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Happy New year, everyone! As you can clearly see, I have taken a hiatus from
writing. I was not intending on doing so. In my head I had a few great posts
all laid out, but typing them out seemed like pulling all my teeth out,
parachuting out of a small airplane, ascending Mt. Everest, and hearing the
sound of fingernails scrapping against a chalkboard, all rolled in together!
I had every excuse in the book, too!
- I had many broken fingernails. I am virtually rendered immobile when I have a broken nail. Every time a ragged nail brushes across an object I am set into orbit. I mean it could be the smallest rip, and I feel it acutely! My nails are paper thin, so they break easily. I do know I can harden them up of by applying topcoat regularly. I just need to make it a weekly routine.
- My back or my hip hurts. If I wake up with hip pain, my usual method of relief is stretching out in my recliner until the pain is relaxed enough so that I can go about my day. It is just plain tiring holding myself up while I am typing. I will find any excuse to move away from the computer for a time while I get out the kinks. Moving around is good for the body, I tell myself when I think I have just settled in from a trip to the bathroom not more than fifteen minutes ago.
- I will want to escape my reality by reading novels. The temptation to ditch my work is intensified when I stumble upon a page-turner! In those times I have to give myself goals to reach before I can pick up the book again! I will say, "Okay, you have to finish the rough draft of this post, before you can read another chapter of the book! Just think how good you will feel when you really earned that reading time!"
Side note: A Dean Koontz novel every six months to a year, gives your brain a good and thrilling workout! I highly recommend, Life Expectancy! It's charming, witty, and most certainly a page turner
- I have to take a break at 4:00 during the week to watch Oprah! I don't know what I am going to do after the last show is aired! I guess then I will be forced to add the OWN channel to my cable package.
- I signed on to facebook sometime in August, which I was somewhat pleased with, because within about an hour I had something like Twenty-five friends. It's a great communication tool, and something I should thrive on, if I am not too afraid I would write something that people would chastise me about. Then thirty-eight hours later my dear sweet sister whom I love and adore, suggested that I start playing Farmville and Zoo World. Well, I love playing games, especially interactive ones where I am playing with family and friends. I love the challenge of playing games, and this was a chance to triumph over my sister! Hours of play can pass like mere seconds.
What I didn't understand when I began playing, was that by posting my
accomplishments with the games, I was essentially burying my correspondences
with friends. I didn't like that in the least, so by the encouragement of a
veteran user of facebook, I started erasing the gaming posts, even stopped the
posts from happening at all. I got an ear full of criticism from my sister the
next time I saw her! She said I was a lousy, selfish neighbor. Through her, I
learned that my fellow neighbors were waiting with baited breath for me to post
my accomplishments on the game, so that they may also benefit from my
So, here I am stuck between the thought of wouldn't it be fun to strike up some
interesting dialogue with my friends, and wanting to just kick back and build a
farm that stuns my neighbors. Do you see the ironic dilemma I am in? My
friends who merely use facebook for social networking tease and ridicule me for
playing these silly games! I do agree, the games are totally silly and a
frivolous way to spend ones time! While on the other hand, my mom who is 80+
has just started playing Zoo World, and it is fun seeing her getting into the
game. Now I play mainly for her! I have thought about creating another
facebook account, about I don't want to juggle between the two.
Could I be in a depressed mind set? Sure, the signs are definitely there!
Losing my dad, noticing everyone around me not excluding myself aging, living in
times where terrorists could potentially be living in my neck of the woods, and
hiding out because I have a gigantic pimple on my chin. My sister thinks the
pimple is similar to Horton's puffball flower. However, instead of little Whos
running around, I have a whole country full of zombies. (Ooh! I have been
reading too much of Dean Koontz. The family in Life Expectancy rarely had a
conversation that didn't turn onto crazy tangents!)
Why am I exposing my pet excuses for the world to read? Well, I have to give
myself a kick in the butt somehow! I figure if my readers knew the truth, I'm
going to work like mad to make you never think, "I wonder what excuses she is
clinging onto today? While I am not about to promise to post something every
day, that's just insane of me! I can commit to publishing posts every other
week. If by some freak advent I have the writing bug, then hallelujah I get to
treat myself to lunch out, or to a movie. Then as an extra bonus, I will
report on some aspect of the festivities!
There you have it, my new year's resolution.
Filed under: Announcements, Books, Uncategorized | Tagged: Copyright by 4 Wheeling Through Life: yr2011 | 1 Comment »


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subset: commoncrawl


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1 Week old!
I'd be lying if I said that I never thought I'd have a blog this long. But it would be painfully truthful I I said that I expected to have lost hope completely in my blog after 3 days. So to be celebrating a week is a very happy thing! (No cake though…)
Anyway, on a completely different note, as you may be able to tell from the title, I went on a book buying spree yesterday. All the books are for school, (except the Poe, that's for fun), and 2 of them I've already read but had no copy. Penguin have recently started a new range of editions, called Penguin English Classics. And they have the most beautiful covers ever. But they don't have introductions and I am using them for school so…I only got 2. Honestly, when I got home with them I just took them out and stared for about 5 minutes. Waterstones have been bombarding me with emails about them; what was I meant to do? Resist?
I look forward to reading those I haven't already read, and hopefully I'll post reviews once I'm done!


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I believe that in our core we are all amazing beings who are completely resourceful, whole and totally worthy of feeling safe, enough, loved and successful. I know that it is totally possible- with intention, focus, and work, no matter what has happened in your life, to get back to this core self and live, love, learn, let go of things that aren't serving you and the let the real you shine.
I know this is possible because I've done it.
I'm passionate about working with people who are ready and willing to take on the adventure of breaking through their conditioning, build up the resilience and resources to grow through the challenges that life presents and create the life that they are deserving of.
The Power of Relationship:
For me, relationship in therapy, is key. Being able to turn up and be all of you where you feel understood, supported and not judged is an extremely powerful and healing experience. Therefore my contract and way of working is based on building and maintaining a successful therapeutic relationship. To read this contract please click here.
The initial session will be a chance for us to meet and decide whether we are the right people to be working together. I make a commitment to all my clients that I will be honest in that if I think there would be a therapist more suited to helping- I will tell you this. I only work with clients that I 100% believe I can help and can commit to working with them throughout their journey.
I work from an integrative model which means that I was training consisted of learning from a few different theoretical models (Person Centred, Transactional Analysis, Psychodynamic/ Gestalt, Relational.)
I continue to learn about and add different theories, philosophies and techniques as this gives me a flexibility to work with clients in a way that is most helpful to them as individuals and the stage of their journey. I am also able to draw from my own life experience which enables me to be intuitive and really empathise with a client.
I use traditional methods of talking therapies such as looking at your history and how this correlates to your present life, identifying unhelpful patterns and core beliefs, unpacking difficult feelings, and looking at your relationship to yourself, others and your outer world. I also use things such as: relaxation, drawing/creative exercises, breathing exercises, goal setting, visualisation, dream-work and well-being plans where appropriate.


text:
Artist unknown :Maori Conference ; before ; after. [ca 1880]
Reference Number: A-279-003
Cartoon showing Maori man about to tuck into an enormous plum pudding with a large plate of meat to one side, in the "before" view; and looking very well-fed and fat with many empty plates on the table in the "after" view. The image probably refers to one of the series of conferences at Orakei in 1879, 1880 and 1881, to discuss and ratify the terms of the Treaty of Waitangi, 1840. The image implies that the Orakei Conference was simply an excuse for gluttony.
Key terms:
1 image, categorised under Ethnographic images, Portraits, Ink drawings and Caricatures, related to David W Forbes, Orakei. Maori Conference, Orakei Marae, Orakei, Maori - Social life and customs, Treaty of Waitangi (1840), Men, Maori, Caricature, Dinners and dining, Racism and Maori - Hui.
Part of:
Artist unknown :Maori Conference ; before ; after. [ca 1880], Reference Number A-279-003 (1 digitised items)
Extent: 1 drawing(s)Sepia ink on cream wove paper 121 x 193 mm. Horizontal imageSingle art work
Conditions governing access to original: Not restricted
Other copies available: File PrintIn Drawings & Prints under Artist/Title (DFP-000754)
Inscriptions: Inscribed - Recto - above & below image: title
Usage: You can search, browse, print and download items from this website for research and personal study. You are welcome to reproduce the above image(s) on your blog or another website, but please maintain the integrity of the image (i.e. don't crop, recolour or overprint it), reproduce the image's caption information and link back to here (http://mp.natlib.govt.nz/detail/?id=39110). If you would like to use the above image(s) in a different way (e.g. in a print publication), or use the transcription or translation, permission must be obtained. More information about copyright and usage can be found on the Copyright and Usage page of the NLNZ web site.
External Links:
View Full Descriptive Record in TAPUHI
View and/or order a copy of this image from Timeframes
View Archived Image on NDHA


text: Message-Id: <email@example.com> To: firstname.lastname@example.com cc: email@example.com From: Philipp Hoschka <firstname.lastname@example.com> Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 13:00:58 +0200 Subject: Call for participation for HTML WG The call for participation to form a new HTML WG just went out. W3C members can access it at http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Member/w3c-ac-members/1998JulSep/0004\ As a result of the TV workshop, the charter mentions explicitly the need to consider the requirements of television display of html, see http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Group/HTMLcharter If you are interested in "broadcast html", please get in touch with the W3C advisorty council representative of your organisation (listed at http://www.w3.org/Member/ACList.htmlhttp://www.w3.org/Member/ACList.html) or with the chair (Dave Ragget, email@example.com) of the future HTML WG. -Philipp Hoschka


