the story. I can get around my own personal discomfort with the subject enough to read it (hell, I've been reading Hubert Selby's Last Exit to Brooklyn this week, so I oughtta be practiced enough at reading icky and gross stuff), but I guess my problem comes from the over-use of this sort of thing in modern story-telling. Not to say that Thompson is pulling this at all, but it seems that including child sexual abuse is a short-cut for writers to a volatile emotional reaction. And like any short-cut, if it's used too often, it defeats its own purpose. The reaction in the audience is in danger of becoming dulled. The possibility that this may extend to reactions to actual child abuse is for somebody else to worry about, like the argument that violent movies and video games desensitize people to the real thing. But what I am more concerned about is when a book like Blankets comes along and deftly depicts a horrible action like this, and my first reaction was almost an eye roll: "Here we go again." That's fucked up, and rather than take responsibility for my own reactions, I'm gonna blame lazy writers and generally worthless shows like Law & Order: SVU for such a saturation of this particular market.
Way to go, assholes.
The Killer, vol. 1 (Archaia): Again, I'll just briefly say this is a very fun read, written by Matz and drawn by Luc Jacamon, originally released in France ten years ago, about a bad-ass hitman and his bad-ass hitman adventures. And now I'll go on a tangent.
Pulp and noir fiction is some of my favorite stuff, as you should know by now. Not only do I enjoy reading it, but it also a big part of my own creative output. Out of the Gutter is one of today's premiere print rags of hard-boiled lit, and when one goes to submit something to them, they have a list of stuff to avoid, clichés that the genre is already full of. And yes, hitmen hold a firm place on that list.
Hey, who doesn't like to read about guys who kill guys? I sure as hell do. But I think one of the reasons the hitman has become such a boring crime archetype is unfortunately one of the most noticeable things about this first volume of The Killer. I already think that narration in comics is largely unnecessary: if you can't convey what you wanna through dialogue and pictures, then I'd say you're not using the medium to its utmost. Of course, there are a million counter-examples to that, but to me, it's a pretty good rule of thumb. But if you insist on using narration, especially first-person, please do not front-load all the motivation there. Especially with a hitman character. It seems to me that a lot of writers feel a need to make it clear why these guys are hitmen, why they would partake in such a detestable occupation. Is this trip really necessary? Why wouldn't I just buy that these guys are sociopaths? Hell, I'm a bad week away from becoming one myself. So all this tired nonsense of "Hey, it's just my job, and if I didn't do it, someone else would, and the people I kill are generally scumbags" and blah blah blah. Max Allan Collins is the only guy I've seen pull it off, and maybe Lawrence Block, and even then, I tend to skim over those parts, quick as. And those guys are legends in the field. Chances are, you ain't.
So stop it already. The guy kills people for money. If you feel the need to explain that further, watch Grosse Pointe Blank again and see what you're doing wrong.
West Coast Blues (Fantagraphics): As if predicting my reaction to The Killer, Jacques Tardi shows up with this adaptation of a Jean-Patrick Manchette novel and proves them frogs really do know what they're doing over there. One of my first thoughts on this book was how much it reminded me of Jean-Luc Godard's movies. And while that may be true, I'm suspicious of my own ability to make that call, since Godard is pretty much the only French pop culture I've had any interaction with.
But regardless, this book is loaded with more existenialism than you can shake being and nothingness at. And it's fucking awesome. I really can't get enough of this sorta stuff, not since I read The Stranger in high school and pretended to understand it, even though at the time, the only understanding it gave me was of The Cure's "Killing an Arab." The main character, average le schmuck George Gerfaut, has an attempt made on his life by two guys he's never seen before. So naturally, he bails on his wife and kids and goes to live in the mountains for a year. The narration in this book is largely expository, but only in real general terms, and it certainly doesn't allow us an open window into Gerfaut's mindset. That's for us to figure out, and I'm glad these boys left it that way. It makes for a much more staisfying read if I have to fill in my own blanks. Plus there are lots of drawing of penises.
Tardi is widely known in Europe and has been for years, so it only makes sense that I've only just become aware of his stuff. Apparently, Fantagraphics is gonna be reprinting a buncha his stuff, even the stuff that Dark Horse already put out a few years ago. So you have no excuse to grab this up and look real impressive down at the coffee house.
All right, kids, that's it for this month. See you next time.
Monday, June 21, 2010
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text: Best Marketing Practices the Digital Era Recipe for restaurant success? It's no secret and you should steal it! Despite the challenges in the U.S. economy, the outlook for many restaurant chains is positive. A recent forecast by KeyBanc Capital Markets highlighted the growth potential for 25 top restaurants. Our agency has had the good fortune to work with three of the brands on… John Ellett January 14, 2011November 15, 2012 · 1:23 am

subset: commoncrawl


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When people talk about reducing their closets, they list wardrobe staples, style classics, the weather, and all these other factors that can helped them decide what goes in the box and what stays in the closet. That's great for a challenge, like if you just want to shop your closet or reduce spending, but a lifestyle change requires an change in mindset as well.
My change has been gradual and is an ongoing process. I feel like a recovering addict, constantly reminding myself of the mindset I want for myself.
You know what it started with though? Shoes. I had boxes and boxes of shoes: platform heels, clogs, sandals, pumps, gladiators, ballet flats, leather boots, rain boots, etc. And yet, I'd come out of my closet with a trial and error outfit that took me some time to put together and none of the shoes seemed to match! It was infuriating.
I had never enjoyed shoe shopping and always wondered about Carrie Bradshaw's obsession with pretty heels and Jimmy Choos. My mothers collection of boots has also puzzled me all my life, and more than a few of my pairs of shoes were purchased by her or with her. You know how they say men don't shop unless they need something? That's how I've always shopped for shoes--with purpose.
Come 2013, I started buying simple shoes to solve this problem: one pair of black and gold sandals for the summer season, one pair of black flats to wear every day to work, one pair of white tennis shoes (which I later replaced with black), and one pair of black Uggs for the snowy winter. I put away the rest of my shoes and, with the exception of a few special occasions, never needed to take them out again.
Simplifying my shoe selection made going out the door instantly quicker, saving me a lot of frustration while getting me places on time--a life saver!
Today, I have one pair of black flip flops, one pair of black Keds, one pair of black heels, one pair of black leather ankle boots, and one pair of navy leather loafers. And sneakers. Although, I must admit, I am wanting a pair of tall black leather boots, but I just haven't found the perfect pair yet.


