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Pinelopi Zaka
'I was always interested in new technologies and their implementation in education through e-learning...'
Postgraduate Diploma in Education with an endorsement in e-Learning and Digital Technologies in Education
Flexible Learning Advisor, e-Learning Support, University of Canterbury
Originally from Greece, where she started her career in primary school teaching, Pinelopi was keen to go on to study at postgraduate level overseas.
'I was always interested in new technologies and their implementation in education through e-learning. As ICT has taken an increasingly important role in our everyday lives and students have become more familiar with new technologies out of school, it is important to provide them with e-learning opportunities in the classroom,' she says.
'Blended teaching and learning – a combination of both online and face-to-face approaches in the classroom – is a fast developing area in educational providers in New Zealand and across the world. Through my master's research, I looked at how blended teaching and learning is implemented in schools and how teachers, students and school leaders experience educational change with blended approaches.'
Pinelopi enjoyed studying at UC for several reasons. 'I think that UC enables students to study in a friendly environment where there are high levels of support related to many aspects of student life. I also really enjoyed studying in a multicultural environment where I could interact with people from different cultures, share different experiences and realise that we all have many things in common. Finally, I found it exciting to visit so many beautiful places in New Zealand during my studies.'
From an academic point of view, she is very happy about the new skills she developed with the support of her tutors. 'On the one hand their experience and guidance really helped me enrich my knowledge, but on the other hand it motivated me to further develop my skills. I think that, at postgraduate level, the work students do independently is very important, but what is also crucial is to be given enough incentives, guidance and support from instructors to enhance the quality of students' research process.' She adds that her involvement in the College of Education e-Learning Lab also gave her the opportunity to work with other professionals in e-learning, expanding her knowledge and research experience in this field.
Pinelopi points out that a decision to study towards any postgraduate qualification requires considerable motivation. 'Although postgraduate study is very important for developing a professional career, it is also essential to have a passion for what you do. I would advise other students not to give up on their dreams and to always try to achieve their goals. For example, studying overseas is not an easy objective to achieve, especially for students with little financial support. It has been my goal for the last five years and I had to work really hard to be able to do it. But once we really know what we want to do and focus on our objective, nothing is impossible.'
Following her master's degree, Pinelopi worked full-time at the e-Learning Lab and later at Christchurch's Science Alive as a science educator. Now, she works at UC as a Flexible Learning Advisor for the e-learning Support Team. 'What I enjoy the most about this role is working with different academic staff and supporting them in harnessing the potential of e-Learning. I am really excited about joining the University as staff and about the opportunity to pursue my career goals in the field of e-Learning.'
Student profiles
Eurica Thapa
'Graduate House provides an opportunity to stay focused on your work and make friends...'


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There has been so many mishap's with Kelly's music career. I Really think that people thought she was going to give up, but she hasn't and I personally believe that this album is the album of a Fighter. This album was meant to be released last year, but after so many failed Single choices such as "Rose Coloured Glasses" and also "Grown Ass Woman" not only that, but deciding to not have Matthew Knowles as her manager no more. Kelly decided to re-do the whole album and give it a different feel. That's when we received "Motivation"!
"Motivation" is Kelly's first #1 R&B single as a Solo artist, the single has had a HUGE Success within America, and here she is with her 3rd Studio album "Here I Am". Many people have said that they feel like this is the album that they've been waiting on from Kelly since she left Destiny's Child. Kelly enter's the album with a track called "I'm Dat Chick" which is an up-tempo Club banger song with a thumping beat! This song will defiantly have the chick's catching a huge Ego Boost when this track comes on in the club. She then runs into a Mid-Tempo track called "Work it Man" which talks about past relationships and how much baggage she has but the man who she's got now is willing to carry the baggage and work it out. Quite a good track however with an unknown rapper that I haven't heard before but his verse is quite good!
A Track that she defiantly needs to release as her 3rd single choice is "Feelin' Me Right Now" this song really reminded me of Fantasia's "Falling In Love Tonight". The beat to this song is crazy, it's a mid-tempo for the club that you can defiantly whine up your waist too! Apart from it being a sexy track, it still gives that Independent encouragement for the ladies.
Another track that she defiantly must have on her Single choices is defiantly is "Turn It Up". The title is not what you think! Kelly is talking about telling her ex's Present girlfriend about all his little secrets. She even drops this Line "What goes around, comes around buy another round!" But instead of creating a bitter R&B track Kelly makes another hit for the radio! This will defiantly blow up the radio stations! It defiantly is a UK Friendly track as well! I Smell success with this song! It's a must listen to track from the album.
Kelly keeps her R&B roots on this album, she does keep it sexy but keeps it classy as well. She doesn't have heartbreaking songs on it as she did with Ms. Kelly, But this album is a nice album to listen to! I think Kelly really did well with this album. I really think it's a good effort. I'm not sure about Grammy worthy, but Motivation is defiantly Grammy worthy! The album is short but sweet. I enjoyed listening to this album! I personally believe that Kelly deserves a round of applause!
Tracks I Like
- Work it Man
- Motivation
- Lay It On me
- Feelin' me Right now
- Turn It Up
- All of the Night
- Keep It Between Us
- Commander

subset: commoncrawl


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In Toronto, the nymphomaniac Leila spends the nights dancing and having sex with men to satisfy her sex drive. Leila learns that her parents are divorcing and she is affected by their decision. When Leila meets David, she has a torrid affair with him. David is an artist that lives with his father, who is very dependent on David. Leila and David have a complicated relationship since he is a possessive man that demands commitment but Leila does not know how to love a man and has the need of different partners in her sex life. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Gigolo club,A story of love, greed - and moisturizer.
Big bo yau waak, Grace nearly drowns before she is saved by a handsome lifeguard named Gordon. She falls for Gordon and decides to take lifeguarding lessons. However, Gordon falls in love with Pamila. Grace is aided by Eddie and Dawn, but they are unable to separate Gordon and Pamila. In fact, Eddie has romantic feelings for Grace but has had a one night stand with Dawn... The relationships quickly get complicated, how can it all get sorted out?
Sensei!, Hibiki Shimada, a normal 17-year-old high school student, still does not know how to fall in love—although surrounded by love "experts"—until one day she realizes that she's fallen in love with her hot and nice 26-year-old teacher, Itou. She then takes a path to make her teacher understand how she feels for him.
During a hot and hazy summertime in northern Ontario, 13-year-old Bea wants a best friend more than anything else, but when she meets boisterous Kate, she gets more than she imagined. A story of bravery, small-town summer love, and the secret world of girls.
The anxiety of modern love and life among friends in a big city.
Three different stories of youth set in different cities of China. 1 Shanghai Love. 2 Sunny Breakfast. 3 Small Fashion Show. Directed by Zhenxing Yi, the plot revolves around a young man working in Beijing. He used to live with his grandma in his less developed hometown Hunan. While he is drown in his childhood reminiscence, he receives an unexpected call – Grandma is in critical condition.
After the death of his wife, a man moves from Mississippi to a run-down Hollywood apartment, where he meets someone new.
Free-spirited writer Juliet Ashton forms a life-changing bond with the delightful and eccentric Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, when she decides to write about the book club they formed during the occupation of Guernsey in WWII.
A New Mexico cattle man and his strong-willed daughter clash over the man's choice for a new bride. Things get worse when the elder man has his daughter's lover hanged. With the help of an old flame, a gambler, the daughter puts into motion a plan to drive her father from his estate.
In the boring desert of New Mexico, a single mother raises her two teenage daughters, Shade and Trudi, whose deepest desire is to leave the dead calm town. Shade is the type to escape in her extravagant fantasies while Trudi is so rebelious it could drive her away.


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Pacific MicroRem, Inc.offers a complete selection of high quality X-Ray and Metal Detection systems for many applications, including:


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Boulevard Drive-In
2801 S. Padre Island Drive,
Corpus Christi,
No one has favorited this theater yet
The Boulevard Drive-In was located on South Padre Island Drive and Richter Street. It was open from 1942 to 1961 and opened by Southwest Theaters. It is now the site of Corpus Christi Trade Center (2833 South Padre Island Drive), which appears to have been converted from a former retail building.
Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
The Boulevard actually opened in early 1942 right after the beginning of WWII. It suffered the common 'blackouts' that drive-ins adhered to to prevent enemy bombings or spyings at night.
Address: 2801 Lexington Ave (S.P.I.D.) | Capacity: 300 cars | Opened: Thursday Feb 5, 1942 | First Feature: "My Life With Caroline" (1 August 1941) starring Ronald Colman, Anna Lee | Owner / Builder: Lone Star Amusement aka Southwest Theaters – CA Richter, Leon Newman | Closed: Sunday Jul 16, 1961 (Last ad in Caller) | Currently (2010): Corpus Christi Trade Center (formerly GMC Membership Store opening Dec 1, 1961 and later a Shopper's World)
The oroginal projection booth and concession stand and the offices that were headquarters for Doc Richter are still standing in the parking lot of the Trade Center. I believe they are being used as an auto shop.
Here are images and articles for The Boulevard.
A few more articles added.
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater


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Agency Work Life | News
We Bought Our Building (and then gutted it)!
By topdrawinc
'Tis the season in Edmonton: Cranes throughout the downtown skyline, road workers filling potholes, and detours abound. Welcome to Construction Season! We've managed to put our own little stamp on construction season this year, without blocking off any of the roadway. Yes, Top Draw is not only owners of online marketing, we are owners of a little more brick, mortar and dust.