text:
There are many reasons to embark on home improvement project. Some are tired of their home looks. Other homeowners may need to do updates for functional reasons or to add to the value of their home through improvements. While still others do it because they have fun working on projects that are hands on. No matter why you are improving your home, the follow article offers many great tips to help you get started.
There are many small projects that can improve the value of your home. If you intend to put your home on the market in the near future, do a couple of quick projects to boost your home's value. One example might be a new splash of paint on the interior and exterior. This simple task can significantly raise the value of your home.
You can cover up blemishes in the wall while adding visual interest just by using textured drywall mud techniques.
It can cost a lot of money to install a new floor, and you should shop around for the best prices. There are bargain places and discount supply stores.
Paint is a simple way to renovate a room. It makes for an amazing visual change. A brand new coat of paint can also make your home more attractive to those that may be buying it if you put it up for sale.
It can be rather costly getting rid of all the rubbish, so having a plan ahead of time is essential to saving you money and ensuring that your project continues as scheduled.
Do not go through demolition too much when you start your home improvement task. It is essential to investigate what is behind a cabinet or wall prior to tearing them out. It can be really expensive if you damage electrical components that are damaged during the making of home improvements.
Building material can be stored between floor joists or rafters in the ceiling. Molding and pieces of wood can be conveniently hidden out of eyesight. Just tuck the pieces away for later.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that your contractor will do so. Save any invoices and contracts for your projects. This will help both you as well as help the contractor stay focused on your contractor.
Make sure you use all the spaces in your home are well-designated prior to placing your home on the market. For example, make certain that your family room has comfortable and inviting furniture, while your office has functional, you should convey that.This can help buyers imagine what it's like to live there and plan how to use the space. Homes with well defined spaces are more attractive and sell faster.
Making a replacement window screen is a home improvement job you can easily handle yourself if finding a properly-sized one off the shelf isn't possible. You can cut a frame kit to any size of window. After that, it is a simple matter of screen attachment with cording and a cheap tool. There are some windows that will need to have a special screen, though you can always add external screens using adapters that are easy to install.
Exhaust fans should be installed in every bathroom, bathroom, as well as above your stovetop. This will help prevent mold as well as removing hazardous fumes from your home that are associated with cooking. Also, you can halt condensation that can collect inside walls, you can prevent rot from occurring.
You should keep small jars to organize your workspace!You can screw or glue the jar lids under a wall shelf. You can put small items like nails and screws. This can help you save wall space and efficiency.
It is not unusual for chair caning to sag. There is a simple trick that you can use to repair the caning. Simply soak the bottom of the cane chair seat with water. A sponge is useful for this purpose. Be sure you use warm water. The water should be let to dry out your caning overnight. Be sure and repeat the process until caning is repaired.
Replacing your floor can turn into a very expensive project. One easy thing to do is simply remove the floor that is there and then apply stain the concrete instead. This is fairly easy and industrial aesthetic that can be easily altered if you decide on a different decor.
Do you have an old dresser in your bedroom? You can make it look brand new by sanding them and giving them a refinish. There are many colors of stains you can color your furniture with.
Start thinking about, and planning for, your home improvement project early in the game. By starting early in looking for ideas regarding your home, you will be able to come across a lot of ideas before you need to decide. Removing the rush to find just the right color scheme will reduce the stress of your renovation.
Consider a playroom or a den for your children. This will increase the comfort of your home much more pleasant and also add value to your home. You should do this once you have the money.
Many routine home improvement jobs can be tackled by yourself. You might be able to paint, simple plumbing repairs, and certain drywall jobs on your own. Doing these small repairs on your own can save you tons of cash.
If your suburban tract housing lacks distinction or visual interest, why not add a pergola? Pergolas have become quite popular in recent years and can add shade and ambiance to the front of a home. With a kit and a few helpers, you can install the pergola in just a weekend.
Make sure you are following all the necessary safety precautions. You may think a hardhat is not necessary for a little home project, but falling drywall is just as dangerous at home as on a job site.
Home improvement is a thing most of us try at one point or another. Although we each have different intentions and goals, there is something that motivates us. Whether it's to generate a sale or just improve the functionality of your home, home improvement is something that everyone enjoys.
When you select a new home improvement contractor, be sure to shop around for estimates that are comparable. Have a list of projects, including repairs and replacements, ready to go before you contact the first contractor. Show that same list to every contractor you consult. If you change things you want for each contractor, it will be tough to compare between them.