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History and archaeology – that's what attracts me to Fort York and the reason why I put it at the top of my list of "Must See's" for Toronto. Cocooned by condos, railway lines and expressways, it's an historical oasis that perfectly showcases the growth of Toronto.
The best way to get a fix on the fort is to first take the glass elevator to the lofty heights of the CN Tower. In fact, the view from the SkyPod is the only way I know to get a real understanding of how the town of York evolved into the City of Toronto. Look west and you can follow the lake shore. Twentieth century landfill reaches almost to the Island Airport but move the eye inland across the Condos and the Gardiner Expressway and you can see where the original shoreline of the lake once straddled the southern boundary of Fort York. That's it, that little triangle of green with a flag and a few buildings and usually the tiny speck of a uniformed 1812 soldier or two followed by a herd of young school kids all pretending they have muskets on their shoulders and are off to do battle with the Americans.
At ground level, the War of 1812, the life style of the soldiers and the armaments of the day, is the standard introduction most people get to Fort York, but I like to dig a little more. Some years ago, aided and abetted by the Fort's local archaeologist, David Spittal, the filming of 'Toronto 175' gave me the chance to get the dirt on the Fort. David introduced me to the original location of the Lieutenant-Governor's residence. They had already done some digging and along with the foundations of the house had uncovered pieces of pottery. Seems John Graves Simcoe and subsequent representatives of the Crown had to bring their own crockery when they travelled from Britain to Upper Canada. When the Americans burned the fort a lot of those private possessions were broken and buried in the debris. Armed with this information I paid a visit to the current Lt. Governor of Ontario, David Onley, who is himself a history buff, with a wealth of knowledge about his predecessors and the war between the British and the Americans. He told me that when John Graves Simcoe arrived at the sheltered harbor on the northern shores of Lake Ontario in 1793 he decided this would be the perfect location for his new capital of Upper Canada and put up a tent – Captain Cook's tent to be precise – and moved in.
Over time, as the Fort's location switched variously from one side of the Garrison Creek to the other, a Governor's residence was built along with log barracks for the soldiers, a Blockhouse, Grand Magazine and an Officers' Mess. When you consider the War of 1812, the American invasion, and the frequency of fires in the new settlement, it's remarkable that some of the original buildings survived and that the site contains seven of the eight oldest buildings constructed in the City. Even more remarkable, given the size of the property – 43 acres – and the city's current predilection for Condo-mania and knocking down anything over 20 years old! It's only due to people like the Friends of Fort York that we have managed to save an incredible piece of Canada's history.
The "Friends" are passionate about the Fort and rarely miss an opportunity to dress up and give a sense of life in the 1800s. Along with historical re-enactments and annual events, I've joined them for evenings of dancing in the Junior Officer's Barracks, watched them bake basil biscuits over an open-hearth fire in the Mess Establishment, and attended Remembrance Day services at Garrison Cemetery honouring First Nations, British and American soldiers, who lost their lives during the 1812 conflict.
Built into the basement of the Officer's Mess, the discovery of two money vaults that were used to hide gold and silver bullion during the 1838 Rebellion is just one example of how on-going archaeology is revealing unexpected touchstones to the City's history. Even the heavy timbers of the Commissioners Wharf built in 1816 and excavated out of the embankment when the Domed Stadium was built, have found a home at Fort York.
On my visits I also like to sit with Nature's little archaeologists, the ground-hogs who have found sanctuary in the earthworks that surround the Fort and who have been known to find treasures from their tunneling exploits. Usually it's 20th century garbage that was used as landfill and doesn't relate to the military history of the fort. But, as I look over those ramparts and think back up to that view from the top of the CN Tower, "Go jump in the Lake" has new meaning. I can visualize the waters of Lake Ontario lapping on the shores just below me and the ships that would have sailed through the mouth of the harbor past the canon of Fort York – new immigrants on board filled with the excited anticipation of starting a new life in a new country. Some things never change.
Fort York has withstood battles, fires, rebellions, an American invasion, and 20th century progress. Today as it commemorates the Bi-Centennial of the War of 1812 with the building of a new interactive visitor's centre, Fort York cheerfully welcomes the return of all those elements and remains a vital link to the City's past.


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Today marks the first day of a glorious new year! Happy to be alive and well, surrounded (whether physically or emotionally) by the people I love and who I love most. Thank you for all the blessings in 2011! From graduating from Teacher's College after a 'mid-life realization' (lol) and becoming a certified teacher in Ontario, to venturing out to Korea for a job (meeting the most adorable children and exploring one of the many beautiful places on earth), then coming home to a Board opportunity (that will hopefully turn permanent in the near future), and ending the year with many lovely memories of places traveled, food eaten, people I've met and reconnected with, and the countless dishes shared from ev's kitchen. I am happy to say that 2011 was an amazing adventure and year of growth. I am excited for the year ahead, as it will be a busy one, with courses and work. But, it will be full of life, love, laughter and tears especially since I will play a special role in three of my dear friends weddings in 2012!!!! It is a blessing to be a part of their special time and witness personally the warmth in their hearts.
Today also marks my parents 30th wedding anniversary!! It's amazing to see them grow old together!! I wish them many years of love, happiness and good health! 🙂 They are currently enjoying a feast of a meal in HK with all my relatives! Wish I could be there.
Finally, it's also my birthday!! 🙂 🙂 And this post is dedicated to how I've decided to spend it. With good friends, doing something that makes me (and hopefully them) and others feel good. Inspired by The Birthday Project, originally from this blog post, I wanted to do something similar and spread some kindness cheer with the people around me, especially to start off the new year! With the help of my B.F.F. (best foodie friend June), my trusty sous chef (Helene), and sous chef for life (B) haha, we baked 100+ cupcakes that we will decorate, package and give out at the local skating rink this afternoon. They are 'just because' cupcakes that are meant to spread some holiday cheer and kindness to strangers we meet today. I know that some may think it's odd and may be skeptical about receiving them, but I assure you, there is/was no ulterior motive! I just want to do something nice for others that may not be expecting it, and which could possibly brighten their day just a little bit more!
Here's a photo of the prep work that we did to get the mission rolling…
We are now decorating and assembling the cupcakes at the moment and will be off to hand them out
at the Markham Civic Centre Outdoor skating rink (OR the theatre in First Markham Place… if it continues to rain :()! I will update with more photos to share how the day went… keep you posted! 🙂
EDIT*** We have just moved the cupcake 'handout' to Vaughan Mills Mall (so indoors) by the food court!!! We will be there at 4:30pm today 🙂 See you!
Post Cupcake Sharing Mission Update:
So after a few changes, we still continued our mission to complete my random act of kindness for the day! We headed to a busy mall in the GTA and did our sharing there in front of one of their entrances. Though we were worried we'd get caught for 'handing stuff out' on mall property, we had secretly hoped that we would be OK and everything would be handed out before anyone 'really' noticed. 😛 I'm happy to say… we SUCCEEDED in our mission and we left happy and grateful (at least I did haha) and didn't get in trouble with the law lol ^.^.
Here are photos of my 'dream team' working hard to ensure my plan was executed accordingly, and to reassure me that things would be OK even though the weather was not cooperating with us!
Here are photos of all the mini cupcakes frosted and assembled, ready for distribution!
It was interesting interacting with the various individuals who we came across. The first person we approached seemed very shocked and didn't even let us finish our sentence before saying, 'no, no, no, I am not interested'. I guess you can't blame her, as it's not everyday that people are handing out something 'free' without a reason.
But that didn't stop us! We continued with a friendly smile, approaching the moms and the dads, husbands and wives, teenagers, babies and children.
Interesting comments included… 'Which company are you from?', 'Who are you?', 'Why are you doing this?', 'Can I take some for my family?'..But once they knew our purpose of just 'spreading kindness', people were smiling and returned the greeting. Some even took a few for friends and family. After that initial 'hiccup', we were greeted with many shocked turned smiling faces in the quick 10-15min it took to hand out the 100 cupcakes! I hope those who received one are happy and satisfied with their little treats and are on their way to a wonderful year ahead!!!
I'm so glad that the mission unfolded the way it did. It's hard to explain the feeling of the whole process and final moments of the plan. Though we stayed up till 3am the night before baking and packaging everything, it was worth it in my mind! It's a privilege to be able to do something for someone else. Hopefully from here on end there will be many more opportunities to help and inspire. I could not have done this without the help of my amazing friends. I am so lucky to have them to support me in this project and through life ^.^. Love them so very much!!!! I wonder what I can do next year? 😛 Until then, hope we can all continue to do great things for everyone around us, strangers or not 😛


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Your guess is as good as mine.
Since graduating two years ago, I've had several jobs, one of which I loved (in web/digital), and others that have been more mixed. They have all been short-term contracts and there has never been funding available to keep me on, although colleagues have been pleased with my work.
At the moment I'm struggling with the frustration of not finding (and keeping) a fulfilling job, and anxiety about making the 'wrong' decisions and not getting the most from my chance at life. This blog will share some of my questions and thoughts, plus an insight into the rollercoaster of excitement that is my current working life.
If anyone out there is feeling the same way or asking similar questions, I'd love to hear from you. Maybe you felt like this a few years ago and are now successfully and happily pursuing a career in law/floristry/dog grooming/world domination that brings you daily joy? Or maybe you're muddling along and that's OK actually – you're happy. Please share if you'd like to.