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Nativity Poem
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
A Christmas Eve Reading
Nativity Poem
7 comments:
- Natalie said...
May I have your permission to read this to my children before bed tonight? Once again, beauty found in your words! Thank you for sharing.
- December 24, 2008 at 7:49 AM
- Lisa Loo said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- December 24, 2008 at 9:10 AM
- Lisa Loo said...
That was odd--an old comment I wrote on someone elses blog came up when I pushed the submit button!
I just wanted to take a minute a tell you how much I admire your gift. Your words always speak to my heart--I feel like maybe we have kindred hearts. I don't always leave comments but I read all your posts and I want to thank you for being so generous to share your gift with all of us.
I,too, wanted to see if I could get permission to share this with my family tonight and the last post also? I love the music you chose also--I have that album so I will play that with the reading.
Isn't it wonderful when those moments come where your family is all in a happy spot and your heart sings??!! Merry Christmas Eve and Happy Holidays!
- December 24, 2008 at 9:24 AM
- grandma shepherd said...
Oh my, your writing reminds me of Sue. Don't we miss her? She would love your blog.
- January 2, 2009 at 9:02 PM
- Makin' It Mod said...
If it is ok with you, I would love to share your poem at my YSA ward Christmas Dinner/party. It that ok?
- November 18, 2012 at 11:08 PM
- Makin' It Mod said...
If it is ok with you, I would love to share your poem at my YSA ward Christmas Dinner/party. It that ok?
- November 18, 2012 at 11:10 PM
- grandma shepherd said...
I'm just revisiting your Christmas Eve Reading. Your words are so perfectly woven. They send a spirit with them that strengthens my testimony. Thanks for sharing!
- November 26, 2012 at 6:04 PM


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Tomi Lahran is a white supremacist online commentator. She is an evil racist person who hates Black people. She is a propagandist who funnels lies and deceit to her racist audience. She profits off of fear-mongering, anti-Blackness, Islamophobia, and nativism. She is an enemy.
And institutional liberals are normalizing her brand of white supremacy all in service to their bloated egos, multi-million dollar platforms, and twisted reliance on moral superiority.
Recently, she made waves when Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show, invited her on his show to allegedly humiliate her. His goal was to humorously expose the glaring failures in her white supremacist worldview.
Despite the hype, Trevor Noah did nothing particularly avant-garde or noteworthy. He merely reinforced the pattern of witty and popular left-leaning television hosts who berate hardened, outlandish, racist conservatives to make a living.
Full disclosure, I didn't watch the interview. Seeing Tomi get spanked by a cheeky liberal doesn't do me any good. In fact, it makes my work harder.
When I committed myself to Black Liberation, I took a militant radical view. To me, root causes explain the grotesque system that we live in, and modern indicators of social, political, and economic deterioration are a direct result of the infrastructures, laws, bureaucracies, and behaviors of the past.
Liberals are EXTREMELY complicit in this fucked up system because their theory of change is vapidly self-righteous. They believe in "discussion" and "discourse" with the most virulent of individuals. They believe that antagonistic value systems and opinions have no bearing on the person who expresses them; that we can "agree to disagree" with people who want us locked up and/or dead.
Fun fact: their theory of change has NEVER worked.
And what's frustratingly annoying about the leftists who have visible platforms is that they are empowering the very same racists that they think they're chin-checking. While liberals celebrate Noah's supposed victory, Tomi Lahran's name recognition is heightened. Liberal darlings, her viewership is sure to expand and her access to revenue is sure to increase all because in thirty minutes she lost an "argument" that her or her followers give a shit about.
Already, her visibility is on the rise. She's buddies with Charlamagne Tha God now. And he's already echoing the "agree to disagree" bullshit blahblahblah.
We won't even talk about how Black men justify the violence of white women …
Black people, we don't have to be friends with, protect the egos of, or play nice with people who hate us — particularly white people. We do NOT have to pretend that a white supremacist worldview is somehow beneficial to public debate. We do NOT have to educate or spend *any* of our precious intellectual labor on white people who want us dead. We do NOT have to convince anyone of our right to exist.
Despite liberal ethos, debating our right to exist is futile. Racists are beholden to their violent frameworks, regardless of how many facts or statistics you spit at them. They will not think better of you because you can invalidate their thinking. In fact, that just emboldens them … because now they're resentful.
And hell, spending your time "discoursing" with them may even enable them to think that y'all formed some sort of bond. So when they say some racist shit to the next person, you'll be the Black "friend" they think they have.
Exposing ourselves to this form of violence is emotionally and mentally taxing. Our energies are best spent organizing our people to resist white supremacy by any means necessary.
Featured Image Credit: www.lovebscott.com


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Just got back from our annual 4th of July trip with the Brightwell Family and one of the highlights of the trip (which there were many) was the shopping day that Rob and I did to the War House and Brookhurst Hobbies. Both stores are infamous in the Southern California gaming community and were two stores that I frequented while I lived there. Every time I am in So Cal I try to stop by at least one of these stores.
Now in the past, every time I have had funds and a list of items I was looking for, it never failed that I would not find what I was looking for. Well this trip I decided that I was going to find what I was looking for, using the power of positive thinking. It must have paid off because I found just about everything on my list, so here is what I got on the trip. I found all of this while at Brookhurst Hobbies, unfortunately I could not find anything to spend my money on while at the War House.
|The Haul, except for the Kursk book.
First up is this Osprey hard back book, now this was not a find, I am just borrowing it to read from Rob. Since there is plans for a Shifting Sands event for Kursk, this was a must read and is a very good book.
|Robs Kursk book on loan to me.
|A surprise find
|Finally my Early War list is legal!
|The Beginning of a new army!
|Decals, we have decals!
|Number 6, we now have two platoons!
|Two Quads are better than one!
|Mail Order only
|One of the coolest planes of WW2!


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Notre Dame Football Alumni Flag Football Game
Head into Notre Dame Stadium early to catch Irish Legends from Saturday's past suit it up yet again in the Alumni flag football game. A perfect warm-up for the main attraction later in the day.
Your Blue-Gold ticket will get you in the Stadium. No re-admittance between games.