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Obon trip to China, Takarazuka omiyage and some thoughts on TianAnMen 1989 - Welcome...
Recent Entries
--Anime/Manga List: A list of anime/live actions/musicals I've seen and mangas I've read
--My Deviantart Gallery
--My Tegaki blog
--My Facebook profile (lots of photos)
--My Tumblr
June 6th, 2010
05:25 pm -
Obon trip to China, Takarazuka omiyage and some thoughts on TianAnMen 1989
Ho-hum, another Sunday is here~
Just went shopping with a co-worker and got some furniture for the apartment. I used to only have a coffee table but I got tired of sitting on the floor and bought a taller table and chair so I don't have to kill my legs everyday. Also got this really cool cushion that has a back so when I do sit at my coffee table I can at least lean back on something.
Last weekend I went and bought myself a round-trip ticket to...*drumroll*
That's right, in August we have a 1 week vacation for Obon and so I've decided to head to Beijing and spend the week with my family over there. I had initially wanted to save all my travelling for after my work, once my contract ended I had planned to go around Japan to Tokyo, Kyoto and other places with a friend then skip over to China together. We'd do some sightseeing and then when she goes back to Canada I had planned to stay in China and look for a job there for awhile, but China and Japan are so close and it's like that country's calling to me or something (or maybe that's just my family XD). So I figured what the hell, so what it'll cost a bit, I'll just buy a few less clothes and shop a little less for a few months (granted then I made the plan to go furniture shopping so...yeah OTL). I still plan to go to China after my work in Japan finishes since then I'll have more time but this August is going to be like...the appetizer trip so I can see my family and see how my birth city's doing after having hosted the Olympics. Tomorrow I'm going to go get my VISA and re-entry permit (need one of those if you're a foreigner working in Japan and need to leave temporarily) and then I'll be all set~ :D
In other news, my Japanese lessons have been going well. My teacher's totally awesome and I really look forward to going to lessons every Saturday evening even though Saturdays are our busiest days at the place I work. Every night after work I head over to this little cafe and study for about an hour to and hour and a half, currently I have to spend a lot of time trying to memorize all those hiragana and katakana characters but I'm almost done, just a few more weeks and I should have them all memorized and then I can spend more time on vocabulary and grammar and stuff. It's quite difficult to memorize all these characters (although they're quite fun to write) and even more so to the speed that I can look at a character and without thinking know how it's pronounced. My goal is to be able to follow the lyrics of songs in karaoke, that's the speed I want to achieve when it comes to reading hiragana and katakana.
Lastly, last weekend one of my students went to Osaka and Takarazuka for a vacation. While there she went to see their new show Trafalgar Square starring Yuuhi and knowing I loved Zuka too she brought me back some souvenirs :D A little military uniform handkerchief and 2 sets of Trafalgar Square face tissues, though I doubt I'd ever use them, they're so shiny and pretty *O* The chopsticks she got at a famous shrine and she even got my name carved onto them;
Almost forgot about this since no one's mentioned it here and I haven't been checking the news that regularly, but last week was the anniversary of the June 4th incident at TianAnMen Square in China. Every year I feel a kind of deja vu over this incident because no matter how many years pass it's always the same thing. Some people use it as a chance to bash the Chinese government (again), some scream for the Chinese government to recognize the incident even though it's not like they're denying it happened in the first place, some people scream for the government to release the prisoners whom they caught over the incident and are still in prison though seriously, I don't know if they even should be released considering it's not like they were unquestionably in the right and completely just in their actions. It wasn't a good incident by any means, but I don't think it's as clear cut as people tend to think.
Everyone likes to point the blame at the government and say it was all their fault because let's face it, they're the government (and they're Communists to boot! *Gasp* A double sin on their part) and they were faced with these helpless students that were so innocent and naive and just wanted democracy for their country and for their voices to be heard.
Except, whoopsies, the demands weren't entirely centred around the question of democracy, nor was it just students, nor were the protesters all so innocent, nor were they completely helpless thanks to certain foreign interfering factors (otherwise how else would the so many of the leaders of the protests have managed to escape to countries in the Western hemisphere and are now living quite comfortably while some of their fellow supporters are still in prison in China after so many years?). Also, let's not forget it's not like the government completely refused negotiations from the start. They tried negotiations, government officials (several of them as a matter of fact) met with the protesters but they still refused to leave. Sure initially it might have been some students harmlessly protesting but by the end when the government was forced to take such severe action it was anything but harmless. Beijing was a chaotic mess with looters taking advantage of the chaos, and workforces in other major cities like Shanghai also threatened to strike in support of the protests, except whoopsies again, they forgot that the urban population of China, especially at that time was only a minority with the majority of the population just wanting to live their lives in peace and stability after having experienced so many years of turbulence and warfare. Personally I think any government ought to take the side of the majority of the population, not the minority, and just based on that alone I think the government was already too lenient in allowing the protests to go on for as long as they did. Take a look at what happened at
Kent State University
in the USA. Forget a few months, forget allowing students to gather in the capital city, the US sent the military right into the university campus within days of a protest seemingly on the verge of going out of hand and squashed it. If the CCP had done that they wouldn't have had as many casualties.
A lot of people nowadays cry for the CCP to 平反 the victims of June 4th, which means kind of like re-addressing someone that's been wronged or giving someone who's been wronged justice. Yeah, sounds great, except...hmm...that depends on whether or not one believes they've been wronged in the first place. To the true victims of the incident who whole heartedly believed they were doing the right thing or those innocent bystanders that got caught in the crossfire it is truly a tragedy that their lives ended under such circumstances. For those who instigated it and had other things up their sleeves, in my eyes they're criminals. Criminals have no place to demand justice. Because of those criminals victims were created and their loved ones had to suffer and for that crime they ought to be punished as according to the laws of the PRC.
10 comments
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June 6th, 2010 10:04 am (UTC)
While I hate it when Western media bashes on China for being Communist/repressive whatever, I don't necessarily back the Chinese government for some of their actions. Whenever you have a protest as big as Tiananmen, of course you're going to have people mixed in with not so good motives, but that doesn't mean that they were the majority of the protest movement either.
Also, to put Kent State shootings into context: the shootings of the students at Kent State by the National Guard caused NATIONWIDE protests across the country. As in 4 million students going on strike, and over 400 universities and schools being shut down as a result of the protesting. IMO, sending in the military was not the smartest idea, and arguably made things worse for the government on the protest front.
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June 6th, 2010 10:09 am (UTC)
Also, having personal experiences as a student activist wanting reform at my own college, I am pretty cynical whenever people mention government officials or anybody representing institutional power "being willing to negotiate". Usually, what that means is that they meet with you... but they don't really give a crap about what you are saying and dismiss you entirely in an incredibly condescending manner.
I mean heck, if this was true of just a college, I'm sure it'd be exponentially more true when you're used to being in control of a huge country.
Personally, I think if the government had taken the student protesters more seriously in the beginning of the conflict, then it wouldn't have escalated the way it did.
But nobody ever takes student protesters seriously. Sigh.
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June 6th, 2010 10:24 am (UTC)
Also, I would say that the USA has had a pretty significant history of marches on the capital city that had significant results:
Highlights include:
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
All the marches to end the war in Vietnam (there were many)
Kent State/Cambodia Incursion Protest (100,000 marchers)
Marches against the Iraq/Afghanistan wars
Not to mention all the marches for women's rights, workers' rights, gay rights, etc.
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June 6th, 2010 10:50 am (UTC)
China has a lot of marches/protests too, approximately a few thousand a year, I'm not sure what that proves though. Some say it shows that China's government's not as oppressive as deemed by certain people, other's say it shows China's got major problems to face. According to the following article on the bottom of page 2;
"Statistics reported by the Chinese government and published by the Economist in 2008 stated that "90,000 'mass incidents' took place in 2006", the article further states that these levels had increased by 87,000 from the previous year"
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June 6th, 2010 10:00 pm (UTC)
My point is that I don't necessarily think that marching on the capital is a stupid or dangerous idea, considering that is has proven to be historically effective. Perhaps not in China, but certainly in other countries. So protesters who march on Beijing might do so with the thought that although previous marches on the capital have not been effective, well, there's a first time for everything.
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June 6th, 2010 11:00 pm (UTC)
When your numbers shut down the city and cause chaos it is both a stupid and dangerous idea, especially considering in hindsight they could very well have possibly been wrong. So if they were in fact effective and the government HAD caved to their commands, whether that would have been good or bad for China's development is highly questionable. Like I said, protesters aren't necessarily right by default, protests being effective isn't by default a positive thing.
Edited at
2010-06-06 11:02 pm (UTC)
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June 6th, 2010 10:43 am (UTC)
I think the government DID take the students seriously. They sent several government officials to negotiate and I personally think that was one of their mistakes. They should have had one negotiation, heard what they wanted and ended it at that but instead by agreeing to more negotiations it let the protesters think that as long as they stayed there the government will continue to retreat until all of their demands are met. Deng KNEW that the demands being made of the government would cause the country to collapse and if one looks at what happened in the former USSR in 1991 one would realize that Deng was right to refuse the demands of the protesters. Students tend to be idealistic and think they can change the world by themselves, I used to think that way too in university and I too joined in protests up on Parliament Hill, but looking back the causes were unrealistic. I, like my fellow students, wished for a perfect country and wondered why it seemed so easy to achieve yet the government couldn't achieve it, but now I realize that no such thing as as perfect country exists. So perhaps Deng didn't take them seriously at the time because he knew China wasn't ready for it, but if those demands were anything along the lines of wanting a better life for the citizens of China then Deng delivered in the end because it was due to his economic reforms that China has become what it is today.
As for the looters who were mixed into the protest at TAM, of course they weren't the majority, they never are, but like the saying goes, the few bad apples ruin it for the whole bunch. What it does show is that the situation had gotten out of hand and that there were those who thought they could get away with conducting in a criminal behavior. That's dangerous for any country because if that fire isn't put out quickly then control can easily be lost.
What happened at Kent may have caused nationwide retaliation but it doesn't change the fact that compared to TAM there were very few casualties. If the US government had allowed the protests at Kent to brew into what it did at TAM then I'm willing to bet the casualty number would have been far superior. Likewise, my point for bringing up Kent was not that it was the right thing to do but that by acting on it quickly and not teeter-tottering with the protesters like the CCP did for weeks on end, many lives were probably saved. Think of it as looking for the silver lining on a storm cloud.
At the end of the day, I find it ironic that in the previous decades prior to 1989 Mao was the one that got impatient with developing China and ended up making two of the biggest mistakes in his life. By 1989, it was no longer the government that was impatient to develop but now it was the students' turn, after having just had a decade or so of peaceful development. I personally see it as lucky that Deng was the one in power at the time. He had seen much, had experienced much, and despite the fact that he handled TAM rather poorly, at least he didn't allow it to destroy the country and cause another decade of turbulence with possibly millions more lives lost if the USSR is any example.
People tend to like siding with protesters by default for whatever reason. My mother was a professor at a university in Beijing, she too sided with her students at first, it's just a natural instinct especially since the first group of protesters were students, however, that doesn't make them right by default. I especially question the dedication those student leaders had to the wellbeing of the country considering they all escaped to other countries after TAM. You don't change a country by escaping, no one changes a country by escaping. Ghandi didn't flee to another country and preach from abroad, Martin Luther King also didn't flee, all the revolutionaries who managed to successfully change their country and inspire their people risked their lives and led from within. Abandoning a country doesn't show me one is dedicated to it, and just by that act I have no sympathy for those student leaders as individuals.
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June 6th, 2010 10:31 pm (UTC)
I agree with you that China isn't ready for mass democratization, and that a sudden democratization would lead to a USSR-like collapse, so I'm not bashing Deng for what he did right or wrong. I also agree that Deng's economic reforms helped China become what it is today. (However, if you look at Chinese society today, it is also incredibly materialistic, and I would argue that the moral decline of Chinese society is also a pretty steep price to pay.)
I really don't think you can make the comparison of Kent State to TAM. The actions of the National Guard at Kent State are pretty universally condemned, especially because the National Guard did NOT have orders to shoot the students. The Presidential Commission on Student Arrest, ordered by President Nixon after Kent State and the subsequent 4 million student protest, concluded that "Even if the guardsmen faced danger, it was not a danger that called for lethal force. The 61 shots by 28 guardsmen certainly cannot be justified. Apparently, no order to fire was given, and there was inadequate fire control discipline on Blanket Hill. The Kent State tragedy must mark the last time that, as a matter of course, loaded rifles are issued to guardsmen confronting student demonstrators."
Yes, compared to TAM there were very few casualties. But the point is that there should have been NO casualties at Kent State at all. Even the Presidential Commission recognizes that. If the US had allowed the protest at Kent to brew, I'm pretty certain that there still would have been and should have been no casualties. Unless the casualties were again inflicted by the National Guard. But that goes back to the first point, which was that the National Guard was ill-prepared to face unarmed student protesters in the first place. The Guard was armed with bayonets and loaded guns. The students were armed with rocks. Not a smart choice.
For example, the 1968 Student Strike at San Francisco State was the longest student strike in US history, lasting for five months. No casualties.
The thing about Ghandi and King was that they were both assassinated. It is one thing to be assassinated in the public eye, because then at least you win something for your cause. It is quite another thing to be jailed forever in some no name jail and have the media forget about you, because China has no independent media to speak of, and we all know that Western media is fickle. While you might not change a country by escaping, you certainly can't change a country by sitting in jail with no media coverage. (If you're going to argue that Nelson Mandela changed his country from sitting in jail, I would agree. I would also say that the difference was the media coverage.) Everyone agrees that Ghandi, King, and Mandela were great individuals. Not matching up to Ghandi, King, or Mandela doesn't really say much...
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June 6th, 2010 10:59 pm (UTC)
Actually whether or not orders were actually given at TAM to open fire onto the protesters is debated. I know in the West the belief is that absolutely they were ordered to shoot the protesters in order to disperse them, but that wasn't actually the case. The soldiers were ordered to shoot above the protesters to disperse them, not at them, however because when the soldiers arrived many protesters surrounded them and some started to attack the soldiers resulting in injuries and even deaths...well when you have a gun and you see a fellow soldier and possibly friend getting killed I wouldn't say there's no possibility they ignored orders and shot into the protesters instead. This was why after TAM China invested in riot police because before TAM nothing like that had ever happened before under CCP rule, so they didn't have riot police with rubber bullets or water hoses, they HAD to send in the military. It's interesting you would quote a Presidential Commission on the conclusion of the Kent incident because the CCP can just as easily release something to that effect but hey, no one'd take them seriously because haha, they're Communists and we hate them.
As for the San Francisco student strike, although I don't know much about it I would imagine they didn't threaten to shut down the entire country and cause it's collapse did it? Did they conspire with students in other cities, gathering into their strike workers and shutting down an entire city and on the verge of shutting down several of the most major cities in the US? Because that's what China was faced with by the end of the TAM incident. Beijing had effectively shut down, because by the end of the protest it wasn't just students. When the USSR's president went to Beijing for a visit at the time they couldn't even get him into downtown Beijing.
I used Ghandi and King as examples because they're two of the most well known, however if you look at any other example it's the same. Hell even from China, that first generation of CCP leaders, they had every reason to flee, the country was in turmoil, by staying one can't be sure if one'd see the sunrise of the next day. People like Deng and Zhou were already outside of China studying abroad, they could easily have just stayed in France and not gone back to risk their necks, but they did. If they had tried to rally the people from France I doubt it would have worked quite as well. Ditching your supporters and escaping after you caused a big mess somewhere and leaving others to clean up after you, that doesn't sound very upstanding to me. Coming out every year or so on the anniversary of the incident to bitch about the CCP in foreign media because of it also doesn't sound very upstanding considering they were the ones who started it all.
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June 6th, 2010 01:44 pm (UTC)
Thats cool, girl! Going back to the roots... sighhh.
Hey, the upside of not having any furniture to sit on is that it very much resembles a traditional Japanese home and you could have a good old style tea ceremony! ^__^
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Friday, January 24, 2014
The Director's Guild Awards are on Saturday and it's Steve McQueen's opportunity to win it, however slim his chances are according to predictions. I think he's going to win!
Labels: TGIFassy
5 comments:
- nanna said...
Simone tell me, how is Michael in real life, more handsome then on screen ?
- January 24, 2014 at 6:04 PM
- Simone said...
Hi Nanna, yes, photos don't do Michael justice most of the time. He's very, very handsome. Those eyes, and that smile. :)
- January 24, 2014 at 6:15 PM
- nanna said...
You answer me back that's nice, i made a question for u a few months ago you didn't answer me, i'm very ansious for your answer what do you think about a movie of the french revolution in the same moods of 12YAS ? Where the center caracther is a woman ?
- January 24, 2014 at 6:53 PM
- Vera said...
This pic reminds me so much of New Zealand)))) although it probably was shot in the US))))
- January 27, 2014 at 1:15 PM
- Simone said...
No, it was taken in San Sebastian, Spain. :)
- January 27, 2014 at 1:26 PM
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text:
What a strange year it's been for all things silver screen. We've had awkward arrests, uneasy nudity, 'lewd behaviour' and Clint Eastwood. Though thankfully not all at the same time. It's been a buttock-clenching, career-denting spectacle of a year.
So what are you waiting for? Here are our 10 strangest stories of 2012…
Gollum takes over Wellington Airport
In the build-up to the release of Peter Jackson's 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey', New Zealand went promotional tie-in mad. The crazy Kiwis issued Hobbit stamps and dollars and capital city Wellington was officially renamed 'Middle of Middle-Earth'. Before all of this though, a 13-metre Gollum took over the airport.
Click here to read the full story.
Robert Pattinson's weird party trick
More disturbing than drinking blood or glistening in the sunlight, Robert Pattinson's bendy fingers are the real oddity. In an exclusive interview with Yahoo! Movies UK the 'Twilight' star showed us his perplexing party trick.
Click here to read the full story.
Man stained green after Hulk costume goes wrong
When Brazilian swimming pool attendant Enrique dos Santos painted himself green for a Hulk costume, his dedication backfired – staining him green and attracting the attention of the press. Turned out his body paint of choice was more suited to covering nuclear submarines than naked Brazilians.
Click here to read the full story.
'Sylvester Stallone' spotted in Vatican painting
Amidst the everyday sightings of Jesus in the cornflakes and Mother Mary grilled on your toastie came this holiest of all apparitions: Sly Stallone in a 500-year-old Vatican artwork (pictured left, obviously). Spotted by a holidaying Harvard student and posted on Reddit, the dubious doppelganger became a viral hit.
Click here to read the full story.
Brazilian man arrested for using Jack Nicholson ID
The second baffling Brazilian act on this list: a 41-year-old man was arrested after he tried to open a bank account using a fake ID… featuring a mugshot of Jack Nicholson. Turns out Jack was the star of an ensemble cast, as six different IDs were found on the man. Unfortunately there's no word on who the extras might have been.
Click here to read the full story.
Shia LaBeouf goes naked in new music video
Taking the Daniel Radcliffe route to scaring off typecasting, Shia LaBeouf appeared in La-'buff' for a music video by Icelandic band Sigur Rós. The promo also featured the then 25-year-old 'Transformers' star performing an eight-minute dance solo. He was dressed for that bit though.
Click here to read the full story.
Fred Willard arrested for lewd conduct
Veteran comedian Fred Willard was literally caught with his pants down back in July. Charged with "suspicion of engaging in a lewd act" by LAPD, the 78-year-old actor was arrested in an adult theatre with his genitals exposed. After his release, Willard even reviewed the frisky film via Twitter - it was "lousy".
Click here to read the full story.
Cinema shows Paranormal Activity instead of Madagascar 3
Children like talking animals. They don't like demonic possessions. It's sort of a rule of thumb. Something Cineworld Nottingham found out the hard way when they accidentally screened 'Paranormal Activity 4' instead of 'Madagascar 3' - resulting in a screaming evacuation of the cinema, unseen since Adam Sandler donned a dress for 'Jack and Jill'.
Click here to read the full story.
Liam Neeson gets soaked for Charity
For one night only Liam Neeson shook off the wise action-hero image, as well as a few other things. The 'Taken' actor appeared on Ellen DeGeneres' chat show for a good old-fashioned charity gunging in nothing but a pair of inadequate pink pants. Neeson helped raise $10,000... and about a million eyebrows.
Click here to read the full story.
Clint gives 'weird' speech at Republican Convention
When Clint Eastwood was booked to appear in support of presidential hopeful Mitt Romney at the Republican convention, you can bet the candidate wasn't expecting a mumbling surrealist rant and an invisible Barack Obama. In just 11 short minutes, legendary hardman Clint took his 60-year career and flung it over a rainbow. Was he disorganised, disorientated or just drunk? No one knows - but it was without doubt the strangest Hollywood story of 2012.
Click here to read the full story.