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Pirate Golf Tournament set for June 2
PORT ANGELES - The annual Pirate Golf Tournament, a fund raiser for athletic scholarships, is set for a 9 a.m. shotgun start on June 2 at Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course.
The 2017 tournament nearly sold out and organizer Mitch Freeman, Peninsula College men's basketball coach, is working hard in hopes of a full field for 2018.
"This is not only a fund raiser for scholarships, but it's a fun end-of-year celebration of Pirate Athletics," said Rick Ross, Associate Dean for Athletics and Student Life. "Coach Freeman and a group of Pirate athletic volunteers put on a great tournament every year and Jerry Allen of 7 Cedars Casino, and Bill Shea and Garrett Smithson of the Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course take very good care of us. Golfers of all abilities can come out and have a great time."
The tournamnent fee is $100 per player, and the golf committee welcomes business leaders to put teams together and get their corporate Tee Sign at one of the 18 holes.
Prizes will go to first and second place in the men's division and first place in the women's division, as well as hole-in-one prizes on par 3 holes sponsored by Wilder Auto Center, KP prizes on select par 3 holes, long drive, as well as two special holes featuring soccer and basketball stations, staffed by Pirate student athletes.
The event will include 18 holes of golf with cart, appetizers and drinks, a tee prize, lunch, and a chance to win prizes, cash and more!
Contact Mitch Freeman at firstname.lastname@example.com or 360-417-6467 to reserve your spot.
The tournament format is a 4-person scramble. Don't miss the final Pirate Athletics event of the year!


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Top 100 Best Villains Of Marvel Comics
The search for top 100 best Marvel villains of all time can be compared to an epic journey. The initial idea was to come up with a top 10 list. A top 10 list was quickly thrown away because limiting this list to 10 would be an injustice. The top 10 transitioned to a top 25, then to a top 50, then it was clear a top 100 was needed due to the sheer number of villains to choose from. Marvel villains are epic and we needed to create a list equally epic.


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The national anthem is , which means Great Indonesia. The song was composed in 1928. The birth of Indonesia Raya marked the beginning of Indonesian nationalist movements. The song first introduced by its composer, Wage Rudolf Supratman, at the second All Indonesian Youth Congress on October 28, 1928 in Batavia, now Jakarta. It was the moment when Indonesian youth of different ethnic, language, religious and cultural backgrounds resolutely pledged allegiance to:1. One native land, Indonesia;2. One nation, the Indonesian nation;3. One unifying language, the Indonesian language. Soon the national song, which called for the unity of Indonesia, became popular. It was echoed at Indonesian political rallies, where people stood in solemn observance. The song seriously aroused national consciousness among the people throughout the archipelago Indonesia's National Anthem.
By: Wage Rudolph Supratman Indonesia, tanah airku, tanah tumpah darahku.Di sanalah aku berdiri, jadi pandu ibuku.Indonesia, kebangsaanku, bangsa dan tanah airku.Marilah kita berseru, "Indonesia bersatu!"Hiduplah tanahku, hiduplah neg'riku,Bangsaku, rakyatku, semuanya.Bangunlah jiwanya, bangunlah badannyaUntuk Indonesia Raya! CHORUS:Indonesia Raya, merdeka, merdekaTanahku, neg'riku yang kucinta.Indonesia Raya, merdeka, merdekaHiduplah Indonesia Raya! (2x)


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Crown Green Bowling
Click here for more information.
M U (Mothers ' Union)
2nd Wednesday in the month 2.00-4.00 pm in the Old Vestry, St Pauls C&C. Working towards improving family life in our communities nationally and internationally.
Contact Jacqui Herbert 255 4379
Neighbourhood Watch
Click here for more information.
Norton Dojo Karate Club
Mount View Methodist Church
Derbyshire Lane
Sheffield S8 8SG
Tel: 0114 2372655
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: www.nortondojo.co.uk
Norton Lees Juniors Football Club
Secretary: David Winters
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: www.nortonleesjfc.co.uk
Norton Lees Local History Group
usually 2nd Tuesday in the month – 7.30-9.30 pm in the Old Vestry, St Pauls C&C
Contact Irene Seggar via the Centre Office.
Sheffield 50+
The voice of older people in Sheffield. Click here for more information.
St Paul's Music Listening Group
2nd and 4th Thursday 7.00-9.00 pm in the Old Vestry, St Pauls C&C. Over 20 members meet to listen to classical music and the popular music of our youth with refreshments and a chance to have a chat.
Contact Joan & John Howlett 255 4581 or Ken Smith 250 7914
Table Tennis
The Tuesday Table Tennis group at the Scout Hall on Welby Place are looking for new members for 2009. If you'd like to join please contact Norie or Jean Boyd via the church office. This is a very friendly group and you will be able to get gentle exercise at your own pace!
Women's Institute
1st & 3rd Wednesday in month in the Old Vestry, St Pauls C&C. Offering skills and opportunities together with friendship and companionship. Often there is a speaker, always lots of fun and of course a cup of tea!
Contact Sylvia Sanderson or Beryl Hobson via the Centre Office.
Yolande Swift has some vacancies for her Wednesday teatime class at St Paul's. Highly recommended! Please phone 0114 2899200 or 07793607197 if you're interested.


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Vodafone and Ericsson partnered to improve Vodafone's customer experience and at the same time create efficiencies across functional divisions.
"We have been on a journey for some time now to improve how customers experience the services we provide."
"Then effectively almost every division of Vodafone is involved from the call center to the IT systems. It could be the network, and it could also be the way we've designed our products. It's a very cross functional aspect when you try to address the real customer experience," says Benoit Hanssen, CTO Vodafone Australia.