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Career in Earth Sciences:
Earth Science, also referred to as geo science, is a broad term for the study of planet earth. There are many disciplines within the earth science such as geography, geology, geophysics, soil science, ecology, oceanography, atmospheric science including meteorology and climatology. Earth science jobs often combine field work with Geo information Services (GIS), research, modeling and data Analysis
There are several subjects under earth science, known as sub-disciplines, subspecialties, which focus on particular aspects there are:
Climate Science, meteorology, Ocean Science, Mineralogy, Atmosperic Science, Seismology, Disaster management, geology, Geophysics, Polar Science and cryospheric Science, Geo- Engineering, paleo-climatology, Biogeochemistry, Geomorphology, Geography, Geomagnetism, Chemical oceanography, Applied Geo Physics, Oceanography, Biogeochemistry, Marine Geophysics, Geoinformatics, Remote sensing and GIS, Geospatial Studies, Applied geology, Marine geology, Environmental geology, mountain geology, Earth and planetary science, Oil and mining, Applied Geoscience etc
Career Opportunities with Earth Science:
As a profession, earth Science is very important, as people are concerned about the core subjects related to Earth Structure or processes.
Traditionally, job opportunities in earth science include positions in academia, government, environmental consulting, petroleum and mining sector. Many of these sectors are engaged in a long term hiring. job opportunities in the field of earth science are excellent with the right educational preparation. Earth scientists explore the earth and its processes.
Earth science is a broad field and career tracks are generally determined by specialization and level of education obtained. Earth Scientists can seek work in hydrology, soil science, and meteorology, oil and gas extraction or geology employers include government agencies, consulting firms, environmental management, services and the oil and gas industry. Jobs related to earth science include like geoscientist, geologist, Meteorologist, Geophysicist, Geohydrologist, etc.
Higher studies / research work may provide global opportunities in various national / international missions like Himalayan studies, South Ocean drilling program, Arctic Mission, Antarctic mission or even extraterrestrial studies i.e comet mission or space exploring program.
Major courses in Earth Science:
Earth science is a field. That requires candidates from various interdisciplinary branches. Degree/diploma courses are conducted by various universities/ Institutions in India and abroad .One can pursue different courses in the field of Earth Sciences. Few major Courses are given below:
- B.Sc- in General science or Biological sciences, Natural Science
- M.Sc – In Geology, Geophysics or Geography
- M. Tech- in remote Sensing & GIS, Geoinformatics, mining engineering,
- PG Dip. – In remote sensing & GIS, Geoinformatics, mining engineering
- Short – Term Courses/ Diploma
- Ph.D. – in Earth, Ocean or planetary science, Geophysics
Research Centers /Institutions for Earth Science:
There are many institutions, where one can build one's career and/or continue the study/research work. Few of them are given below
- National Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvunanthapuram
- National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Goa
- National Centre for seismology (NCE), MoES
- Indian national Centre for Medium Range weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), Noida
- National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai
- Integrated Coastal and marine area Management project Directorate (ICMAM PD), Chennai
- Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun
- National Centre for Seismology, Noida
- National Institute for Oceanography, Goa
- Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology (CMLRE), Kochi
- Indian meteorological Department (IMD, New Delhi)
- Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune
- Department of Earth Science, IIT, Roorkee
- Centre for Earth Science, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
- School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences, IIT Bhubaneshwar
Earth Science offering Universities:
There are many Universities, where one can pursue the courses in Earth Science, Few of them are:
- University of Allahabad
- Lucknow University
- University of Delhi
- Anna University, Chennai
- Banaras Hindu University
- Aligarh Muslim University
- University of jammu
- University of Culcatta
- Punjab University, Chandigarh
- University of Madras
- The M.S. University of Baroda
- Savitribai Phule Pune University
- Kurukshetra University
- Guwahati University
- Presidency University, Kolkata
- Kumaun University Nainital
- Sikkim University, Gangtok
- Rashtrasant Tukadiji Maharaj Nagpur University Nagpur
- Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli
- Mohanlal Sukhadia University Udaipur
- Central University of Karnataka
- University of Kerala Thiruvananthapuram
- jadhavpur University, Kolkata
- Annamalai University, port Blair,
- Various departments of Governmental colleges
Scope and Career Prospects in Earth Science
After pursuing a suitable degree or diploma course in Earth Sciences from the afore mentioned universities or similar institutions, the candidate can choose any of the given options as per his qualification, interest and potential. The most popular occupations for professional career are given below:
- Scientist/ Analyst- In Government or private research institute / Organizations/ Testing laboratories
- Lecture/ Professor – in University or academic institution
- Lab-in Charge –in testing laboratories
- Scientific officer –in testing laboratories
- Scientific officer –in scientific governmental organizations or NGOs
- Geologist
- EC or FAE – for EIA Studies in Consultancies
- Assistant Manager –in Corporate various groups
- Geologist – for sensitive areas or special Regions
- Consultant – In consultancy, NGOs or similar Firms
- Writer/author – for various publishing houses or freelance
- Scientific journalist/editor – for various magazines, newsletters, journals
- Asst. Director/ Dy. Director – In Govt. institutions or ministries
- JRF/SRF/RA/SRA- in various prestigious institutions i.e NIITs, IIts, IIsc, TIFER, etc
- Technical officer or Specialist – in various agencies/institutions
- Post Doctoral Fellowship (PDF)
- Mining Engineer- Oil Exploration sector
- Oceanographer – for various drilling Program/ missions
- Expedioner – for Arctic, Antarctica Southern Ocean of Himalayan Studies
Apart from these, candidate can make his/her career in many other jobs/ posts. Earth Science is one of the fast growing disciplines having good career opportunities for enthusiastic students and researchers. After completing education in this discipline one can carve out a good career in India as well as abroad in accordance with one's qualifications and field of interest
(Source- Dr. Pawan Kumar Bharti, Employment news)


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Knitting for Jönköping
Thank you all for the great contributions to the JÖNKÖPING LETTER ARCHIVE! The exhibition has now ended, and we received a total of 47 letters from all over the world: Great Britain, Switzerland, Germany, USA, Austria, Australia, Sweden and the Czech Republic! All letters will now be connected in order of arrival. We'll let you know when it's ready!


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Welcome to PCS Eagle Store.
We invite you to browse through our store and shop with confidence.
We invite you to create an account with us if you like, or shop as a guest.
Either way, your shopping cart will be active until you leave the store.
Thank you for visiting.


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Artist: Famillite
Album: "Fam Bam Compilation: Vol 2"
CD Review:
Genre: RapSounds Like: VariousTechnical Grade: 8Production/Musicianship Grade: 8Commercial Value: 9Overall Talent Level: 9Songwriting Skills: 9Performance Skill: 9Best Songs: No Good Chick, Whiplash, Stuntastic, City Situations, Go Apes, Cocky, ShakeWeakness: ?CD Review: I recently got a copy of "Famillite's Fam Bam Compilation: Vol 2," executive produced and supervised by the The Bay Unity Music Project (BUMP Records), which is part of an intensive after school media training program that takes place at (the San Francisco) Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC), while conducting a song critiquing panel for California Lawyers for the Arts. BAVC has been connecting underserved populations with new opportunities in media technology and providing leadership to the field with its innovative programs in training and media production. They believe that when young people are given the space, support, and skills to articulate how they see themselves and the world around them, they learn to think in new ways, learn to challenge dominant view points, and learn to interact with a world larger than the confines of their neighborhoods.Sounds like a great mission...but can they create and deliver music that rivals the very artists that they listen to? The answer is yes!The CD project contains 20 tracks by the programs participants who are aspiring music artists. They may be financially challenged, but they are rich with creativity and talent. From the opening track, "Fam Intro," they display flair, passion, and hunger. With the bulk of the production being handled by "Know It All," a name to remember on the Bay Area commercial music scene. The CD goes toe-to-toe with every compilation (mix-tape) that I've heard in recent years and features especially strong performances by Bracy, I.V., Sia, Turfed Out Twinz, Sean Bo, TK, Bracy, Chapp, and Simon T. They all combine their talents to create a copious and diverse hip-hop buffet.The Bay Area "hyphy" favorite, "Stuntastic," is the obvious stand out and easily draws comparison to E-40's 2006 smash hit, "Tell Me When To Go," as does "Get Gone," but the less conventional, middle eastern flavored "Go Apes," offers a needed twist on the hyphy sound and grows on you with each listen.So what are the potential break out hits on this lengthy project? Which artists brings and display the most commercially viable performance and tracks? That distinction belongs to "Whiplash," which has a radio-ready hook, and "No Good Chick," which is both performed and produced by Beat Rock who gets even more props if he's doing his own backgrounds. The track is included as a coy snippet to his own project and evokes memories of Too Short with his in-the-pocket rapping style.Advice: Keep doing what you guys are doing! I look forward to receiving your individual projects.Myspace Page


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Developing on my already-invented invention of pita pizzas, I decided to go a step further and bake eggs on the bread. Already done, as google gladly showed me, but this is an Arabized version, inspired by something similar I saw online.
I used Iraqi tannur bread. Any plain thin-ish disc of bread would do: Mexican tortilla bread, Indian naan, Lebanese or Greek pita.. My favorite amongst those listed would have to be the naan, as it's textured similar to Iraqi tannur bread.
I was very tempted to add some form of cheese to this, but restrained myself as I served it with a bowl of lebna and olives.
flat disc of bread
olive oil
sprinkle sumac
sprinkle nigella seeds
sprinkle salt
Preheat oven to 450F and set shelf to upper third of the oven.
Drizzle surface of the disc of bread with olive oil.
Crack eggs onto bread (number of eggs depend on size of bread).
Sprinkle with sumac and nigella seeds and salt.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, and broil for a minute if needed.
Consume warm.
صحة و عافية


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He enjoys meeting new people, spending time with family and friends, and listening to music. He is excited to work with his non-profit, RISE Colorado, and The Denver Foundation this summer and looks forward to enhancing his skills, making memories, and giving back to the communities he will be working with.
Ashanti is a senior at Colorado State University, and is an ethnic study major with a minor in French. She is interested in exploring the ways in which various ethnic groups are treated in society, their role in their community and the world, and ways in which those groups can fight the barriers placed on them. She hopes to gain a greater sense of leadership, team building, and community involvement during her internship with The Denver Foundation. In the future, she hopes to be able to work with or create a nonprofit that helps uplift and encourage women of color, as well as traveling to France to continue my French studies. Her hobbies include reading, learning French, listening to music, and relaxing via social media sites.
Alejandra was born and raised in Denver. She is the oldest of four sisters and the first in her family to attend college. She just finished her first year at Colorado College as a Bridge Scholar, where she will be majoring in Feminist and Gender Studies on a Pre-med track.
Aside from academics, Alejandra is a cabinet member within SOMOS and an active member in Cool Science and Salsa Club. She is passionate about working with her community and particularly enjoys working with her local church, St. Dominic Catholic Parish of Denver. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in medicine specializing in pediatrics. Alejandra is looking forward to working with and serving community members within the Denver area.
Miguel was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. He is the first in his family to attend college. He is a rising junior at the University of Colorado- Denver. His major is Human Development & Family Relations through the School of Education & Human Development. He is concentrating in pre-HESA (Higher Education Student Affairs) and minoring in communication.
Miguel is passionate about serving his community, and is humble about his contributions. Since December, he has continued to help his family and community members schedule appointments and translate the process of receiving a driver license/permit with the help of Senate Bill 251.
Misha is from Colorado and is studying Nonprofit Leadership and Management at Arizona State University's downtown Phoenix campus. Her current academic interest seeks to understand how research and community action collaborate to develop communities. Outside of studying and work, she loves to bike, hike, draw, and spend time with my friends and family.