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Blueberry Friand Slice
by playingwithflour
As much as my husband would disagree, I don't own every piece of baking equipment there is. If I could get away with it I would love to buy myself a madeleine tin, mini muffin trays or a bundt pan. And I would definitely buy moulds for friands. I've always thought of friands as a grown up version of a muffin or cupcake. Dense yet light, full of almond meal and sold individually (and often more expensively) these miniature cakes are full of class.
Rather than purchase yet another baking tin I decided to adapt a standard friand recipe to make a friand slice instead. While you could pour the batter into a standard muffin tin, I was curious to see how a slice would turn out. The cake is soft and moist and quite sweet and the blueberries burst full of juice when you bite into them. The centre pieces obviously don't benefit from having the crunchy edge you get on a usual friand, but the taste more than makes up for it.
I was lucky enough to find some out of season blueberries on special, but any berry would work well in this recipe. I poked my berries into the batter before baking but they do sink somewhat anyway so if you like you can just scatter them over the top. If you can afford the luxury of using a vanilla pod I would highly recommend it. Not only do you get to see the tiny black specks within the slice but the vanilla taste is prominent throughout.
This slice goes really well with a cup of tea and is perfect still warm from the oven, with just a dusting of icing sugar.
Blueberry Friand Slice
4 egg whites
100g unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
125g almond meal
160g icing sugar
50g self-raising flour
1 vanilla bean
100g blueberries
Preheat the oven to 150° and line a 20 x 30 cm baking tin with baking paper. In a large bowl whisk your egg whites by hand until combined and frothy. Sift in the flour and icing sugar then add the butter, milk, extract and almond meal. Mix to combine.
Cut the vanilla bean lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Add to your mixture and gently stir until smooth and even. Pour into your prepared tin and smooth surface. Scatter the blueberries over the top and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and springy to touch.
Allow to cool in the pan then transfer to a board to cut. Dust with icing sugar prior to serving.


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Adding additional user-interface languages to Synthesia is pretty straightforward. The language file format lacks good 3+ plural support but otherwise it's fairly flexible.
The following always match the latest development preview release from the Development Updates section of the forum.
This file controls the list of languages shown when you click the button at the lower-left on the title screen. Just copy-paste one of the existing lines edit it to suit the language you're adding. Remember the "suffix" value you set for the next file.
Rename this file "language_[suffix].xml" using the suffix you picked above. (For example, the filename for the French language is "language_fr.xml".)
Now, just edit the contents of the file and replace all of the "v" attributes with new translations. Whenever you see something like "%1%" that means a value will be inserted automatically by Synthesia. Just be sure to keep the %1% where it belongs in the new translation.
Once you're finished, place both languages.xml and your new language_xx.xml file in the Synthesia data folder. (To find the folder, hold Shift while launching the app and click "Open Data Folder".)
The next time you launch Synthesia, your language should appear in the pop-up.