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Sebastian Vettel - World Champions Formula 1 (F1)
Sebastian Vettel born in Heppenheim, Germany, July 3, 1987, age 24 years) was a Formula One driver from Germany. Currently he is racing for Team Red Bull Racing, replacing David Coulthard and become a teammate of Mark Webber. He first fell in race event on the official F1 Turkish Grand Prix 2006 when he became a Friday test driver for BMW-Sauber team at the age of 19 years and 53 days. Vettel himself the nickname Baby Schumi is now, due to the style of racing that is similar to The Legend of 7 times F1 world champion, Michael Schumacher.
Vettel youngest F1 driver then became the sixth that fell in the Grand Prix arena, and became the youngest F1 driver to score points on the 2007 U.S. GP. On September 30, 2007 in Fuji, he became the youngest F1 driver who led the race. Later in the Italian GP 2008 he scored another history when he became the youngest F1 driver to win pole position and scored a victory the next day. Vettel also became the youngest driver to win for two teams in two consecutive years. On 14 November 2010 finally appeared as Sebastian Vettel F1's youngest world champion in history after winning the race in Abu Dhabi. He became world champion at the age of 23 years and 134 days and breaking the previous record recorded Lewis Hamilton in the 2008 season at the age of 23 years and 300 days.
Sebastian Vettel, was born July 3, 1987, is the third child of four children. Vettel motorsport event to know when his father, Norbert, gave Golkar Bambini presents a 60cc when age Vettel had just three years as a Christmas gift. Vettel's father was an avid race, and he was often present as spectators in some big races in the German event like F1, MotoGP, local touring and racing. His mother, Heike, is a housewife who was worried at first when I heard Vettel down in the arena of race. Seeing his wife's anxious and nervous when I saw Vettel competed in the junior event Golkar, Norbert Vettel then introduced Heike and small with Michael Schumacher, whom he knew from an event in the German F3 races in 1990. Unexpectedly, Schumacher want to explain what it is to Heike motorsport. He also saw Vettel even have a good future in the arena of motorsport, so long as his father and mother wishes her son would support a smooth them.
Vettel current hobby is playing video computer games. Vettel admitted he could learn a lot about F1 tracks now through simulations and gaming computer / PlayStation, due to the current test track using the car is already limited by the FIA. He also likes to watch movies and listen to music. Vettel also likes to read books, and he often exchanged books with fellow F1 driver, namely Nico Rosberg. Vettel is also a big fan of football club Eintracht Frankfurt and loyal supporter of the German national team. Vettel is currently dating Hanna Prater that he had known since I was in junior school.
Until now, Sebastian Vettel recorded as the first driver since Gerhard Berger who do not wear or have a personal manager. Vettel is only aided by her parents in discussing the various clauses of contract works.
In early 2009, Vettel also tried something else to do with buying a farm and ranch land that later he named "Neumuli", which is located in the area Kemmental, Thurgau. Once in a while he became caretaker directly for sheep and cattle which he kept in the land , but Vettel was rejected when his hobby will eventually become the field of business when she retired racing event, as is done by Jody Scheckter. Currently Vettel lives in Lake Zug, Walchwil, Switzerland. He remained there ever since officially became Scuderia Toro Rosso driver in mid-2007. Occasionally he also returned to his homeland in Heppenheim to meet up to do with parents and siblings.
There are three characters that inspired the Vettel to date, according to Vettel in an interview, three of them could be called "Trio Michael": Michael Schumacher (driver), Michael Jordan (basketball), and Michael Jackson (singer). As a child, Vettel was confused what he wants to be when you grow up:
"I really idolized as a child" Three Michael ", that is Michael Schumacher, Michael Jordan, and Michael Jackson. I even want to be like three of them. I tried to play basketball, love my posture is not sufficient. I tried to sing, unfortunately my sound bad, I finally decided to go down into the drivers like Schumacher "
Sebastian Vettel, with Robert Kubica, the two active current F1 driver who pocketed a diploma. In April 2006, four days before he won his first win in Formula 3, Vettel immediately rushed to the campus in the Abitur since that day he will conduct the written exam for graduation academic. Vettel managed to complete the test well.
Comparison with Schumi
After Sebastian Vettel won his first race at Monza in 2008, the media began to create a new nickname for Vettel is as "Baby Schumi" or "New Schumacher", but Vettel modestly when asked about it. According to Vettel legitimate if the mass media referred to him as the successor to Schumacher, because he had both come from Germany, aggressive in the race, had a closeness with the mechanical engineering, and sometimes often called arrogant. One striking difference between Schumacher and Vettel are, Schumacher was never named car racing, while Vettel named almost all of his racing car used in F1: Julie (2008), Kate, Kate's Dirty Sister (2009), Luscious Liz and Randy Mandy (2010) , and Kinky Kylie (2011). The name given Luscious Liz Vettel to his car after he was troubled at the Monaco Grand Prix 2010 which causes it to lose to Mark Webber. The chassis is problematic is then given to Mark Webber and Webber funny thing is capable of winning with the chassis in the UK and Germany.
Other equations between Vettel and Schumacher are: Vettel and Schumacher was born and raised in a small town in Germany; their families are lower middle class family (father Schumacher worked as a mason, while Vettel's father worked as a carpenter); Schumacher and Vettel started career in Kerpen, and when small they both had never dreamed of becoming a successful racer in the F1 event.
Pre-Formula 1
Vettel started his racing career in car racing in 1995 by winning several tournaments Golkar, one of which is the Junior Monaco Kart Cup in 2001. In 2003 she moved to the open-wheel racing event, the Formula BMW Germany, and won the event in 2004 which stood at 18 wins from 20 races. In 2005 he raced for ASL Mucke Motorsport in F3 Euroseries and P5 finish in the final standings with 64 points and won Rookie of the Year. He did not win any single race in the F3 Euroseries for the event was dominated by Lewis Hamilton.
Then he tested the Williams FW27 F1 car on September 27, 2005 as a reward for his victory in Formula BMW. Because of Williams' engine suppliers BMW parted with at the end of 2005, Vettel is pulled to a test driver at BMW-Sauber team for the 2006 season.
In 2006 Vettel finished as runner-up in the event the F3 Euroseries in behind Paul Resta. He then followed the event World Series by Renault at Misano and win after Pastor Maldonado was disqualified. Yet in the next race at Spa, one of the great cut fingers due to exposure to flying debris caused by car accidents, a result he was sentenced to rest for a few races for wound healing.
Vettel then decided to move to another racing event, the Ultimate Masters of F3 at Zandvoort circuit next week. Surprisingly with the conditions of the injured hand he was able to record the fastest lap and shocking boss in F3, Frederic Vasseur. Vasseur said:
"Very amazing see the spirit and performance, because last week he was sentenced physicians should not join the race, but he was able to show good results at the show, and we believe that he can get off at the next series of the F3 Euroseries at the Nurburgring.
Formula 1
2007: BMW-Sauber
Vettel became BMW Sauber's reserve driver since 2006 to replace the Turkish Grand Prix Robert Kubica who was elevated to be the main driver to replace Jacques Villeneuve, who resigned abruptly from the Hungarian GP 2006. He then showed good performance during the Turkish Grand Prix free practice round by scoring the fastest time during the second free practice session on Friday. Performance Vettel back looks good when the last Italian GP free practice in 2006 with the fastest lap recorded in the two free practice sessions on Friday . Week, Robert Kubica in third place podium finish.
Contracted Vettel became BMW's test driver in the 2007 season and competed in the World Series by Renault, with the first victory at the Nurburgring. However, on July 14, 2007, he was summoned to race for BMW in the U.S. GP following Robert Kubica's accident the previous week in Canada. At that time he was leading the World Series championship, and his chair had to be taken over by Michael Ammermuller.
Since its debut in U. S. GP 2007 with BMW-Sauber to replace the injured Robert Kubica , Vettel has a lot to draw the attention of lovers of F1. He finished in 8th place and one point on his debut race. Besides, he also broke the record as the youngest driver to race in F1 event and the youngest F1 driver to win the points was the age of 19 years and 53 days.
His debut at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 16, 2007 was also marked by a fine of 1,000 U.S. dollars for violating the speed in the pitlane, at the same time he was crowned as the fastest rookie racer who get fined. But in a poll MOTY Racing F1, Vettel lost by the "super children" McLaren, Lewis Hamilton. Some people from BMW and Toro Rosso team believes that Hamilton's victory simply because the greatness of the McLaren car, there is likely if the case Vettel get a car as good as that obtained by Hamilton in the McLaren, then his performance may well be very similar to that achieved by Hamilton.
Appearances labile
Dated July 31, 2007, before the French Grand Prix, the Scuderia Toro Rosso Scott Speed surprisingly sacked and replaced by Vettel. Next start the Hungarian Grand Prix, Vettel to race for Toro Rosso. Announced by the team anyway, that Vettel would stay with STR for 2008 season , with world champion teammate ChampCar World Series four times in a row, Sebastien Bourdais. Appearances Vettel in four races beginning with ordinary STR impressed when compared with the time teammate, Vitantonio Liuzzi, because he is still adjusting to the car handling str2. Until the end of the 2007 season, Vettel reportedly paid 165,000 dollars the United States.
History then printed in 2007 Japanese GP at Fuji circuit. He became the youngest F1 driver who led the race. However, although throughout the race he was in P3, it fails to engage on the podium due to an accident with Mark Webber, and according to Webber and Vettel all of that caused by Lewis Hamilton maneuver that suddenly when you are behind the safety car. Vettel seen crying in the garage after the accident. But in the evening after the race, the reporter caught he was busy dancing in the disco.
The mistake in Japan are paid in the Chinese Grand Prix when he finished fourth. After the race, Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz said that Vettel has a great talent that will shake the world someday. Vettel might even be able to exceed what has been achieved by the legend, Michael Schumacher. At the end of the season, Ron Dennis had offered big money to Mateschitz to sell Vettel to McLaren to replace Fernando Alonso returning to Renault. However, these negotiations failed to materialize, and stay on the team Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso.