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X-STOP Surgery Procedure
What is the X-Stop Surgery?
The X-STOP surgery procedure is a minimally invasive surgical procedure designed to alleviate painful symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis. The device is inserted in the back of the spine to prevent a patient from bending too far backward at the narrowed segment, a position that for patients with spinal stenosis can cause leg pain (sciatica) and/or low back pain.
What is done during the X-STOP Surgery Procedure?
Insertion of the X-STOP spacer in the affected lumbar level is a fairly straightforward procedure and can be done in an operating room or specialty room at the hospital.
The approach to spine is from the back, with the patient typically lying on the side or belly on the operating table Local anesthesia may be used so the patient remains awake, although many surgeons recommend a general anesthetic.
A 2 to 3-inch long incision in the skin of the back is made over the affected segment level.
The X-STOP spacer is inserted between the spinous processes, under the ligament at the very back of the spine, and secured in position. The surgical procedure to insert the X-STOP spacer is short relative to more extensive types of back surgery such as an open laminectomy, and typically ranges from about 30 minutes to one hour. There is minimal removal of bone or soft tissue as part of the procedure, and the implant is not positioned close to nerves or the spinal cord, but rather behind the spinal canal, between the bony spinous process.
Although the X-STOP surgery procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis, meaning that the patient may go home the day of the procedure, many physicians recommend an overnight stay in the hospital for certain patients. Patients are usually encouraged get out of bed and walk the same day as the surgery.
Disclaimer: Patients contemplating use of the X-STOP spacer are advised to ask their spinal surgeon about risks, and about the complications the surgeon has seen in using the device in his or her practice, including the risk that the surgery may not alleviate the patient's leg pain.


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Mental Health Awareness Week this year focuses on not simply how many people live with metal health problems, but asks why so few of us thrive in good mental health on a daily basis. With an increasing number of us struggling to cope with everyday demands and living by just getting through the day; the aim of this awareness week is to establish the difference between surviving and thriving, what the government can do in relation to mental health issues, and what steps we can take to thrive rather than just survive.
Good mental health is more than the absence of a mental health problem (Mental Health Foundation)
In a podcast the Mental Health Foundation, discusses what they mean by Thriving or Surviving in life. Surviving being the term used for just getting through the battles of the day believing that stress, anxiety and other mental health problems are what we have to put up with in order to, well, survive. Where as thriving is about living life to the fullest; it is simply not the absence of mental health problems but contributes to the way we feel, behave and enjoy ourselves daily. Thriving is about accepting life's challenges and taking control by intentionally living life and engaging with activities that bring energy; purposefully navigating through life rather than living on autopilot.
They describe how stressful periods in life are universal and that to some degree or another we will all encounter difficult times, where life is a struggle, a treadmill that is difficult to enjoy, but that resilience and using resources available to us can enable us to move through these periods. However increasingly we are left without the resources and are unequipped for the challenges of modern life.
Resilience and resourcefulness are dependent on many thing for example, an individuals background and previous life experiences, their up bringing and social support network. These qualities are not fixed and fluctuate throughout life, however can be increased by lifestyle changes and specific techniques. One specific technique which is growing in scientific evidence and popularity is mindfulness.
Mindfulness helps us become more aware of our thoughts and feelings so that, instead of being overwhelmed by them, we're better able to manage them, through techniques such as meditation, yoga and breathing (Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990); cited by the Mental Health Foundation).
In a recent BBC documentary on stress, Fiona Philips explored the perception, experience and management of stress and looked at MRI scans of the brain to see what happens when we allow our mind to wander (60% of mind wandering tends to be negative) versus mindfulness. Through this imaging it was clear to see that the functional parts of the brain during each activity were significantly different and demonstrated how mindfulness can bring clarity and reduce the running commentary that goes on in our brain which can be overwhelming and unhelpful.
Evidence has suggested the benefit of mindfulness to health and wellbeing, with results showing positive effects on several aspects of whole-person health, including the mind, the brain, the body, and behaviour, as well as a person's relationships with others.
If you or someone you know would like to know more about Mindfulness, Rowan House are pleased to welcome Gemma Sandwell from The Happiness Branch on Tuesday 30th May. Gemma will be giving an introduction to mindfulness practice and will be giving a few mindful living tips.
To sign up please email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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almost there....
And so it is nearly over. tLBE is about 2 hours away from completion, and to mark the occasion I'm writing today in the local Borders that is having a closing down sale.
If that isn't a great big middle finger to the current pessimism about the publishing industry, I don't know what is.


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So, here it is:
available in my Craftsy shop!
And while I was still postponing the process of sorting all that green fabric left from that project, a call for patterns from the Wizard of Oz came on Fandom in Stitches FB page... so I thought that the scrappy greens could be used for an Emerald City block before getting them back in my scrap bins ;)
So I designed and tested this block (and postponed again the sorting of my fabric scraps :) )
Free pattern page.
Ok, I guess now it's time to sort my green fabric pile of


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I'm vegan and often get the question: What do you eat? Hopefully this blog can answer that.
My goal is to show that being vegan is possible and can be inexpensive. It can also be really expensive - just like any person's dietary preference/needs. I also really enjoy showcasing both chain and independent restaurants with vegan options as well as products that are vegan.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Med. Breakfast: Hummus, Tabouli, Pita Chips
An unusual breakfast, sure. It is still delicious, any time of day. Pita Chips served with hummus and tabouli for dipping. Hummus is Sabra Brand with Pine Nuts. I like Sabra in any place I cannot find Holy Land.
I ate my breakfast with a mini-V8 (low sodium) and water.
Posted by The Saucy Coconut at 07:48
Labels: hummus, pita chips, products, sabra, tabouli
1 comment:
I'm so sad that the new pita crackers that are whole grain (from Trader Joe's) aren't vegan. grrrrrrrr. But man, the regular ones are beyond addictive.
- 15 April, 2011 12:16
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|Sandy, Mom, me, Grandma, Great-Grandma
"Every age has a keyhole to which its eye is pasted." --Mary McCarthy, On the Contrary
My mom turned 90 this week, and as we gathered to celebrate--son/son-in-law, daughter, grandchildren, great-grandchildren--we tried to peek through the keyhole of the past to what interesting history those 90 years carried with them. We pulled out photos taken through nine decades. We laughed over fashion styles. We wondered who looked like who then and now.
A favorite picture for the four generations present was this one of four generations past. At the time the photo was taken, my sister Sandy and I were two oldest of a number of great-grandchildren. Mom is the one in the futuristic (or retro depending on your point of view) sunglasses. Doesn't she look like fun?
Fun, however, is relative and not always the best choice of words when describing a long life. There are times of great pain and loss (including that of a beloved child, Sandy), disappointment, unfulfilled dreams. But there are also long-term values and legacies to pass on--things like commitment, dedication, the lighter moments (like fancy sunglasses), love, and hope.
A peek into the history of others is often full of those things, too.
For example, I've been reading a small little book entitled, Kiss the Children For Father, Letters from a Civil War Prisoner at Fort Pickens. Lucius Merritt was a confederate civilian held political prisoner in Pensacola, Florida during the Civil War. Family members in subsequent generations were not only able to save and pass down the letters he wrote during that time, but a descendent, Merrit Nickinson, compiled them for others to read. Talk about history! This book's a treasure.
In one letter, addressed to his wife and dated November 14, 1862, he wrote: "Dear Wife, It is hard for me to pourtray (sic) my feelings--when I saw you and our children fading away in the distance on the steamer Sykes we have been parted so little during our ten years marriage-that our separation is much more painful now. But Providence orders all things for the best and we can extract from adversity the essence of good."
"...extract from adversity the essence of good..." I haven't finished Kiss the Children yet, so it remains to be seen if Lucius carried that sentiment throughout the rest of his life, but I'm going to guess he did. A pretty special legacy to pass along to future generations, wouldn't you agree?
More thoughts on the subject of history:
"Professor Johnston often said that if you didn't know history, you didn't know anything. You were a leaf that didn't know it was part of a tree." --Michael Crichton, Timeline
"History is a novel for which the people is the author." --Alfred de Vigny
"History is a symphony of echoes heard and unheard. It is a poem with events as verses."--Charles Angoff
"Hope is the other side of history." --Marcia Cavell
"History is herstory, too." --Author Unknown
Are you a history buff? Did you like history in school? Do you enjoy reading history, writing about it? Do you celebrate longevity, cherish and record the stories of those in your family who have passed through decades of history themselves?
p.s. we also threw a "card shower" for Mom. To date she has received 56 cards. Now that is fun!