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About Us
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Pasadena Lions Utilize the Eyemobile within the community to conduct tests of vision, and hearing acuity.
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Click here for web link
Pasadena Lions Club has been fortunate in having a very active Youth Outreach Program.
Due mainly to the efforts of Lions Calvin and Phyllis Smith, we have established several Leo Clubs in Pasadena schools, including Pasadena High, Blair, South Pasadena High, Eliot Middle School, and Blair Middle School. This very successful program helps teens develop leadership skills needed in later life, while at the same time performing Community Service.
Eyeglass Recycling Locations in Pasadena Area
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Pasadena, CA 91191
Please note that Lions now accept cell phones and hearing aids at our eyeglass recycling locations.
Copyright 2008-2019 by Pasadena Host Lions, All Rights Reserved


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(Bear with me here, as this is sort of a shaggy dog and I haven't blogged in a VERY long time.)
So, I recently heard that one of my favorite comic book series featuring one of my favorite "superheroines" (retired as she was) is hitting the small screen. Jessica Jones, ex-superheroine, Private Investigator, hard-drinking badass who is so much more awesome than she gives herself credit for getting a TV show? My mind was blown. I found it it was going to be called "AKA Jessica Jones" which is fine, as it can't be called "Alias" of course, due to there already being a show called that. I then heard who was making it - the gal who wrote "Twilight" and did some work with the "Birds of Prey" TV Series (and, marginally to her credit, the TV Show Dexter). And it was going to be on ABC rather than a cable network. As another blogger put it "no F-bombs for Jessica [...] is like Batman without his Batarangs". My enthusiasm kinda curdled after hearing all of that.
It's not that Jessica Jones has to be crude to be great. She just has to be herself - refreshingly human, swears and all. This is a character that responds to being saved from drowning by a Norse God with vomiting and swearing, not wonder and alliteration. I hold some slight hope that she'll make the transition intact. There have been great, troubled female characters who fight crime on TV - Sarah Shahi's Detective Dani Reese on "Life" comes to mind just a for example (if you liked the comic book series 52, I highly recommend that show). I just care so much about Jessica Jones' character that she's actually one of my favorite superheroines. She makes my Top 5, easy, both as the messy character she was and as the loving, confident and fierce heroine she has become. And all this thought of "Can they adapt her successfully to a mainstream TV show?" led me to other two other big thoughts.
Thought One: Why do I care so damn much if this show sucks?
Thought Two: What TV Show with a Superheroine would really work the best on Cable?
The answer to the first one was sort of obvious - Jessica Jones is not a cipher. She's portrayed as a human being, one I can empathize with because she not only makes mistakes, she makes mistakes KNOWING that they're mistakes. She drinks, she has self-worth issues, she does the right thing but rarely gives herself enough credit. I see a lot of myself in her and every triumph she painstakingly makes in the course of her series, the redemptive arc she travels, all of it feels celebratory in a personal way I don't get reading Superman or Batman*. She makes an impression and she gets over her worst fear on her own terms. That's important. And when I thought about who else I wanted to get a TV show, one of my other Top 3 Superheroines came to mind - Empowered. And a light went off in my head.
There was a poet who said "the only ones for me are the mad ones". For me, in many ways, the only ones are the struggling ones.**
Jessica Jones and Empowered might not seem to have a lot in common. Jessica Jones is an embittered PI who quits the Superhero gig after a nightmarish experience. Empowered - Elissa Megan Powers - is a superheroine whose often tetchy supersuit leaves her with a D-list reputation but is fanatically determined to rise above it and become an A-lister. One wears street clothes, the other is forced to wear what is essentially a meta-commentary on slutty superheroine outfits. One's full of bitterness that butts against her inner optimism and heroism, while the other's optimism and heroism fights against bitterness that would stop any sane person from trying to do good at all.
Both of them have one thing happen in their first volumes - men don't take them seriously. Their lives are unsavory and unhappy at the start. But later, the same people who dismiss them are much worse off for it.
Jessica Jones gets dismissed by two male cops, grilled by a vindictive police detective, attacked by a man who practically has "manhandle" in his name. Empowered gets trussed up, captured, dismissed as a worthless excuse for a superheroine and damn near believes the hype. At the end of their first arcs, however, Jessica's tracked down the men who thought they could use her to their own ends while Emp has effortlessly saved her new boyfriend from death. Neither win is a clean win done on their own . . . but on the same token neither one of them realizes just how much better, noble and good they are, how much more awesome than they give themselves credit for at the end of their stories. And with each story after that, these women become more self-aware, self-assured and do more good for themselves and others. Best of all? Love, a BFF girlfriend and slow, gradual increases of self-esteem help them along the way. There are obvious differences but I still love them both for putting the "Human" into "Superhuman".
I love characters who both show realistic flaws and grow as people. Women who are complex and have more power than they realize illustrate to people who aren't perfect that they don't have to be Wonder Woman to make the world and themselves better. I would kill for a Jessica Jones show on cable but I'll settle for a show with her on ABC if it's done right. If she's still flawed, human, gutsy, brave and full of bite and strength. But you know who else I'd love to see get the TV series treatment? Empowered. And I would want it to be done by Joss Whedon.
So, why him?
While I know the upcoming Avengers film is his current focus, I think Empowered would be the perfect vehicle for Joss Whedon - one way or the other. I disliked Dollhouse but was never sure if the distasteful premise would have been better if, as Whedon claimed, he got to use it to say things he wanted to say about women being seen and used as sex objects (he has been quoted as saying Fox backed away from the sex and demanded generic action, much to his chagrin). That's the thing about Joss Whedon, tho'. For every complex, contradictory and awesome Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg or River Tam, there's the punishment of damn near every character who seems to have sex or a happy adult relationship. All his fine speeches seem to butt up against a strange cruelty to his characters and an odd streak of tawdriness. Call them Companions, call them Dolls - I call it kinda fishy and off-putting. Even Buffy Season 8 has Dawn being punished for sex across several issues, has Buffy and Angel's frantic coupling result in demons pouring forth to wreak havoc and inflict death. While I have loved Firefly/Serenity, Angel, Astonishing X-Men and many other of his works I honestly want to see Joss Whedon's "Empowered" on a cable network . . . just so he'd have absolutely no excuses and nowhere to hide how he really feels about sex and the women who have it.
Much like Jessica Jones, Empowered is a character who has sex when she feels bad about herself but unlike Jessica, the sex is never demeaning or nihilistic (although one could argue they both use it as "comfort food"). Her boyfriend loves and respects the hell out of her. He was a bad guy, a minion and worse, but meeting Empowered on the job and seeing her genuine earnestness, her heart and determination turned him over to the side of good. Another of her best friends is Ninjette, former Ninja-for-hire also turned to the side of the angels after talking to her. Even a Demonic Galactic Overlord of Kirby-esque dimensions she captures in a belt-shaped device becomes a dear friend via Stockholm Syndrome and teary bonding over DVDs . . . of Buffy Season 5 (among other shows but, well, there you are).
Sure, there's problematic things about Empowered. Unlike Jessica Jones, Empowered is forced to endure being dismissed as sexualized ideal, a blonde in a skimpy superheroine outfit. She has to fight to be taken seriously every time she goes out to try and make the world better. Every woman who's been dismissed as just a face, an ass, a set of breasts, ect while striving to do a job better than her male coworkers can empathize with her. And for all of Joss Whedon's flaws, Buffy Summers was his angry response to the idea that the blonde who has sex and is fun and funny deserves to be murdered for it in the most gruesome way possible. Buffy Summers was a beautiful blonde girl who was also human, heartbreaking and complex. Buffy came from one man seeing the blonde girl who was just a sexy prop designed to be murdered and his getting angry, his saying "No more." Empowered came from Adam Warren being told to draw a prop, a supergirl tied up, bound and helpless, and demanding instead that people see a beautiful, heroic human being with a heart. Jessica Jones' worst nightmare, the thing that drove her away from embracing her power, was being reduced to a servant and prop for a controlling madman. Alias was the story of her coming back from that experience stronger than before, with a raw, angry voice that would not be denied. That was the story Brian Michael Bendis set out to tell with her and it was a necessary story that I felt was amazingly told.
There's a reason I love all of these characters, problems be damned. They're heroines who were created in order to stand up and refuse to be labeled as "just the sexy girl".
This is why I'd love to see Whedon write Empowered. Just to see what would happen. Could Whedon finally write a character who saves the day and still has sex as part of a happy couple? Could he do it without strange, unsavory undercurrents? Lord knows, I think it would be revealing as all hell to find out.
But back to the matter that started all these thoughts - will AKA Jessica Jones be an amazing tour de force or another bland Birds of Prey? I'm hopeful that she'll be every inch as vibrant, as damaged and as wonderful as we know she has been. I'm hopeful that we, as viewers, will be able to be taken on a similar journey where she learns just how powerful she can be and just how much strength she has inside. I don't even need to know she'll be swearing - I just need to trust that she'll still have her own voice - loud, brassy and refusing to be silenced. And every time she wins, we win by proxy.
Whether it's Buffy Summers, Elissa Megan Powers or Jessica Jones, I want to hear a woman stand up and say that it's okay to be human, that you can be imperfect and strong at the same time - even if we need a superheroine vehicle for her to do it.
I want to watch a heroine on that TV screen I can identify with again.
*This is not to say that Batman or Superman are bad characters. I love them both. It's just that they are almost never allowed to be seen as vulnerable, as emotionally open to change.
Superman's the best of us and that's great - that's the way he should be. His relationship with Lois is wonderful and inspiring because it feels like they are equals. Even so, he's almost never portrayed as vulnerable in a way that feels honest or compelling - this nonsense with him walking around the USA, for instance, misses the forest for the trees. He doesn't have to walk amongst humanity - he is humanity. But that's another post entirely.
And as for Batman? I love him to death but decades later and Batman's only let a handful of people into his heart and almost never says "I love you" romantically.
These are things I want to see and to my irritation, outside of Cyclops and a handful of others, I can almost never find a superhero that makes me nod as I watch them open their hearts and figure out what really makes them tick. Just my opinion, of course. Feel free to disagree with me or, even better, list superheroes I may not know about in the comments.
**This isn't to say that I only love damaged characters, just that I find them the most compelling. Taken to the most extreme example, members of the Secret Six or Emma Frost are characters so profoundly broken, for instance, that I exult in every act they make on the side of the angels and love them to pieces. I see my messiness in their messiness and either learn lessons from their strides towards being whole or guiltily relish that I'm not quite as broken.
But on the other side of the coin, I absolutely adore characters that are fully committed to their ethics, themselves and their mission. These men and women who know who they are and make no apologies for it? I love them because they inspire me to be better. Superman, Wonder Woman, Batwoman, Steve Rogers - they are superheroes I love because I want to learn from their example. I want to be able to stand up tall and proud, knowing that who I am has value, that I should not apologize for who I am. And if you feel that I'm contradicting myself here, I'll just pretentiously quote another poet and say that "I contain multitudes". But don't we all?