Attack 2008
In 2008, accompanied by French rookie Sebastien Bourdais, Vettel returned to the show kicked off. Although it had twice failed to finish in the first four races, got up with a fantastic Vettel in Monaco, and then Canada, when he had fought hard against Heikki Kovalainen. Ahead of British Grand Prix, announced to the public that Vettel will race for Red Bull Racing team started the 2009 season. However, when the race at Silverstone, Vettel even butting riders who will he replace in the RBR for 2009, David Coulthard. Later in Europe, Vettel managed to finish the race in P6, while its position when qualifying was also in P6.
The climax is when at Monza, when he was able to grab pole position , and then being able to translate it into a victory the next day. With this result, Vettel became the youngest driver in history who could win the race F1, breaking the previous record which is printed the name of Fernando Alonso at the Hungarian GP 2003. Age when winning the Italian Grand Prix Vettel is 21 years and 74 days. After the race, the German public began to equate appearance with Schumi Vettel, who later gave birth to the nickname "Baby Schumi" for Vettel.
In Brazil, he almost became a hero for the citizens of Sao Paulo and the current Ferrari team managed to overtake Lewis Hamilton in P5, until then Timo Glock in Q4 slows down and causing Vettel and Hamilton able to pass, as well as securing the world title for Hamilton.
2009-present: Red Bull Racing
Runner-up world
Appearances Vettel at RBR team is quite good in the 2009 season. In Australia he was almost finished in P3, if it is not wrong in overtaking Robert Kubica who was in P2, which then resulted in an accident for both. After the race, Vettel and then went to Mario Theissen, apologized for the incident. In the next race in Malaysia, Vettel scored as twisted failed during heavy rains. Another History recorded in the GP of China, once able to achieve pole position, Vettel Mark Webber then led 1-2 in the position to offer the first victory for Red Bull Racing team.
Bahrain Grand Prix, Vettel start at P3 and then finish in P2 during the race. In Spain he was able to be in P2 during qualifying, but during the race when he went down to P4 due to wrong strategy. Vettel then won the British Grand Prix after claiming pole the previous day. In Germany he became the team when guard Mark Webber his first victory in F1 event. Later in Belgium he managed to finish in the P3, after he failed to finish in Hungary thanks to Kimi Raikkonen headed. But at Monza Vettel could only finish in P8, and even then because the accident helped Lewis Hamilton a lap before the finish. Continues to Singapore, Vettel managed to look good during qualifying and could overshadow Lewis Hamilton. Unfortunately because of the white lines run over the pitlane exit line, Vettel is suspended, and consequently he was only able to finish in P4. The mistake he paid during the Japanese GP, in spectacular fashion when he was able to win the race from pole position, at once drove him into one of the world title contender in the 2009 season. But his dream to be dashed after the 2009 world champion in Brazilian Grand Prix when he was trapped in qualifying P16 and P4 only able to finish during the race, while his main rival, Jenson Button, just finish in P5. In the final race of the F1 season 2009 in Abu Dhabi, Sebastian Vettel finally ensure the runner-up world by winning the race in the United Arab Emirates.
The youngest world champion
2010 season Vettel continued good season with the team Red Bull Racing. He won two times the pole position in Bahrain and Australia but failed to win the second race. In Malaysia Vettel finally able to grab his first victory in the 2010 season during qualifying, although he was only able to reach the second starting position. Chinese Grand Prix, Vettel took pole position again, but the strategy gambling intermediate tire wear ultimately diminish the hope Vettel won the race, and he had to settle for doi finish P6. Vettel then managed to finish the podium again after being in P3 in the Spanish Grand Prix after Lewis Hamilton suffered a flat tire one lap before the race was over .. In Monaco, after a successful overtaking Robert Kubica at the start, securing second place behind Vettel Mark Webber, who won the race. But the fatal mistake when he was shown in Turkey will try to overtake Webber worked with the lead that the two are actually causing dome and out of the arena. After only able to finish P4 in Canada, Vettel was back up by winning the race at Valencia is dominant, which is then followed by winning the third podium twice in Germany and Hungary. In Belgium, again Vettel made a fatal mistake when it tried to overtake Jenson Button, who led Button Vettel out of the arena but can still go even if ultimately only able to finish in P15. Then, after failing in the South, Vettel won the race in Japan and Brazil. Sebastian Vettel finally managed to become the 2010 F1 world champion after winning in Abu Dhabi where the arch-rivals Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber finished only in P7 and P8. Sebastian Vettel himself later recorded history as the youngest F1 world champion in history at the age of 23 years and 134 days. He broke the record that Lewis Hamilton could be F1's youngest world champion in the 2008 season at the age of 23 years and 300 days.
Vettel continued appearance of the 2011 season by winning two races well season opener in Australia and Malaysia. But in China Vettel had to settle for P2 finish after the tires lost grip at the end of the race which caused him by Lewis Hamilton. Vettel then managed to reel off three consecutive wins in Turkey, Spain and Monaco before he succeeded in beat Jenson Button in Canada. Vettel was back to winning ways in Europe followed by a "crisis of victory" for three consecutive series and again won the race in Belgium. Through his victory in Belgium, Vettel made it through the season points record of 2010 (256 points) with 259 points. He returned to win in Italy who is also a prime engine Renault victory since 1995.
On August 21, 2009 it was announced that Sebastian Vettel will race with Red Bull Racing team until the end of the 2011 season. Then on March 14, 2011, Red Bull Racing again Sebastian Vettel announced a contract extension until the end of the season of 2014. However, in the new contract It also contained articles stating Sebastian Vettel could leave the team before his contract ends in 2014 when Vettel was bored or felt Red Bull is no longer able to deliver what he wants. Until now the team is interested interesting Sebastian Vettel in the future is a giant Italian, Ferrari.
Sebastian Vettel renowned as one of the drivers are aggressive, but sometimes he is often times less computation and sloppy, especially when going to overtake his opponent. Several incidents involving Vettel during his career in F1, among others:
* 2007 Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix (Fuji Speedway):
This is the first major incident Vettel that he got in his debut year. When it intends to overtake Vettel prospective teammate Mark Webber. Both Webber and Vettel was at P2 and P3, behind Lewis Hamilton, who was leading the race and the track in wet conditions with the safety car. On lap 45 Vettel suddenly butting the back of the car Red Bull's Mark Webber, causing Webber and Vettel were knocked out instantly lose the front suspension. Vettel then returned to the pits in the hope of repairing the car, but unfortunately his car was too severe conditions . Vettel then caught on camera crying after the incident. Meanwhile, Webber, Vettel blamed as a "rookie who do not understand the art of racing".
* 2010 Turkish Grand Prix (Istanbul Park):
Red Bull duo managed to lead the race convincingly 1-2 in the race this time with Mark Webber and Vettel at P1 in P2. Lap 40 Vettel is faster than Webber intends to overtake his teammate is at the corner of the twelfth. Unfortunately Vettel miscalculated and he nudged the rear tire Webber. Vettel then lose the front suspension and immediately eliminated at the scene, while Webber managed to continue the race and was able to finish P3 behind the McLaren duo. Shortly after the exit, says Webber Vettel as the drivers are careless. After the race Webber Vettel as the drivers behind the attack that are less thorough. The boss of Red Bull, Hermut Marko then bring them a week later to repair relations between the two as fellow teammates. He added that Vettel should have a little more patient because the team's goals in the GP of Turkey is actually secure the position 1-2 to finish without the need to fight each other between teammates.
* 2010 Belgian Grand Prix (Spa-Francorchamps):
The competition this time took place in wet conditions after a rain, the race which was led by Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton's teammate, Jenson Button was in P2 and stalking behind Sebastian Vettel. On lap 16, Vettel is looking for a gap to overtake Button suddenly twisted and he hit the Button car radiator, causing Vettel Button knocked out while still able to go race and finish in P15. After the race Martin Whitmarsh declared Vettel as a boy racer being too hasty to overtake. Meanwhile, the stronghold of Red Bull, Vettel said that Button deliberately stonewall stop him to overtake with the intention to widen the distance for Lewis Hamilton. Christian Horner Vettel then support the idea by giving testimony that every lap, Vettel lost time of 1.4 seconds because it was blocked Button.
Race of Champions
Vettel participated in the Race of Champions 2007 represents the German team and paired with his idol, Michael Schumacher. Team mate Vettel and Schumacher managed to win the Nation's Cup title; at the time the final he defeated the strongest partner ROC, Heikki Kovalainen and Marcus Gronholm. But in individual categories, Vettel lost by Heikki.
Continued in 2008, he re-teamed with Schumacher in ROC, and again this pair won the Nation's Cup after beating the same two Scandinavian (Gronholm and Kovalainen). In the Driver's Cup, Vettel managed to beat Australia which is also representative of WSBK 2008 world champion, Troy Bayliss, but lost to the French WRC world champion, Sebastien Loeb in the quarterfinals.
In 2009 Vettel re-teamed with Schumacher in ROC, and this time duet-Schumi Vettel managed to win the Nation's Cup title after defeating the British pair Jenson Button and Andy Priaulx. For 2010 he was paired with Schumacher, Vettel drove back the German won the Nation's Cup for the fourth time in succession. Unfortunately in the individual category, Vettel lost by a Portuguese driver Filipe Albuquerque, who emerged as overall champion of individual categories.
A few days before the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel shared some of his fellow F1 driver like Mark Webber and Alexander Wurz, assisted by a team of nature lovers try to climb Mount Fuji Japan. And they finally reached the summit on Wednesday morning, they then fell back safely on Wednesday afternoon the day before the course of the Japanese Grand Prix free practice round.
In a football match before the Monaco Grand Prix 2008, with Fernando Alonso, Vettel, Rubens Barrichello, Felipe Massa, Nico Rosberg and Mark Webber into one team when they play football with the help of some other race car driver from a different arena of celebrities against a team of all stars. In a charity match, the team riders and the teams drew celebrities share figures 6-6.