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Beginning in the fall of 2006, some beekeepers began reporting losses of as much as 90 percent of their hives the bees simply disappeared.
That's a big concern because these vital insects pollinate as much as one-third of all the food we eat.
Some researchers suspect part of the problem is a relatively new class of pesticides called neonicotinoids (neonics) that we're using on food crops and in gardens and parks. Insecticides are meant to kill pests after all, but the key question is: Could residue in pollen and nectar be hurting bees?
To find out, Vera Krischik's entomology lab at the University of Minnesota is designing and running tests on bees.
"It's not an easy question to answer," Krischik said. "It was easy when you had a contact insecticide and you sprayed in on an insect and it died. The effect of poisoned food is just a complex issue."
One of the pesticides being tested is called clothianidin, which is used in treating everything from agriculture crops to trees to fruit and veggie crops. It was banned in Germany after a particular incident in 2008 where some clothianidin seed treatments didn't stick to the seed, and the pesticide dust killed a large number of bees. France and Italy have banned several other neonic pesticide treatments.
Clothianidin was registered "conditionally" with the Environmental Protection Agency in 2003. That means the agency approved its use but requested that the company conduct and submit follow-up studies. Lots of pesticides get registered this way.
"I would say the legislative preference is to get the product into the market if it doesn't hurt people and then if we find out it hurts the environment, we address that on the follow-up," said Brett Lorenzen, a lawyer and the Mississippi River Project Coordinator with the Environmental Working Group.
The EPA deals with more than a 100 pesticide applications a month. And the agency doesn't conduct its own research but relies on existing studies when reviewing an application.
With clothianidin, the EPA accepted a bee study that the maker Bayer submitted for its follow-up assessment.
"Controversy erupted over how study was done," Krischik said.
Basically, the researchers hired by Bayer set up different plots, some with poisoned plants and some with untreated plants. But Krischik said they let the bees roam in both plots.
"So then if you looked at the effects on bees, you had no idea what they foraged on. So that created the controversy that is this data that was out there, did it show anything, because the experimental design wasn't really getting at the question," she said.
Bayer didn't respond to requests for comment. But the EPA said it recently reclassified the Bayer study, moving it from acceptable to "supplemental," which means the agency doesn't really have data on the long-term effects of clothianidin on bees. In the meantime, the agency has required labels on the pesticide that forbid users from spraying it on crops when the plants are flowering.
"The issue here is that it's difficult to design a field study that we have confidence in will reflect what actually happens on field. You have to have a number of conditions like knowing where bees have foraged, what they foraged on," said Don Brady, of the EPA's scientific assessment department.
Krischik is working with the EPA to have her lab certified so that the research findings can be used in the EPA's review of clothianidin and other pesticides in this class.
So let's get back to the key question: Could pesticide residue in pollen and nectar be hurting bees?
Earlier studies tested nenoics by feeding bees tiny amounts of poison nectar. But that's not realistic, Krischik said.
"They're going to forage until they fill their gut up," she said. "They're going to be drinking more probably at a lower concentration because higher concentrations are not that often found in the field."
So Krischik's work at the University of Minnesota lab is taking a different approach.
On a recent afternoon, grad student Judy Wu has her dark hair pulled back into a looped ponytail, and she's put on bright purple medical gloves to administer different doses of sugar solution laced with pesticide.
"When you poison 30 or 40 bees at a time, and you start seeing them shake and die, it's really kind of sad. It's hard to watch," she said. But Wu said that she and her lab-mates remind themselves that it's worth sacrificing a few bees if it saves more in the end.
For the feeding, each bee is in one of those little plastic containers you put salsa in at a Mexican restaurant and Wu has poked a hole in the side to feed the bees. Using a pipette, she gives each bee a drop of the solution. Some of the bees get regular sugar solution, so she can tell if the results are really from the poison or just from being annoyed about being trapped in a salsa container.
Neonic pesticides work by mimicking natural insect neurotransmitters and then overwhelming its brain, leading to paralysis or death. But sometimes, in lower doses, it makes them writhe around or clean themselves fanatically.
After several minutes, some of the effects are starting to show.
"See that cleaning behavior Their hind legs stroke their abdomen, their front legs touch their face a lot. Now she's really getting into the grooming," Wu said.
In longer studies, in which the bees get poison doses for several weeks, sometimes "they do weird behaviors that you would never see in a bee. They start to lay eggs on each other, the bumblebees, or they start to make honey pots on each other, they start ripping up the substrate, making confetti and playing with it," Krischik said.
These kinds of behaviors may not kill a bee right away, but it means they can't collect food or find their way back to the nest or help build the colony.
That brings us to the trickiest part: Researchers can measure how the bees react to eating pesticide-tainted food in the lab, but how much poison are bees actually munching on in the wild?
That's why Krischik and her students are doing another experiment. They're growing plants in the greenhouse (and outside in the summer) and treating them with different neonics. Then they're gathering the pollen to measure just how much poison works its way into this bee food source.
With everything from seed treatments to spraying and irrigating, these neonic pesticides are definitely out in the environment. Lots of crop seeds are treated with neonic coating such as corn, soybeans, canola though this type of treatment is at fairly low concentrations. But then farmers and landscapers can also spray additional pesticide on leaves of the crop. One of the most concentrated treatments is sprays used on trees to prevent infestations such as the Emerald Ash Borer.
And, it's still not clear how long they linger, said Krischik, or if these pesticides are a key factor behind the disappearance of bees.
There's a lot riding on finding out. Bees are responsible for pollinating about $15 billion worth of crops. But pesticides are likely only one piece of the puzzle:
"It's not going to be one thing that is causing honeybee decline or causing bumblebee decline," Krischik said. "It's habit destruction, loss of food resources, poor quality food, loss of just the place to put your nest for a bumblebee, viruses, fungal diseases. We happen to be looking at pesticide issues, not to say other issues aren't as important.
The studied life of bees: Assessing the sting of neonic pesticides
Beginning in the fall of 2006, some beekeepers began reporting losses of as much as 90 percent of their hives the bees simply disappeared.
Related Articles
- Ag industry at odds over pesticide studied in bee deaths
- USDA whistleblower claims censorship of pesticide research
- UNL Research Examines How to Make Farms More Pollinator-Friendly
- Revised Worker Protection Standard Still Leaves Field Crews Vulnerable To Pesticides
- Use Of Controversial Weed Killer Glyphosate Skyrockets Across Midwest Fields


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Center for Visual Cognition (CVC) is located at the Department of Psychology of the University of Copenhagen. The Center was founded in 1993 and is currently a unit (Center for Integrated Visual Attention Research) under the Center of Excellence Programme of the University of Copenhagen. The research at the Center consists in experimental and theoretical studies in visual cognition. The experimental research is focused on visual attention, object recognition, formation and transformation of mental images, and perception of apparent movement. The theoretical work comprises a computational theory of selective attention in vision (Theory of Visual Attention, TVA) and a computational model of visual recognition (a Template-Matching Pandemonium, TMP).
The Center has been supported by major grants from several sources: a grant from the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization to a collaborative project: "Brain mechanisms of visual selection" with John Duncan , Glyn Humphreys , Steven Hillyard, Robert Desimone, Toshio Inui, and Guy Orban; a grant from the Danish Research Councils for the Natural Sciences, Medicine, the Humanities, and the Technical Sciences to the project: "Vision and the brain: Psychophysical, neurobiological, and computational studies" with Olaf B. Paulson and Ian Law ; a grant from the Danish Research Council for the Natural Sciences to the project: "Computing natural shape" with Peter Johansen and others; a grant from the Danish Research Council for the Humanities to the project "Visual cognition" conducted by the staff at the Center in collaboration with John Duncan, Gordon D. Logan , Leo Chelazzi, and others; a grant from the Strategic Research Council for establishing a Center for Computational Cognitive Modeling in collaboration with the Intelligent Signal Processing Group at the Danish Technical University; and a grant from the Centre of Excellence Program at the University of Copenhagen.


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Frances De La Tour is Coming to Outlander!
Frances de la Tour will play Mother Hildegarde in #Outlander Season 2. Continue reading Frances De La Tour is Coming to Outlander!
Frances de la Tour will play Mother Hildegarde in #Outlander Season 2. Continue reading Frances De La Tour is Coming to Outlander!
CarterMatt thinks "there is any way around saying that "Outlander" may have some of the most passionate fans in all of TV." Continue reading 'Outlander' series author reacts to fans' massive Emmy campaign
Sam tells what it's like getting advice from Diana. Continue reading Sam Heughan reveals Diana Gabaldon emails him with advice when filming scenes
#Outlander fans organized a mass social media takeover that led to #EmmysforOutlander trending on Twitter in the United States on June 15. Continue reading Emmys for 'Outlander' fan support 'astonishes' Diana Gabaldon
OUTLANDER star Gary Lewis, who plays Colum MacKenzie – Laird of the Clan MacKenzie, has helped launched a new-look Gaelic learners' website. The Scots actor, who is also a Gaelic learner, today threw his weight behind LearnGaelic.scot. LearnGaelic.scot is the popular interactive website that provides a first stop for anyone interested in learning Gaelic with a new emphasis on adult learners. Read more >> Continue reading Outlander star Gary Lewis launches new-look Gaelic learners' website
Paradise Valley author Diana Gabaldon will discuss the world of "Outlander" during a free event on Sunday, July 5, at Barnes & Noble in Scottsdale. Details: 2 p.m. Sunday, July 5. Barnes & Noble, 10500 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. 480-391-0048, barnesandnoble.com. Continue reading Diana Gabaldon to discuss 'Outlander' in Scottsdale!
Outlander's cast for Season 2 continues to grow. Claire Sermonne, an actress of French and Russian ancestry, has been cast as Louise de Rohan. The historical figure, who also appears in Diana Gabaldon's Dragonfly in Amber, is a frivolous and animated member of the French Court. Claire befriends Louise during her tenure in Paris, and although the two women come from completely different worlds, they … Continue reading Louise de Rohan had Arrived!
Sam Heughan video interview with LA Times Continue reading New Interview – Emmy Contenders: Sam Heughan with LA Times
There are no more excuses not to catch up on Outlander. Starz Play adds Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick devices. Continue reading Starz Play Adds Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick Device Support!
Pop Culture with a Different Perspective
Every Blerd Has A Story
One lassie's views on everything Outlander
All Outlander All the Time