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Summer Schedule for Delaware Water Gap Park Facilities and Services: Milford Beach and Smithfield Beach, the park's two guarded swimming beaches, are open for swimmers. Visitors are reminded of the following regarding use of beaches and other public use areas:
Pets are not permitted in picnic areas, swimming beaches or day-use areas. Ground fires are not permitted. Visitors must bring charcoal or gas grills. There are no food and drink stands at beaches and public use areas. Visitors should bring food and plenty of beverages with them. Daily fee per car: On weekdays, vehicles with seven persons or less pay $7 per vehicle; on Saturday, Sunday and holidays, vehicles with seven persons or less pay $10 per vehicle. Add $1 if more than seven passengers. Walk-in/bicycle-in is $1 per day, $10 per year per person. Annual Pass for all: $45. A second pass for vehicles registered to the same name at the same address is available for $25 with proof of registration. For details, call the park headquarters at (570) 426-2452) or visit www.nps.gov/dewa.
Local Businesses Invited to Sponsor Hispanic Heritage Month Gala Dinner: The Latino Task Force of Monroe County has an opportunity for area businesses to reach out to the Latino community by sponsoring the group's 2008 Hispanic Heritage month gala dinner celebrating "Excellence in Education," featuring Kutztown University President Dr. F. Javier Cevallos. It will be held from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at the Chateau Resort and Conference Center in Tannersville. There are several levels of sponsorship including the purchase of group tickets, tables or ads in the dinner journal. All businesses purchasing sponsor packages will receive seating for guests, an ad in the event journal, recognition during the program and on press releases and a listing on the organization's Web site for one month. The deadline for journal ads is Aug. 15. Proceeds benefit a Hispanic Scholarship Fund for residents of Monroe County, and will help sustain the work of the task force. Corporations and businesses interested in sponsoring the event should e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com or call (888) 272-7083. For details, visit www.latinotaskforceofmonroecounty.org.
A Penn State Master Gardener will be in the Pike County Cooperative Extension office, 514 Broad St., Milford, Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon to answer your gardening questions. For details, call (570) 296-3400.
Shawnee Preservation Society is seeking donations to an upcoming tricky tray. If you have items to contribute, leave them by the garage at the Higgins' home on Hollow Road. For directions, call Mary Ellen or Marianne at (570) 421-3619 or e-mail to email@example.com
Public Comment Sought on Construction of Curatorial Storage Facility to house large historic objects, including wagons and furniture. The objects are currently being stored in various facilities within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The facilities are inadequate and some are in poor condition, resulting in artifact deterioration. The EA addresses a proposal to construct an approximately 2,000-square-foot, one-story facility within the park, directly behind the current Bushkill Curatorial Storage Facility (formerly the Bushkill School), to provide the storage space. The EA is available on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/dewa. Hard copies of the document may be viewed at park headquarters.
Calling all Restaurants for the Pocono Chicken Wing-Off: On Sunday, Aug. 10, Fernwood Hotel and Resort will host the 13th Annual Pocono Chicken Wing-Off to benefit Monroe County Meals On Wheels from noon to 4 p.m. on the Fernwood Great Lawn. Call Loretta Porvaznik for details and registration forms at (570) 588-6661, ext. 2106.
The Bushkill and Lehman Historical Society's first display is now open at the Columns in Milford: Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. For more information, call (570) 296-8126. The society hopes to maintain the room at the museum by rotating displays during the year.
Touch of Home: Names and addresses needed of Monroe county troops currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan to be recipients of our periodic essentials shipments. Family members or friends with this information, please e-mail email@example.com or call Deanat (570) 977-1724 or Grace at (570) 977-4437. Volunteers also needed.
Monroe County Habitat for Humanity is growing. We will be working on several homes this year. If you, or someone you might know would be interested in partnering with Habitat, contact our office at (570) 476-9846. We are located at 912 Main St. in Stroudsburg. Partner families need to call 476-9846 for more information on the application process.
Bushkill youngsters age 11 and older can join Boy Scout Troop 87 by calling Ron Yip at (570) 588-1580.
Historic Bell School Open to Visitors: The Monroe County Historical Association's Bell School, located near Stormsville on Cherry Valley Road in Hamilton Township, was built about 1860 and was used until 1953. During July and August, the Bell School will be open on Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are gratefully accepted. For more information, call the Monroe County Historical Association at (570) 421-7703 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
RSVP volunteer opportunities: Senior Corps Retired and Senior Volunteer Program is a volunteer referral agency designed to develop meaningful opportunities for people of retirement age, 55 and over, to participate more fully in the life of their communities through volunteer service. To volunteer, call Norma Fagan at (570) 420-3747 or visit her at 411 Main St., Suite 102-B, Stroudsburg.
Second Chance Pet Adoption and Rescue: Meets the third Monday of each month at the Hughes Public Library on Route 611 in Stroudsburg at 6:30 p.m. Call (570) 620-1023 for details.
The Pike County Humane Society is growing fast, putting a strain on volunteers. Contact the office at email@example.com (Laura) or firstname.lastname@example.com (Barry) to volunteer or donate or call (570) 296-7654. Visit www.pikecountyhumanesociety.petfinder.com
St. Luke's Annual Festival & Flea Market: July 26-27, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday, on the church grounds at the intersection of Main and Ninth streets, Stroudsburg. Flea market, carnival games and prizes, duking booth, raffles (including 50/50 and a car), bake sale, bingo, live music, food and the Pocono Idol Contest.
Archeology in our Backyard — Donald Kline Q&A: Aug. 2 from 1 to 3 p.m. in The Shawnee Gallery. On exhibit: "Delaware River Regionalism: Americana in the Land of the Lenape" which includes Lenape points, tools and ceramics from Kline's private collection, on public display for the first time. www.TheShawneeGallery.com, Worthington Avenue, Shawnee-On-Delaware, (570) 420-9404. The presentation and exhibition are free and open to the public.
Free Community Concert: Tuesday, July 29, at 7 p.m., featuring The Lost Ramblers. Outdoors on the Grand Lawn of the Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort. (In case of inclement weather, the concert will be held in the lobby of The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort). The Tuesday community concerts are family friendly and appropriate for all ages. Free and open to the public. Brought to you by the Shawnee Institute Ltd.
Anthropology Presentation:Saturday at 2 p.m. "Take Me to the River: Native American Occupation in the Upper Delaware Valley," a presentation by Professor Joe Blondino of the Department of Anthropology at Temple University. The presentation will take place at the Shawnee Playhouse, and will be followed by reception at the Shawnee Gallery, www.TheShawneeGallery.com, Worthington Avenue, Shawnee-On-Delaware, (570) 420-9404. The presentation and exhibition are free and open to the public.
Delaware Water Gap Downhill Derby: Saturday, 10 a.m. along Main Street in the DWG borough. Reviving the old-fashioned spirit of the Borough's famous "soapbox" sprints in the 1970s, the Delaware Water Gap Area Chamber of Commerce presents its second Annual Downhill Derby, sponsored this year by Pocono Raceway. Seventy boys and girls ages 8 to 12 will race 20 identical, gravity-powered cars. The track itself is a short downhill stretch of Route 611 (Main Street in the Gap), beginning near the firehouse, and ending at the finish line drawn between the Water Gap Trolley and Doughboys Pizza. Call Tammy at (570) 421-3274 or visit www.delawarewatergap.com.
63rd Annual Buck Hill Fine Arts & Craft Festival: July 25-27. Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Directions: I-80 West to Scotrun exit. Take left off ramp onto Route 611 North; to Route 940 East; to 390 North. Look for BP gas station on left. Just past the Station, take the left fork in the road. Administrative office is one mile on the right. Visit online at http://www.buckhillartassociation.com/.
Bushkill Volunteer Fire Company Auxiliary Station 24 Community Day Event: Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Bushkill Firehouse Main Station, 1 Evergreen Drive, Bushkill. Rain date is Saturday, Aug. 2. Kid games, prizes, crafters/vendors, raffle yard sale/flea market, food and beverage items available.
Friday Night Chicken BBQ's: Today from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Shawnee Presbyterian Church on Shawnee Church Road in Shawnee-on-Delaware. Adults $8, children $4, kids under 2 are free.
Grand Opening of Poconos Chapter of Holistic Moms Network: Saturday, 11 a.m. in the Community Room, Hughes library, Stroudsburg. Door prizes, food, foot reflexology and chair massages. Visit www.holisticmoms.org
First Saturday Evening on Main: On Aug. 2 from 3 to 8 p.m. in Downtown Stroudsburg. Free parking. Hosted by the Jacob Stroud Corp. Fine art, crafts, dance and live music, as well as fine dining and shopping.
Stories on the Porch: Wednesdays at 10 a.m. at Waterfront Park in Smithfield Township. Free, for children ages 3 to 6. Volunteers will read stories based on the week's theme, and lead children in a crafts activity.
Fernwood Carnival: July 22-26, Fernwood Hotel & Resort Great Lawn, Route 209, Bushkill. One price Family Nights July 22-24: $16 per person allows unlimited ride usage from 6 to 10 p.m. One price special July 26-27: $13 from 2 to 5 p.m. The carnival is open 6 to 10 p.m. on weekdays and opens 10 a.m. one Saturdays and Sundays.
4-H Day Camp: Aug. 5-7 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Bushkill Meeting Center, Delaware Water Gap NRA, Route 209, Bushkill. For ages 8 to 13. Cost: $65. Registration deadline: July 28. This year's theme is "Go Green." For a brochure, go to http://pike.extension.psu.edu/4-H/2008/4-HDayCamp0808.pdf. For more information, call (570) 296-3400.
The first Gluten Intolerance & Celiac Support Group will meet in the community room at the Eastern Monroe Public Library, 1002 N. Ninth St., Stroudsburg, the first Monday of every month from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. For info, contact Meg Harding at the firstname.lastname@example.com.
4-H Paw Partners Club Meeting: Aug. 5 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Penn State Cooperative Extension office, 514 Broad St., Milford. For more information, call (570) 296-3400.
Monroe County Multisport Club next meeting is Friday at 6:15 p.m. at No Limits Personal Training, 366 N. Courtland St., East Stroudsburg. Call Don at (570) 420-0676.
Lapsit Programs for Babies & Toddlers: PCPL's Lapsit Programs offer children from newborn to 35 months and their parents or caregiver a chance to share time together at the library. Baby Lapsit Programs for babies from newborn to 17 months will be held in the Milford Branch PCPL (570) 296-8211 on Mondays and in the Dingman Township Branch PCPL (570) 686-7045 on Tuesdays. Both programs will be held from 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. Toddler lapsit programs for children ages 18 to 35 months will be held in the Milford Branch PCPL on Mondays and in the Dingman Township Branch PCPL on Tuesdays. Both programs will be held from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. All lapsit programs end the week of Aug. 4.
Middle Smithfield Presbyterian Church: A free meal every Sunday from 2 to 3 p.m. Call (570) 223-8648.
Free Composting Workshop: Saturday at FarmPlus, 111 Westfall Town Drive, Matamoras. Sign-in is 9:30 to 10 a.m. Program is from 10 to 11 a.m. Participants can receive a free back yard composting bin. Registration deadline is July 25. To register, call Penn State Cooperative Extension in Pike County at (570) 296-3400.
Freedom from Smoking Clinic: July 9 to Aug. 7 (July 23, 28, 30, Aug. 4 and 7), 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Penn State Cooperative Extension office, 514 Broad St., Milford. $30 per person for the entire seven-session course. For details call the Pike County Tobacco-Free Coalition at (570) 296-3400 or download the form at http://pike.extension.psu.edu/Family/2008/FreedomFromSmoking.pdfSafe Drinking
Natural Gas Exploration and Leasing Workshop: July 28 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Wallenpaupack High School, Route 6, Hawley. Educational presentation on Pike County natural gas leasing for landowners. Fee: $15 payable at the door. Sponsored by Penn State Cooperative Extension. Pre-register (570) 296-3400. Learn more at www.naturalgas.psu.edu. Brochure at http://pike.extension.psu.edu/Community/2008/GasExploration072808.pdf
Kids on Stage — Performing Arts Classes for Children: The Shawnee Playhouse presents STARS, the Shawnee Theatrical Arts Resource School. The program offers children an introduction to many aspects of theatre through stage movement, dance, music, art, creative games, role play, and scene study. For more info, call Shawnee Playhouse at (570) 421-5093 or Monroe County Recreation at (570) 992-4343. To register online, visit http://activenet7.active.com/mcrecreation/ Click on Activities, then enter keyword SHAWNEE.
"Positive Light," Program: Aug. 6 from 1 to 4 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 300 Broad St, Milford. Dynamic program that will help participants discover ways to think more positively in the workplace. Cost is $25 per person. Pre-registration required. For a brochure, go to http://pike.extension.psu.edu/Family/2008/PositiveLight080608.pdf. Call (570) 296-3400.
Enhancing Skills for Eldercare Workshop: Aug. 6 from 8:30 a.m to 4:30 a.m. in First Presbyterian Church, 300 Broad St., Milford. $65 per person (including lunch). Pre-registration is required. For a brochure, go to http://pike.extension.psu.edu/Family/2008/Eldercare080608.pdf Call (570) 296-3400.
Delaware River Evening Kayak Classes: every Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. July 25, Aug. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29. Learn paddling skills, rescues and rolling. Pre-registration is required. Visit kayakeast.com or call (866) 529-2532 to sign up.
Pocono Network of Professionals is a social-business networking group of local individuals. Call Nat Caputi at (570) 588-2267.
Pocono Preschool Homeschoolers: Do you have children under age 6 you plan to homeschool? Looking for socialization and activities? The group meets on the second Tuesday and last Friday of each month. Call Amanda at (570) 895-4101 or e-mail email@example.com.
The Pocono Outdoor Club is a hiking group for individuals interested in exploring the trails in the Pocono Mountains. E-mail email@example.com or visit www.myspace.com/poconooutdoorclub.
Reformed Church of Bushkill: Worship service every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. We offer nursery services during Sunday school and worship. Fourth Sunday — Chancel and Gospel Choirs sing Fellowship time after morning service and a light dinner precedes evening service. Sunday School is offered September to May at 9:15 a.m. for both adult Bible study and children ages 3 through eighth grade. Located on Route 209, opposite the Fairway Villas. For information, call (570) 588-6773.
Shawnee Presbyterian Church: Come join us in worship every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. during July and August on Shawnee Church Road off of River Road in Shawnee-on-Delaware. Call (570) 421-5518. Pastor: Karl Viernstein. Also, tune in to our radio ministry on 104.9 FM or 101.07 FM.
Agape Christian Fellowship: Judeo-Christian Bible-teaching church, offers Christian counseling, pre-marriage counseling, marriage counseling and weddings. Twelve-step Christian Serenity program offered. Route 209 and Jay Park Plaza. Rev. Raul Rico Rodriguez III, (570) 420-9119. Sunday service, 10 a.m.; Friday, Women's Bible study and Thursday, Men's Bible study, both 7 to 9 p.m.
Genesis, located at 3015 Milford Road (Business Route 209) in East Stroudsburg, just a half-mile south of Marshalls Creek. Worship service: Sundays at 10 a.m. Nursery and children's programs available during the service. Pastor John Stover. For details, call (866) 272-5047.
Miracle Temple of Christ Ministries, Marshalls Creek, Sunday worship, 11 a.m., Church education Bible Study Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., Prayer Wed. at 7 p.m., Bible Institute degree programs Tuesday to Saturday (days/evening), Counseling for children and Adults on weekdays by appointment. Join Dr. P.H. Jones for dynamic and supernatural teaching and powerful worship services. Located in Jay Park off Route 209. (570) 223-1940.
Mission Christian Fellowship International Ministries extends from New York City to the Pocono Mountains, Sunday worship service 9 a.m. at the Hillside Inn. For details, call (570) 460-9475.
New Life Fellowship Baptist Church: Route 402, Marshalls Creek. Sunday School, 9:15 a.m.; worship 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Nursery provided for all services. Children's worship service on Sunday at 10:30a.m. includes crafts, music, games, puppets and Bible lessons. Call (570) 424-6970 or visit www.nlfellowship.com.
St. John's Roman Catholic Church: Mass times MTR noon, WF 9 a.m., Saturday 4 p.m. and a Spanish Mass at 5 p.m. Sunday Masses 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Confessions on Saturdays 3 to 3:30 p.m. and by appointment. Located along Route 209 in Middle Smithfield, just south of Foxmoor Plaza. Call (570) 223-9144.
Middle Smithfield Presbyterian Church: Worship services 8 a.m. traditional; 9:45 blended style; 11 a.m. contemporary. Sunday school for all ages at 9:45 a.m. Located along Route 209, 3 miles north of Marshalls Creek. (570) 223-8648.
St. Mark's Lutheran Church: River Road near Smithfield School. Country church offering casual, friendly worship. Sunday service 10 a.m. Sunday school second and fourth Sundays at 9 a.m. Turn off River Road at the signs for Wordsworth and church, follow signs.
St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Smithfield: Call (570) 223-9422, Rev. John Harding, 8 a.m. until noon. Take Craig's Meadow Road off Route 209 at Country Kettle Gift Shop. Church is one-quarter mile down the road. Worship services on Sunday at 8:15 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. Sunday School and adult Bible study, 9 a.m. On each fifth Sunday of a month, a service of healing will be held.
Directions to MCEEC: From Stroudsburg (Exit 302 from I-80 West or 302B from I-80 East) go north on Route 611 to the traffic light after the truck stop in Bartonsville, and turn left onto Rimrock Drive. Follow for 0.4 mile, bear right onto north Easton-Belmont Pike, go 0.2 mile, then bear right onto Running Valley Road. The center is on left.
Tenth Annual Two-Day Canoe Trip on the Delaware: August 19-20. This trip will cover approximately 20 miles of the river from Dingman's Ferry to Smithfield Beach. Participants will float at a leisurely pace and take time for river interpretation, swimming, fishing, birdwatching and more. You will camp one night along the river in a designated campsite and cook over a campfire and explore the area with a night hike. The trip should be a very enjoyable experience for individuals, couples and small family groups. Trip includes canoe rental, 4 meals, river interpretation and a good time! A pre-trip information session will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the E.E. Center. Cost for the trip is $90/per person non-member, $80/per person E.E. member & $40 for non-paddling children under 12. Pre-registration is limited. Call (570) 629-3061 by Aug. 11.
Weekly Tannersville Cranberry Bog Walks: Wednesdays at 10 a.m., from June 11 to Sept. 3. The walks through the Bog will be guided by an Environmental Educator from the E.E. Center. Participants should meet at the E.E. Center by 10 a.m. and from there caravan to the Bog. Cost is $4/non-members, $2/E.E. members or Nature Conservancy members and children under 12. Pre-registration is required. For more information or to pre-register, call (570) 629-3061.
The Sounds of Summer Program: Saturday, 10 a.m. Join environmental educator Darryl Speicher on a melodic walk through the fields, forests, and wetlands of Kettle Creek. $3/EE members and children under 12, and $5/non-members. For more information, including registration, please call the Center at (570) 629-3061.
Week-Long Environmental Education Day Camp for 9-12 Year Olds: Aug. 4-8. Through this program of hands-on activities, day campers will be exposed to and learn about the great variety of wildlife and plants living in forest, field and water habitats. $80/non-member, $65/E.E. Call 570-629-3061.
Frog Frolics: Aug. 2 from 1 to 4 p.m. Learn all about our wet and vocal friends. Adults and children alike will have a muddy blast trying to catch them with care. Wear shoes that can get muddy. Each program is $6 for PEEC members and $8 for non-members.
Educator Programs: The Pocono Environmental Education Center will offer two educational programs to give teachers an opportunity to increase their environmental education skills in the classroom and learn new ways to connect with students of mixed ability levels. Both programs are free for formal and non-formal educators in the tristate area and ACT 48 hours are available for Pennsylvania teachers. The cost for non-educators is $20/PEEC members and $25/non-members. Pre-registration is required. Call (570) 828-2319 or visit www.peec.org.