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Yellowhair - Chapter 10: Crossing Ceremony
Acknowledging death, Qello sends a loving goodbye to her family. These chapters come from the story of Yellowhair, in the Dragonfly Elf series that the elves at Hole in the Woods have been busy sneaking into the world for you. Learn more at HoleintheWoods.net or read along with us at www.wattpad.com/wezleybrookz.


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I'm a businesswoman, so I know how important it is to have a strong brand with visually compelling images to grasp the attention of an ever-moving world. Whether you're a small business owner, a non-profit or a corporate entity, I can provide design services that will unify and define your mission.
But I also love the personal projects, too. Is your senior graduating? Are you getting married? Did you just have a baby? Maybe you're throwing a birthday party or a shower and need some invitations or decorations! I love to deliver custom pieces that showcase my client and what they are celebrating.
Whether you're in the market for a fresh brand or looking for beautiful, custom invitations or announcements, I'm your girl. When you hire me as your designer, you're not just getting a third-party professional—you're getting a friend, a colleague who cares for your project as if it were her own.
Design services are billed at an hourly rate starting at 55.
Graduation & birth announcements, save-the-dates, invitations, menus, decor and more. As simple as an image to be printed or as complex as unique, custom pieces that require extra love and care.
Anything from logos, business cards and letter head to complete branding with color story and typography. Exclusive web design on the platform provided by Squarespace with basic training.
Let's talk! Contact me to learn more and get started!
Due to the nature of custom work, some items may need to be outsourced. Pricing does not include the items themselves, only the artwork; pricing does not include shipping & handling (if needed).


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Last Friday I was invited to the soft opening of Monte Cassino, a 5 Stars Boutique Hotel in Tabarja that is a short walk from Casino Du Liban, to sleep in with fellow bloggers, among them Najib from Blog Baladi and Dana from Ivy Says—Mia, a close friend joined me as well. The night triggered a lot of enthusiasm because it was the eve of the start of Jounieh Festival (I'm going tonight to the ZAZ concert), that we know launches with a beautiful celebration of fireworks all along the Jounieh bay around 11pm. The shore would be enlightened with launch boats and bigger yachts—and that is the time of the year when I can brag about Jounieh being my hometown.
I was very surprised to see my room when Mia and I checked in. Besides the shower near the toilet that has a phone BTW, we had a Jacuzzi in the room set in front of a long glass window behind which we can see all of Jounieh bay—priceless. I had a hardworking week, and that was definitely my reward sent from the seven heavens!
Like usual, we were late to check in so we rushed to the tulip lounge where all the bloggers and VIP were awaiting us for a seated dinner. Right before the fireworks, our taste buds sparkled on their proposed formula. We were served a beef Carpaccio, hummus with fried shrimps and mini brown toast, and a green salad as starters. Mia and I shared the choice of two main dishes: the Salmon orange with basmati rice and Beef with a gratin Dauphinois (a feuilleté of potatoes). The Salmon tasted tender and moist in my mouth—it was baked just the right amount till it was cooked through. Because I am a fan of salmon tartare, salmon maki, and Thai sweet and sour, the combination of salmon with orange and basmati was really not what I had expected. If you ask me, I would pick the steak instead with the gratin Dauphinois, which I thought was a smart and more refined substitute to the otherwise potato puree. We also shared between four, two delightful desserts: Chocolate folded in a crepe and Pain Perdu—They were so good that we were literally, technically, verbally, and physically fighting for the last bite. Although the desserts served left me in love and I haven't seen the restaurant menu for the typical booking days, I would expect to see there something more worthy of a 5 stars hotel, meaning sweet bites that are more refined and less common to find in restaurants.
Overall, the food came as an exceedingly gratifying surprise, and I loved every bit of it.
Overall, the food came as an exceedingly gratifying surprise, and I loved every bit of it.
[If you read the brackets yesterday night and you want to know, I had a great time!]
Then we all rushed to the rooftop to assist to the undeniably most beautiful fireworks in Lebanon all-year-round—the incredible scenery lasted for at least 15 minutes. After that, the party followed with good music and it was then much easier for the bloggers to get along, socialize, and enjoy their night.
|I was wearing a yellow backless Versace for H&M dress
|Part of the bloggers
|When all the bloggers moved to their rooms and I finally got to mine, I turned on the TV to a good surprise.The TV reads " Welcome Abi Khalil" (my name).
|The hotel is very secure; not anyone can get in the floors where there is the rooms. You actually have to swipe in your room card to allow the elevator to access your room's floor.