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"Published originally by Plume in 1991, Rodger L. Brown's Party Out of Bounds is a cult classic. This twenty-fifth anniversary edition includes new photographs, a foreword by Charles Aaron, former editor and writer at SPIN magazine, and an essay on Athens, GA since the 'golden age' of Brown's story. Party Out of Bounds offers an insider's look at the phenomenon of an underground rock music culture springing from the Georgia college town of Athens. Brown uses his half-remembered memories to chronicle the 1970s and the 80s in Athens, and the spawning of such supergroups as The B-52's, Pylon, and R.E.M."--
If you're interested send us a request.


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Leanne Schrotzberger's Articles
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CRN Review: Latest Cisco 300 Series Switch Aimed At Non-Techies
Eddie Correia just posted a great review of Cisco's latest 300 Series switch here . It's filled with all kinds of juicy nuggets like, "Gone are the days when programmingRead More
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Guest Post by Tunji Akintokun, Head of Small Business for Cisco in Europe When video phones were given their first grand introduction at the 1964 World Fair in New York,Read More
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IELTS General Writing Task 1 with model answer
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic
You have just spent a weekend at a friend's house. When you returned home, you discovered you have left a coat containing some belongings in his/her house.
Write a letter to your friend telling him/her that you left the coat. In your letter:
- tell him/her what the coat looks like, where you think you left it, and what was in there
- make some suggestions about how to get it back
Write at least 150 words.
Model Answer:
Dear Mary,
I hope you're doing great. We had a nice time together, and I still miss you. Unfortunately, I had found out that I had left my coat at your house.
My coat is a dark brown pakra with fur on the head cover. The brand is 'Eddie Bauer', and you can find a sticker on the left shoulder of the coat. Moreover, the coat also has a Pikachu keychain to the front zip. I believe that I left the coat in your backyard. Another place that I could think of is the wardrobe in my room.
I am really worried because I put my passport and my student i.d in the coat. Without these documents, I would face a lot of trouble in my college and also while travelling. In addition to this, I also put my gold chain safely in one of the pockets.
One of my friends will be travelling to your place next week. I spoke to her and she said that she can collect it from your office. I have given her your phone number, and she will contact you. I would text her number to you as well.
I hope that you will find my coat. Please. Keep me updated.
Best regards,
Jane Doe.
Total Words: 190
Task Achievement: 8
Coherence & Cohesion: 8
Lexical resources: 8
Grammar: 8
Overall Score: Band 8
For unlimited feedback with speaking and writing tasks sign up for IELTS Twenty20 Online Course today!
Study 20 minutes a day for 20 days and Ace the IELTS exam.Tags: general training model answer writing task 1


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Double Cab Ute, 2WD with Diff lock, Aircon, Electric Windows, Tow Bar, Seating For 5, Multi Airbags,…
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Nissan Wingroad or similar station wagon. Plenty of room for bags in the rear seats also fold down for…
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Nissan Tiida Hatch Sedan or Similar 1500cc Auto Manuals Available As Well, CD Radio, Airbags, ABS Plenty…
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If you need to hire a car in Tauranga, Pacific Auto Rentals is a natural choice. Located less than one kilometer from Tauranga Airport, we have a great range of rental cars on offer, from compact cars to SUVs. If you are flying in, we even offer a free pick-up service for your convenience for all airport car rentals.
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The creator of police detective Kurt Wallander presents a tale of mortal reckoning in which all the deaths are natural but none the less powerful.
After he lost his surgical license over a disastrous mistake, Fredrik Welin retired to a remote archipelago where he had only half a dozen neighbors and the three miles to the Swedish mainland were iced over when winter came. With his only company a dog, a cat and the anthill that's been taking shape for years in his living room, he ekes out a frozen life without letters, without regrets over his two failed marriages and, evidently, without much thought for anything except the cold. He scorns the discount coupons the postal carrier brings him: "Life is basically about something more important. I don't know what exactly." All that changes with the unexpected, unwanted arrival of Harriet Hörnfeldt, the lover Welin abandoned a generation ago when he left for an American post without a word of farewell. The fatally ill Harriet's demand that Welin take her to see the forest pool he'd described to her so long ago is only the first stage in a journey that will break up the ice that's armored Welin's heart for so long. His newfound, urgent and troubled return to the world of others will involve a homeless spaniel on the mainland; an Italian craftsman who takes four months to make a pair of shoes; a fraught meeting with Harriet's daughter; a reunion with the patient whose life he ruined; and an Iranian refugee girl who's nothing but trouble, even to herself. The tone throughout is elegiac—someone always seems to be dying, even as Welin is surging back to life—yet quietly hopeful, with each step forward a hard-won victory over winter's freeze.
Mankell (The Eye of the Leopard, 2008, etc.) provides a moving test of Welin's belief that "people are close to each other so that they can be parted."


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Toru Acura is a 20-year-old retired soldier meandering through life post-war. He encounters Chaika Trabant, a 14-year-old sorceress carrying a coffin, and follows her in hopes of finding some semblance of meaning in his life again. The two are accompanied by Toru's adopted sister Akari, the sole employed member of the group and thereby their source of sustenance.
Type: TV
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Apr 10, 2014 to Jun 26, 2014
Producers: Bones, Kadokawa Shoten, Sentai Filmworks, flying DOG
Duration: 24 min. per ep.
Rating: R - 17+ (violence & profanity)
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Inject a modern icon into your casual collection, with the All Star modern high top trainers from Converse. This hight top style is constructed with a marled upper and tubed lace up closure, this pair featured a chunky ridged sole finished with the signature Chuck Taylor badge to the ankle.
Product code: 241045
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Awe-Inspiring Digital Illustrations by KittoZutto
KittoZutto is an art and design boutique comprising of Yana & Jun. They combine fine art illustration with digital imaging, and the highly-detailed results are often best seen in large formats. Their hyper-realistic yet surreal illustrations are inspired by woman, fluids and nature.
Before setting up kittozutto they have worked in the field for more than a decade collectively, and have done work for Adidas, American Express, BBC, Chanel, Coca Cola, Levi's, Ministry of Sound, Motorola, Ogilvy & Mather, Pioneer and Yahoo. JUN also spearheads projects from his studio UFHO (www.ufho.com).
If you like this post or want to share your views kindly leave a comment here showing your support or feedbacks, also please appreciate the Author and encourage him by visiting the Author's homepage, add his work to your favourites, become a fan or follow him, this will be very much esteemed to the value you add to the community. But please do not copy, edit, manipulate or redistribute in any format, use for commercial purposes without the written permission from the author. Respect the art and the artist.


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Scary Stories We Love
Current Mood: artistic
Current Song: Stuck in a Glass Elevator by The Myriad
In the days leading up to Halloween, during conversations about costumes, candy, and celebrations for the coming spooky holiday, I asked authors, friends, and teen readers alike:
What was your favorite scary book as a kid?
Here are some of their responses.
"Well, I was always a fan of Where the Wild Things Are...that was one of my favorites year round. As I got older, I sorta skipped kids' books and went right into the old Doc Savage pulp reprints. After my pulp phase, I discovered Richard Matheson's I Am Legend and there was no going back. I found my love in horror and there was no looking back. That book scared the crap out of me. From there I discovered Stephen King, devouring Carrie and Salem's Lot, but it was The Shining that again reduced me to a quivering mass...but I loved every second!" - Tom Sniegoski
"I LOVED Baby-sitters Beware, The Baby-Sitters Club Super Mystery #2 by Ann M. Martin. The girls were stalked by a creepy dude. So unsettling for a BSC book!!!" - Courtney Summers
"As a kid: Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn. As a teen, I read memoirs about tragedy, which scared me plenty!" - Courtney Sheinmel
"Ghost Cat by Beverly Butler changed how I felt about ghosts, cats, and Wisconsin farms. Spooky and a little quirky, which is my favorite flavor of spooky. Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn was suggested to me by my bookish friend in grade school. What I remember most about this book are the fires, the liars, and the skeletons. I'm sure I'm making it sound less chilling than it was for me at the time. It scared me. Also, Carrie was scary. I was the first Stephen King book I ever read. I was in high school and I think it's the only frightening novel I read at that age. I metabolize horror very slowly and read it sparingly. My husband is the scary writer. I'm the funny one." - Kristen Tracy
"Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz. It gave me nightmares." - 15-year-old reader
"There was this book about a kid who was visited by monsters every night and the monsters broke his toys. Every night. Until one night when he asked them not to do it anymore, and then they fixed his toys. I can't remember the title." - another 15-year-old reader (If anyone is familiar with this book and knows the title/author, please share the info in the comments below!)
How about you, gentle reader? What was your favorite scary book as a kid? Leave a comment below and let me know!
Want to check out some of my favorite scary stories? Looking for more books to pick up this Halloween? Here are some booklists I created that you might enjoy:
Go Gothic
Monster Mash
Vamping It Up
Mind Readers and Ghostly Visitors
Teen Mystery and Horror Books