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While reducing how much meat you eat is good for the environment, a new study has suggested there's another reason to go vegetarian: it could boost your health. Especially if you'd like to slim down...
New research has suggested that a vegetarian diet is twice as effective for weight loss than a carnivorous one, the Independent reports.
Scientists from the US found that not only will vegetarians lose weight more effectively, but they'll also reduce their muscle fat and therefore boost their metabolism as well.
The discovery is particularly important for those of us suffering from type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome.
In the study of 74 people with type 2 diabetes, participants were randomly assigned to a vegetarian diet or a typical anti-diabetic diet, recommended by the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.
Those who went veggie stuck to fruit and veg, nuts, seeds and grains and legumes, with only one portion of low-fat yoghurt per day.
And, in order to assess the weight loss potential of both eating methods, all participants ate 500 calories fewer than needed to maintain their current weight.
After six months, those who'd gone veggie had lost almost twice as much weight: an average of 6.2 kg (13.7 lbs) vs just 3.2 kg (7.1 lbs) for those following the carnivorous, anti-diabetic diet.
As a bonus, those on the veggie plan lost more fat on the surface and inside of their muscles, which can help boost calorie burn.
Study author Dr Hana Kahleová, from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, wrote in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition: 'Vegetarian diets proved to be the most effective diets for weight loss. However, we also showed that a vegetarian diet is much more effective at reducing muscle fat, thus improving metabolism.
'This finding is important for people who are trying to lose weight, including those suffering from metabolic syndrome and/or type 2 diabetes. But it is also relevant to anyone who takes their weight management seriously and wants to stay lean and healthy.'
While we're not sure we could cope without meat forever, a flexatarian approach to eating is definitely sounding more appealing right now!