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The deadline to get involved is the 1st of May 2019! See the 'About' tab for more information.
Impact data and claims within this report are provided by the project creator and have not been independently verified by Spacehive.
This project is preparing for fundraising. Click Like to show your support, or Follow for updates on this project's journey.
There too many homeless people in London, struggling with housing and with no food, I would like to help build a small community Centre where people can come and sit in the warm and have some food, have free haircuts, and just have somewhere they can come to sit and socialize. I have suffered with mental health problems for many years and I also am homeless where the council do not want to help me, so I would like to help people who are suffering with me.
What we'll deliver:
Why it's a great idea:
As I have been homeless for a year now and no one willing to help I am willing to make a difference and help people who are struggling. This country needs a change and needs more charities that help the people who live in UK.
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Location City of Westminster
About the space
Kilburn Park Road
London Borough of Brent
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The deadline to get involved is the 1st of May 2019! See the 'About' tab for more information.
How will the money be spent?Total £55,332
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I was not the best of company at the dinner party. I kept excusing myself to check Facebook and the news to see what was going on. West Virginia is such a small place that even though it was not my area, I knew that friends of friends, at least, were affected. For that story, read Buzzard Billy's account. Later I heard that a sweet little boy that I had babysat did contract work at that mine a few years back. It could have been him.
That's why I was just sick. Today Upper Big Branch, tomorrow Robinson Run (where a friend that was like a big brother to me works) or someplace closer to home. Mining is a dangerous business.
But it doesn't have to be.
All explosions are preventable. When there is an explosion, that is an indication that something went terribly wrong. Those aren't my words: they are the words of Kevin Strickin, MSHA administrator for West Virginia. (They're not in quotes becuase I can't find the exact citation, but I'm pretty sure it's from the Charleston Gazette. Once you see the number of stories there, you'll forgive me.)
Yes, coal mining is a dangerous operation. It's not that the mines are located miles (yes, miles) underground. The very processes that form coal contribute to this danger. Coal and methane, a highly explosive gas, occur in close proximity more often that not. Even if methane does not explode, it is an odorless, colorless gas that can be inhaled but is not breathable. The proverbial canary's function in the coal mine was to warn miners of methane. If the canary passed out, the miners got out ASAP.
An obvious by-product of coal, coal dust,not only gets all over everything (including miners' lungs), but it also is highly volatile. The smallest spark from a mantrip hitting a steel track can spark an explosion. This is not a place for the overly fearful.
But these dangers can be avoided. After the Sago disaster, some rumors began to spread about methane in the area. I asked Dad, who had worked at a mine (not in a mine, which is an important distinction) about methane. The way to avoid a methane-related disaster is to measure methane and pull the miners out until it can be ventilated. That did not happen in this case. Why? Good question. Over the past two years (not even, as this covers 2009 and 2010), Massey was cited for over 61 major violations of MSHA code. On this mine alone. These are not violations such as a wastebasket in the wrong place or a report wasn't signed off on properly. No, these were the-mine-should-have-been-closed violations, including methane buildup, excessive coal dust, and excessive carbon dioxide.
Well, why was the mine not closed, then? One word: the owner. It's Don Blankenship, who is a coal baron in the old-school way. Scroll down past his accomplishments to "criticism," and you'll get some idea. Or better yet, watch this video originally aired on Rachel Maddow.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economyRachel gets it as do few others from out of the area. It's all true. But it sounds too incredible to be true.
Which brings me to the title of this post. In November 1968, the Farmington Mine blew. You may remember when I wrote about the 40th anniversary. The only good thing to come out of that disaster was the formation of MSHA and the passage to laws to protect miners' safety. The four miners still in Upper Big Branch, much as I hate to say it, cannot have survived. Which makes this the biggest disaster since Farmington. You know, the disaster they said would be the last.
I hope this has been coherent, at least. I've been sad, worried, and angry in turn since Monday evening. I continue to pray for the miners and their families, but I think it's all done except for the recovery.
There is so much more I'd like to say, but I think I'll give it a few days.


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John Deere 30G to Make Sizeable Impact on Compact Excavator Line-up
John Deere continues to upgrade its G-Series excavator lineup with the introduction of the 30G compact excavator, filling a portfolio gap for customers looking for a solution in the three to four metric ton class. This new model will offer numerous outstanding performance features, such as increased lift capacity and improved breakout forces. The 30G will […]Read more


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The Golden Door Break
November 12, 2002
For a romantic getaway that also helps you to relax and unwind, Cypress Lakes Resort is now offering 'The Golden Door Break' which incorporates a midweek overnight stay in a luxury two bedroom villa including the choice of a soothing 1 1/2 hour Swedish Massage or 1 1/2 hour Self Renewal Facial at The Golden Door Resort Spa.You and your partner will love the Swedish massage ? a gentle soothing stimulation of the soft tissue and muscles which is a wonderful means of calming nerves and improving overall circulation. Or
the Self Renewal Facial that incorporates a hand and foot treatment, stress relieving scalp massage and balancing techniques which help to release stress throughout the body!Cypress Lakes Resort, winner of the Australian Hotels Association Best Regional Property Award for 2002, is located amongst one of Australia?s most prestigious wine growing areas ? Hunter Valley Wine Country. Located a short ninety minute drive north from Sydney, this five star resort offers over 220 luxury villa accommodations with one, two and three bedrooms. It also features an 18 hole championship golf course,
outdoor swimming pools and spa, two floodlit tennis courts, and restaurants from the fun to the more formal dining, so there is plenty of opportunity for romance, and plenty to see and do!!The Golden Door Resort Spa currently features 8 dry and wet treatment rooms, with plans to expand to thirteen rooms early next year, including couple suites, and offers a wide variety of treatments and activities including massage, beauty services, Vichy shower, tai chi and yoga. It is an oasis of pampering and health offering three day Lifestyle Programs each month in a fully inclusive package, as well as a unique Corporate Health Program for conferences.
The Golden Door Break package starts at $149 per person per night for four share and $199 per person per night for two share, and is valid until 31 March 2003.
So for the ultimate sexy relaxation getaway, phone Cypress Lakes Resort on 1800 061 818 to make a reservation.
Cypress Lakes Resort
Cnr McDonalds & Thompson Roads
Pokolbin NSW 2320
Phone 1800 061 818
Win a mid-week break for two at the Cypress Lakes Resort.


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Fr. Philip Neri Powell, OP
St. Dominic Church, NOLA
Audio file (from the vigil Mass)
Follow HancAquam and visit the Kindle Wish List and the Books & Things Wish List
Click on St. Martin and donate to the Dominicans! ----->
"A [preacher] who does not love art, poetry, music and nature can be dangerous. Blindness and deafness toward the beautiful are not incidental; they are necessarily reflected in his [preaching]." — BXVI
Hoo rah! Go Team! I really liked this one. I knew where you were going from the beginning (and we had been wondering what a "dresser of Sycamores" was), then you made me laugh, then you got down to Serious Business :-). And again, I am left smiling - confident - ready and willing to tackle whatever is out there waiting for me to tackle it. And as always, very appreciative of the reminder.
Thank you.
As usual, I left to read this one after coming from mass... nothing really to say except that no matter how "spiritually challenging" your week has been, it doesn't seem to have impaired you preaching capabilities... ;)ReplyDelete


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SG Petch Mazda are authorised dealers in genuine Mazda 3 Saloon car parts and accessories. Simply browse our online parts store by clicking the above or below links or in the right hand side menu.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information above. However, errors may occur. Check with the branch about items which may affect your decision to purchase. On the Road prices include delivery, number plates, 12 month's Government vehicle excise duty and vehicle first registration fee. Government Road Fund Licence for passenger cars is variable between £0 and £1,030 depending upon the Vehicle Excise Duty Band, which is based on CO2 emissions.