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Dealing with the Fires
On Monday Oct 22nd, I woke up smelling smoke at 6:00a.m. I looked outside and there was ashes falling and a red haze in the sky. I immediately turned on the TV and on every station there was BREAKING NEWS wild fires. I phoned my friend Laura that lives 10 minutes from me. She had been evacuated at 5 a.m. from her home. It then occured to me that I better start thinking about what is important to me. I knew as long as I have my family including my 2 cats, that is all I would need. I got a knock on my door as I was sitting there in shock. It was my neighbor from across the street inviting me over to their home so we can breathe cleaner air. They have a special air filtration system so their air was much better than the air in my home. I decided to take them up on their offer since I was already starting to get a sore throat. I grabbed my baby and put a blanket over her head. Then I ran across the street as quickly as possible. It smelled so bad it was like swimming in an ash tray.
Several hours later, some neighbors came to the door saying they were getting evacuation calls. So I ran back across the street and got my husband out of bed. He at this time, was dealing with an extremely painful migraine. I let him know what was going on and he got up, but said he needed to take a bath!! I wasn't in the happiest moods hearing this. Then we packed up our important documents, baby gear, waters, and our cats. We filled up our car and drove to Laguna. To make a very LONG story short I am now back at my house in Encinitas. The air quality is extremely poor and we have been told to stay in doors. All schools in San Diego have been cancelled for the whole week. I am definitely going stir crazy since I haven't been able to be outside since Sunday. My days have been spent watching the news and waiting until the conditions are somewhat healthy for me to return. Talking to loved ones to make sure everyone is okay. Rescheduling all clients and who knows when it will be safe to workout outside again.
Life can be crazy some times! It's wonderful to see this city really work together and become a close community. Sometimes it takes disasters to bring people together. In the end none of the material stuff matters. Having my friends and family are the most important thing to me! Thank you everyone for all the phone calls and emails!
15 comments:
Do you really live in Encinitas? The city wasn't evacuated, only the Olivenhein portion. So, why did you have to race away from the city. Anyhow, glad you are still alive, babe.
- October 26, 2007 at 10:07 PM
your previous comment is lame. encinitas was evacuated. glad you and the family are safe and back home. san diego is a great city and i am glad to be a san diegan.
- October 26, 2007 at 10:19 PM
- Howie Brewer said...
Hi Lauren, so sorry to hear what and the rest So Cal have been going through. Believe me, even here in NY we feel for you and our hearts and wishes are with you. Glad to know that you are all ok. Take care of yourselves now and there will be plenty of time to run circuits later.
- October 27, 2007 at 6:47 AM
- Lauren said...
Anonymous #1,
Yes I do live in Encinitas. I am actually walking distance to Olivenhein if you must know. But when my neighbors were getting phone calls from the sherriffs deparmtment mentioning evacuations I wasn't going to sit around and take any chances especially with a baby. The entire neighborhood was packing up and leaving. Even the nearest Starbucks in ENCINITAS closed. When a Starbucks closed you know there is something going on!
- October 27, 2007 at 8:31 AM
- Lauren said...
Anonymous #2,
Thank you for that comment! We do live in a great city.
- October 27, 2007 at 8:35 AM
- Lauren said...
Living in NY, I am sure you know how it feels for a community to come together. Thanks you for the kind wishes. My workouts outside will resume once the poor air quality clears. Now that I am home maybe I'll try and find sometime to get a little KB session inside.
- October 27, 2007 at 8:38 AM
- christina said...
How scary it must have been. But i'm glad to hear you are able to go home even with the bad air. I can not begin to imagine seeing that all over the news and being in the middle of it all. Hopefully Cali will get a break from the fires so you can all start to breathe a sigh of relief and fresh air.
- October 27, 2007 at 12:06 PM
- fawn said...
I am glad to hear you and your family are safe! How stressful! Things will get better... I'm sure you already know that.
- October 29, 2007 at 2:01 PM
- Rick Mayo said...
Glad to hear that you and your family are OK! We have been thinking about you.
- October 29, 2007 at 2:07 PM
- Lauren said...
Christina, Fawn, and Rick,
Thanks so much for your thoughts and concerns. Things are better already around here. Air is almost back to normal.
- October 30, 2007 at 9:17 AM
- fawn said...
Good to hear Lauren! Are you going to the RKC II 2008?
- October 30, 2007 at 4:18 PM
- Lauren said...
I am strongly considering it. I just have to make sure I have the funds for it since I am investing a lot in to my garage transformation. I am 85% sure I will be able to go. How about yourself?
- October 30, 2007 at 4:32 PM
- Frank Castiglione said...
wow, glad to hear that you and your family are ok. they were all over the news here in the Northeast.
- November 4, 2007 at 12:14 PM
- Lauren said...
Thank you Frank!
- November 4, 2007 at 5:10 PM
- Kettlebell Lady said...
Prayers from Jersey...
Glad you're OK!
- November 17, 2007 at 8:29 AM