text: 360insights Appoints New Vice President, Operations and Continuous Improvement by Jason King On August 1, 2017 Under: Newsroom WHITBY, ON. (August 1, 2017) – 360insights, a global leader in channel management software, and pioneers within the incentive and promotional analytics and insights space, is pleased to announce the appointment of Laurie Lucente as Vice President, Operations, and Continuous Improvement. Ms. Lucente will be responsible for overseeing 360's contact center, client success, point of sale processing, and continuous improvement teams as well as identifying, refining and implementing new initiatives that support greater efficiencies and transparency for clients. "The whole company is super excited to have Laurie join the team," said 360's founder and CEO, Jason Atkins. "She's got such an uncommon knack for building solid, repeatable processes, coupled with a comprehensive understanding of 360's founding commitments to delivering amazing experiences for our clients and our employees. This is a great fit." Laurie will leverage her twenty years as a respected leader in Operations with strong management skills in implementing new processes and technology to support business strategies and comes to 360 with the reputation of being a leader and motivator who demonstrates a passion for team development. Ms. Lucente joins 360 from Shoppers Drug Mart where she began in Call Centre Management in 2000, then moved into progressively senior roles, in Product, Project and Relationship Management. While with Shoppers Drug Mart, Laurie delivered numerous projects where the focus was on developing operational efficiencies and streamlining processes such as the launch of a new Enterprise Point of Sale system, e-Commerce platform, and various Marketing and Business Analytics efficiency driven initiatives.


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A new way for our members to access the huge wealth of knowledge content ICE has. Organised into bite-sized modules.
Our learning is structured around these key areas:
Courses, workshops and membership surgeries to help you achieve professional qualification.
24/7 access to recorded webinars covering key areas of professional qualification.
Courses, help and advice to advance your career no matter what stage you are at.
Specialist training courses let you learn new skills and add to your personal development.
Earn new qualifications to boost your career and demonstrate your abilities.
Rod MacDonald & Russell Dellar, both from Mainmark Engineering.
Two new, leading edge technologies were used, Jet Grouting to strengthen the foundation sub-soil, JOG integrated computer grouting to relevel the structure. Neither of these technologies had been used in New Zealand prior to this work.
Find out how the building was re-supported and then the structure completely re-levelled.
Nalini Solanki
e: [email protected]


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Beneath the abbey.
I love old stuff. Castles, cathedrals, historical sites of every kind. Sometimes, though, it is easy to miss a feature because we naturally look around. We may even obey the photographer's rule of looking behind us when facing some outstanding feature. But it is easy to forget to look up.
In the Battle Abbey ruins there are places that once served as storage, or as dormitory, or . . . I read all of the plaques and markers, but I didn't take notes. In this case, the vaulted ceiling of a basement or cellar area revealed some interesting designs.
I don't often attempt this kind of shot since, as a tourist, I don't work on a tripod for stability. This time, however, it was dark and it seemed like I might get a decently stable shot by using the on-camera flash. And it worked! Because I got my positioning right, the shadowing from the flash was also minimized. I do get lucky sometimes.
Photo taken 6 May 2007


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Well, maybe they're not all cuddly. :)
|Seed pearl, ruby and diamond brooch designed as a winged sea monster, second half of the 19th century.
|18 karat gold cat brooch by Cartier, 1967.
|A super cute 18 karat gold, coral, emerald and diamond brooch, Van Cleef & Arpels.
|18 karat gold, platinum, diamond, emerald and enamel brooch and ear clips, David Webb.
|An 18 karat gold, platinum, hardstone, sapphire and diamond brooch, David Webb.
|18 karat gold, yellow diamond, white diamond and onyx double clip-brooch, Graff.
|An 18 karat two-color gold, pink diamond and white diamond teddy bear brooch, Graff.
|A diamond, blister pearl, and emerald gazelle brooch, David Webb.
|An enamel, diamond and emerald ram brooch, David Webb.
|Another cute squirrel brooch, this one with citrine and emerald, by Cartier, circa 1965.
|An enamel and pearl crocodile brooch.
|A diamond, onyx, and emerald Panthère pin, Cartier.
|A platinum, diamond, enamel and ruby "Rabbit" brooch by Raymond Yard, circa 1930.
|A sapphire and diamond Panthère brooch, Cartier.
|A silver and enamel brooch by René Lalique, first half of the 20th century.
|A silver, 18 karat gold and ruby "Cancer" brooch/case, René Boivin.
|Two gem-set brooches, late 19th century (circa 1900), depicting an eagle and a deer.


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- 2018 (5)
- 2017 (7)
- 2016 (3)
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- 2012 (7)
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Comdata Ranked as One of the Largest Credit Card Issuers Worldwide
According to the most recent Nilson Report (Issue #1099), Comdata is now ranked 59th globally among all credit card issuers. The rankings are based on total purchase volume, however, spend volume on Comdata's proprietary corporate payments and fuel card networks was not included in the data. Had that volume been included, Comdata would rank in the Top 40 globally.
Comdata's ranking is especially impressive considering the company only issues commercial credit cards in North America. Nearly every other issuer on the list offers both commercial and consumer credit cards, many across multiple global regions.
"We're very proud of our continued growth," said Josh Raymond, VP of Marketing at Comdata. "The technology and services we offer to support our clients' credit card and payment needs is what has allowed us to achieve such scale even though we are very specialized when you compare us to our bank competitors. We don't just sell credit cards, we help companies build world-class payment programs."