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Meet the team
Diane Genders
Director / Solicitor
01522 516500
Diane Genders
As a solicitor and qualified mediator I am passionate about helping people deal with all the trauma and confusion they feel on relationship breakdown.
I am committed and compassionate but combative if required. My client's interests always come first.
I have been a family law specialist for almost 30 years. In that time I have been committed to promoting agreements in family disputes when appropriate and encouraging putting the interests of any children first.
I'm told I am down-to-earth and friendly. For many years I was BBC Radio's only female "legal eagle".
Finally, I have been a Rotarian since 2004 and remain committed to the principles of Rotary.
Lorraine Sharp
Practice Manager
01522 516500
Rachel Ferry
Secretary to Diane Genders and Para Legal
01522 516500
Angie Driver
01522 516500
Lorraine Sharp
Lorraine has worked in legal services for many years in Lincoln and is now our Office Manager. Lorraine makes sure that everything works efficiently from getting you a splendid cup of coffee on arrival at our offices through to arranging all your meetings with our specialist family law solicitors and, on occasions, attending at court with you to assist wherever necessary.
When you are our client, Lorraine will dedicate herself to ensuring that everything works as efficiently and professionally for you as possible.
Rachel Ferry
Rachel has nearly 10 years experience in law having commenced work in the legal sector after graduating from the University of Lincoln with a 2:1 degree in Criminology in 2008. Rachel moved to Diane Genders Solicitors in 2012 and has been Diane's secretary since that time. Since joining the firm Rachel has progressed in her knowledge by studying with CILEx to complete her Paralegal studies.
In her spare time Rachel enjoys spending time with her friends and family, going for walks in the country and going on trips away both abroad and in this country.
Angela Driver
Angie has over 20 years experience of working in Family Law. She began her legal career in Grimsby in 1996 and relocated to Lincoln in 1998. Angie joined Diane Genders Solicitors in July 2015 having worked as a Paralegal/Legal Assistant within the Family Department of a local Lincoln firm.
She is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. Angie enjoys dining/socialising with friends, holidays abroad and spending time with her family. She is a bit of a thrill seeker enjoying theme park rides and says "the faster and scarier … the better!"
Shona Nelson
Secretary to Diane Genders
01522 516500
Justine Fletcher
01522 516500
Victoria Dudek
Office Assistant
01522 516500
Shone Nelson
Shona has thirty years of working within family law. She is well known to many legal professionals across Lincoln and recognised for her steadfast support.
Shona joined Diane Genders in July 2017, re-establishing a very successful working relationship with Angie Driver and Faye Bentley with whom she had previously worked at another firm.
Justine Fletcher
Justine began her career in Law in 1986 in Nottingham before relocating to Lincoln.
Justine first worked for Diane in 1992 and has done so ever since except for breaks to start a family and travel.
In 2005 Justine gained her Paralegal qualification.
In her spare time Justine dotes on her pug which goes by various names depending on how well she is behaving – that's the pug, not Justine.
Victoria Dudek
Victoria has always wanted to become a lawyer. Since doing work experience with the firm back in 2017, Victoria has started working at Diane Genders as a legal trainee.
Looking to become a solicitor in the future, she plans to start her training with CILEx after her apprenticeship. Currently working as an office assistant, Victoria is responsible for the admin work and greeting clients. Victoria is also fluent in both English & Polish.
In her spare time, Victoria takes interest in Fashion and enjoys spending time with family and friends.


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This post has not been edited by the GamesBeat staff. Opinions by GamesBeat community writers do not necessarily reflect those of the staff.
I give up.
I'm waving the white flag. I'm leaving that pool of blood and souls right where it is. I don't care anymore. I've gone Hollow. Forever.
You've probably read a lot about Dark Souls lately, here on Bitmob or elsewhere. You probably know all about the game's extreme difficulty, its attempts at fantasy-realism, and its intricate level design.
What I know is that, after about 15 hours of gameplay, I'm through with Dark Souls. Whatever wonders lie ahead, I don't have the will to seek them. Why? Because Dark Souls asks too much…and rewards too little.
Dark Souls is hard; no one denies this. And honestly, I'm OK with hard. What I'm not OK with is a thwarted sense of achievement.
You can play Dark Souls for hours on end and make literally no progress in the game, either in accessing new areas or strengthening your character. Even consciously choosing to grind for souls (Dark Souls' currency-cum-experience-points) often bears little fruit, as the cost of improving attributes increases exponentially beyond the first 20 levels or so. And since you can only level up at pre-set checkpoints, if you venture too far, any souls you gain will be effectively useless, since you don't retain them upon death.
And heaven help you if you choose the wrong stat to boost. (Dark Souls is incredibly non-communicative about its system of attributes and abilities. Like Lucille Bluth, it apparently gets off on being withholding.) Not that you'll see much of a difference in your character's performance either way.
Eventually, you'll be forced to forge ahead, throwing yourself over and over again at the same enemies in a tiny geographical area within the game world. You'll lose thousands upon thousands of souls in the process. And that means your character won't improve.
When, by stubborn force of will or sheer luck, you finally do win through to an area's boss, it will annihilate you in seconds. And what do you receive as encouragement for making it that far? Absolutely nothing…except the privilege of trying again.
Albert Einstein defined insanity as performing the same actions over and over again and expecting different results. Going by that definition, playing Dark Souls is pure lunacy. And I'm not crazy enough to go along with it.
Dark Souls has no tutorial. You get a few cursory messages on the game's controls, but that's it. Damage types, statistical breakdowns, status effects…you have to figure all of them out through trial and error (or via the tiny messages left by other online players). Some may welcome that challenge. I can't handle it.
Hell, I even bought the official Dark Souls strategy guide, hoping that it would explain more about which statistics to improve for various character builds. No such luck. Like the game itself, the guide seems to delight in obfuscation.
It reminds me a little of the secret leveling metagame hidden in the Pokémon series. Though the titles never mention it, your critters can earn a whole sub-level of statistics known as effort values. These are key to determining the growth potential of a particular Pokémon, even at max level.
The thing is, you can enjoy every single Pokémon game and never bother with effort values, because the series rewards a variety of gameplay styles. You can play through the main quest. You can catch 'em all. You can trade with others. You can breed and evolve the creatures you catch. All of these choices are valid and provide positive reinforcement.
By contrast, you'll encounter certain points in Dark Souls where you can't proceed if you don't already understand something the game never explained to you.
For example, while exploring a certain area, I ran across an enemy I couldn't harm. Unfortunately, I didn't realize I couldn't harm it until it had killed me several times.
I later figured out that I had found a consumable item that would let me damage this foe. After a few more deaths, I ran out of the item. With no way to obtain more, I was stuck. Everything I had done for the last hour was in vain.
If that was Dark Souls' way of telling me not to go in that direction yet, I learned my lesson…but at the cost of some extremely un-fun, discouraging play.
In another instance, I was attempting to take down the boss of an early area, but I kept dying. Getting back to the boss meant a perilous journey through a chapel filled with burly knights and crazed zombies. After a number of failures, I suddenly respawned with a shard of Humanity, which enabled me to summon an NPC companion in the boss fight.
Together, we defeated the enemy. But why did I even get that Humanity in the first place? I have no idea. And that drives me crazy.
I've heard people say that Dark Souls rewards persistence — that as you progress through the game things start to open up. And I've heard that the New Game+ mode is almost an entirely different experience.
Those things may well be true. But the time and effort required to find out are completely beyond me. And if this game expects me to stick with it through dozens of hours of drudgery before I actually enjoy it…well, I'm sorry, but it's not gonna happen.
I'll draw another analogy to a very different title: Final Fantasy 13. One of the main criticisms of that game was that you had to play for more than 20 hours before you really had all the play mechanics at your command.
That's a lot for a game to ask. But FF13 tempered that expectation with other benefits. You got to see storylines unfold. You saw tangible improvements in your characters. And you explored several different environments, each more vibrant and beautiful than the last.
Dark Souls has barely any story to speak of — at least not in the time I played. As previously discussed, character growth is difficult at best and nonexistent at worst. And each dark, repetitive environment bleeds into the next (aside from brief moments of sunlight, punctuated by user messages "praising the Sun!").
Obviously, the two titles have little in common. But they serve to illustrate different ways a game can encourage and reward a player. I know which method I prefer.
Defenders of Dark Souls frequently say (in a somewhat condescending tone) that the game "isn't for everyone." I say that Dark Souls could have been for everyone, but it doesn't do enough to motivate players to give it a chance. I wish it did…but not enough to keep playing.


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There's obviously still a lot of concern about the security of cloud computing, both inside and outside the data center. But in reality, cloud computing is a more secure option than what most IT organizations have in place today. But like all things IT, it needs to be properly managed to be effective.
Here are five tips from IBM on how to better secure your cloud computing environment
Tech CEO Report Card Find out how the CEOs of 12 top tech companies are rated by their employees.
Seven Dos and Don'ts for Digital Communication Our evolving online behavior reveals a lot about our habits and values.
Seven Sexy Smartphones This latest batch of smartphones calls attention to glasses-free 3D technology, front- and rear-facing cameras and Snapdragon processors.
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