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Thursday, January 28, 2016
Companies Plan To Decrease Cash
In the second quarter of 2015, S&P non-financial firms held $1.4 trillion in cash. And the percentage of companies that increased cash and short-term investments was expected to increase in the fourth quarter of 2015. However, a recent survey indicates that more companies are expected to decrease cash in the first quarter of 2016 than companies that increase cash balances. Overall, Treasurers appear to be doing very little with cash, waiting to see what happens in October when the SEC's new money market rules take effect.
Monday, January 18, 2016
American Airlines Political Risk
Although we don't delve deeply into political risk as it is beyond the scope of the textbook, it is a risk borne by multinationals as American Airlines found out. American recently announced that it would take a $592 million special charge in the fourth quarter as a result of Venezuelan currency controls. Venezuela's socialist government forces airlines to sell airfares in bolivars, but makes conversion of the bolivars into U.S. dollars difficult. As a result, American has bolivars trapped in Venezuela.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
If you are reading this post, you likely have just begun your Corporate Finance class. While you may be apprehensive about the topic, we believe you can learn a lot of very applicable and important topics, not only for your business acumen, but skills that will help you in important personal financial decisions, such as paying points up front to reduce your mortgage interest rate, or how much your repayments will be increased if you take out that extra student loan. Or, should you take annual cash payouts or lump sum if you hit the Powerball jackpot tonight? We wish you well in your Finance class and believe this textbook will increase your understanding of Finance and won't be in Japanese to you at the end of the semester.
Monday, January 11, 2016
David Bowie: Financial Genius
We were saddened to hear of the death of groundbreaking singer and musician David Bowie. And while you may know him from Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and his numerous other works, you may be surprised that he was pretty good in finance as well. In 1997, Bowie was the first to issue "celebrity bonds," better known as "Bowie bonds." He sold the royalties from 25 albums released from 1969 to 1990 for $55 million to Prudential as bonds with a 7.9 percent coupon rate. Because the bonds carried interest, they were considered a loan, which meant that Bowie got the money without the tax liability. Then, in 2000, Bowie launched BowieBanc in conjunction with USBancshares.com, although that venture was short-lived. Fortunately, we predict the legacy of David Bowie will be with us much longer.
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
The Return On Powerball
At the current projected value of $450 million, tonight's Powerball jackpot will be the sixth largest lottery payout in history. The winner has a choice of $275.4 million today today, or 30 payments of $15 million with the first payment today. So, what is the break-even interest rate on this choice? Verify for yourself that it is about 3.8 percent. Good luck and we hope you are "stuck" with this choice.
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
IPO Investing
You have probably read the box in the textbook from our favorite IPO guru, Professor Jay Ritter. Recently, Dr. Ritter wrote an article for Forbes that discusses a specific type of IPO that has proven profitable for investors. Growth capital-backed IPOs, which are companies backed by venture capitalists or private equity firms and invest in tangible assets, have proven to be winners. Since 1980, these firms have a 3-year average return of 61 percent if bought at the end of the first day of trading. Dr. Ritter's recommendations for 2014 had an 11 month return of 20.6 percent, which is a return we would like. So which 2015 IPOs does he recommend? Summit Materials (SUM), DavidsTea (DTEA), Blue Buffalo Pet Products (BUFF), and Surgery Partners (SGRY) all meet the growth-capital IPO criteria.
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I awaken to the tight grip of hands clutching my body and dragging me down my apartment. A rude awakening in the middle of the night even for a powerful Demigod. I try to break free from my captors but each arm is stronger than a man's and I refuse to use my powers in a building filled with civilians. My right arm squirms from the pain and shivers from the icy grip of the metallic hands. Thankfully my left arm is a modified prosthetic but I worry they may pinch a few wires. I already realized who these people were. They were not humans who sought vengeance upon the Demigodz, but they were an age old enemy that had stalked us during the war.
I look up at my abductors to see that it only took two of them to over power a sleeping Demigod. Two women to be precise. Two beautiful women with metallic piston driven arms attached with wires and tubes that drill into their spinal cord. These are the basic modifications of a Titan.
The women crash open the door at the lowest basement of my apartment. Even with such violence, they display every bit of womanly grace in the act. Then my mind starts to wonder what may lay beneath their leather clothes. More machines or perhaps an organic treat. My daydream is broken when they slam me down a metal chair and they wrap me in chains. Some of the chains glow a luminous green. Its purpose is made clear to me when I feel its effects almost immediately. "Sapping my powers. Well played, ladies." I whisper.
I look up to see a shadowy figure emerge into the single light hovering over my head. Its still to dark to see, but I can make out a right artificial arm with a scythe etched on the bicep.
"Bult… correct? Son of Zeus" The man in the shadows inquires. He is reading a file. No doubt that its mine. "Leader of the infamous Demigodz… oh, my mistake. Former leader of the now disbanded Demigodz." He says condescendingly.
"You know, with two beautiful women at your command, even a Titan Hunter could find something better to do with you time than stalk a broken down Demigod." I look up at the two women with their stone cold faces. I was hoping to get some kind of reaction, but I guess I need to work on my game.
The Titan Hunter gets closer and closer to me. His face meets mine and I can smell his metallic breath. He is heavily modified. The only parts of him that seem human are his right side of his face and his right eye.
"Tell me… Where is Blakout?" He asks very slowly and intensely.
"Haven't you heard? He's dead. He was killed right before my team disbanded." I say nonchalantly.
"That's bullshit! You and I both know that.! Just like we both know the Demigodz are all well and active."
"You seem to know everything about me, but I know nothing about you." I say calmly. The Hunter smirks and says, "I like it like that. That way we don't get to attached to each other."
"Work with me here, Hunter. You want me to divulge my deepest darkest secrets to a complete stranger? At least wine and dine me first." I said, trying to get whatever control on the situation I could. He inches closer to me to the point where all I can see is his human eye and he whispers, "Kronus." I know that name. Leader of all the Titan Hunters. Hell, I even met him before. Back when he was more… human.
"Now, Blakout. Where is he?"
"Why so interested in a dead legend?"
"Legends don't die, and this legend has taken something very important from us."
"Your humanity?"
"No, that's something all you Demigodz took from us. What Blakout took was what made him so powerful. You know what I'm talking about."
"Yup, but why in the hell would I help you?"
"Because he took something very important from you too didn't he? You don't owe him any loyalty and what we get will only help this world. You Demigodz claim to make a better world. Well then, here is your chance."
I take a deep breath and realize that this guys is damn good. He is right. I don't owe Blakout anything. If anything he owes me. I resign to the fact of breaking my promise to never tell anyone about the events that happened that day. "For you to understand where he is, you have to understand how he got there. I have to start from the beginning."
"Be my guest." Kronus says as he pulls up a chair.
It all started before the War of the Gods. Before the destruction of Mount Olympia. Zeus ruled with an iron fist and half the human population was getting fed up. Riots and vandalism took the streets. Especially in cities with temples that worshipped Zeus. During all this there were two beings who sought to take advantage of all this chaos. Hades and his son Blakout. But before the war, we Demigodz went by our human names. It helped our human relationships as well as keeping us in touch with our human origins. Blakouts name was Damian.
Damian rarely left the underworld except when his father sent him on a mission. At this time he was walking towards the throne room in his father's palace. He was decked out in his demonic armor. It was bone plated armor that was scorched and molded by the fires of the underworld. His hair style made it look like he was growing a pair of horns on that scalp of his. Needless to say, he loved the dark brooding look. Upon arriving in the throne room, Blakout knelt before his father.
Hades sat on a throne of human remains. He was dressed in a brown sacked cloth robe that was tattered and torn. At first glance he looked like an old bum, but if you look close you can see ripped and powerful god in a guise. In his right hand was a staff-sword. The blade was of black onyx and at the other end was a swirling red orb that was said to contain the souls of all fallen Demigodz. A grim fate for a Demigod if it were true. At the foot of Hades was good old Cerberus. The giant three headed pit bull. Legends say that one head can breath fire, another can breath smoke with embers, and the other can breath hot tar. This is one dog you don't want breathing down your neck.
"You called, father?" asked Damian in a respectful manner. Hades rises from his throne and opens his arms. "My son, come. Now is the time we take our rightful throne." Hades says in an unusual cheery manner. There was something creepy about seeing an evil old man that was as giddy as a child. Damian goes up to his father and Hades puts an arm around Damian's shoulder. "The humans have made a breakthrough a few days ago. While trying to create a god slaying weapon. They failed and ended up making a new biological weapon."
"What does it do?" Damian asks curiously.
"It makes the black plague look like the common cold. It kills virtually instantly and is extremely contagious. Best of all it is air born."
"And how does that help us."
"Even in all this strife, my brother Zeus, still has a soft spot for the mortals. He will come down and try to save them."
"And that's when you pop him, right?"
Hades gives out a small laughter and pats his son's back then walks back to his throne and leans on it casually. "No, son. That's when you 'pop' him."
"What? Me? How the hell do I pull that off?" Damian asks in astonishment.
"Simple." Hades said as he took out a medieval looking helmet from behind the throne. The helmet was bone plated much like Damian's armor, but was forged by the bones of various beasts. One of which was a dragon which gave the helmet devilish horns. Perfect for Damian's sense of style. "This is the Helm of Darkness." Hades presents it with such pride.
Kronus looks at me with disbelief, "Wait, wait, wait, the Helm of Darkness? That's it? That's how he started a war by turning invisible?"
I give out a little laughter of pride because I know more about this artifact than a Titan Hunter. "The helm turns the wearer invisible, true. But this helm was forged by Hades and Zeus together. Hades thought he can get away with giving it a special power only he can use, but the all powerful Zeus knew his brother all to well. So, Zeus made it that if the helm were to be worn by Hades it would break."
"So? Hades tried to trick Zeus. What else is new?"
"Oh, ye, of so many interrupts. Hades had a back up plan, and that was his son. What do you think would happen if his son, who has a similar genetic make up as his father were to wear that helm?"
"So, Blakout was free from Zeus's restrictions, but would be able to wield the true power of the helm."
"Right on the money, now where was I before I was so rudely interrupted?"
Ah, yes, Damian takes the helm and cuffs it under his arm. "The modification you made to it is that powerful?" Damian asks suspiciously.
"Yes, son. Only a god can kill a god, but with that helm you can kill a god too." Hades states proudly.
"And we can blame it on the 'god slaying weapon' the humans made and be free from the wrath of the other gods." Damian figures it out.
"Right again, kiddo. Humans will be blamed and a new ruler will be needed. Who better than the second eldest who rules the damned?"
"Ok, I got it. But how do I get the weapon?"
"There is an alley behind the lab in New York. I had a talk with one of the scientists and he will be waiting for you there to give you the vial. All you need to do is break the vial in Zeus's Temple in New York." Hades sits back down in his throne.
"Gotta love human greed." Damian says with a smile.
"Actually, you gotta love human's faith in their gods.. You will understand when you meet him. Now, leave me." Hades says while pointing Damian to the exit.
Upon leaving the throne room Damian notices some movement in the corner of his eye. It was his sister lurking in the shadows. Sweet little Morrigan. She is a 10 year old little Demigod. She is so young because Demigods in the godly realms like the underworld age at a phenomenally slower pace. But she was wiser than her years.
"What are you doing there, Morrigan?" Damian says in a soft tone. Morrigan steps out of the shadows in her dirty old dress from the 1700's.
"I was just listening to you and dad. Are you really going to kill Uncle Zeus?" She ask with the innocence of a little girl. Damian gives her a warm smile and kneels at her level. He puts both his hands on both of her shoulders. "I'm afraid so, sis. Its time for a change in management."
"But Zeus is so powerful. He is the god of gods."
"You trust me?" Damian asks and waits for a reply from Morrigan. The little girl looks at the floor and back to her brother, "Yes. I trust you." She says happily. Damian hugs her and whispers in her ear, "Soon we will be out of this black hell hole and we both can soak up the sun. Then all this bullshit won't matter." Damian lets go of her and heads off to docks where the ferryman awaits him to bring Damian into the mortal realm. "Good luck." whispers Morrigan under her breath.


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The Eagle
He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
Ring'd with the azure world, he stands.
The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.
– Alfred Lord Tennyson
Please visit the above, and click out on a Google link – help me pay for the time it takes to makes these daily posts


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