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Murs and 9th Wonder have steadily dropped a joint album every two years since the release of 2004's Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition. As such, even though the rapper and producer duo hasn't issued a release date (or name) for their forthcoming fifth record, I'm willing to bet we won't hear it until 2012. And when we do hear it, the album will be the last we hear from the duo. We don't know much else beyond that, aside from the fact that it doesn't have a home just yet. 9th Wonder spent some time tweeting yesterday about which label will be the one to release his final collaborative record with Murs. Also, the "split" is an amicable one, as 9th noted: "We have things to do....we have dreams bigger than our albums.....and we are best friends and brothers....that means much more......"
The Roots - The Roots Dropping New Album, 'Undun,' Later This Year | Young Jeezy Jeezy Reveals 'TM 103' Features Jay-Z, Andre 3000 And Drake |


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The Aesthetics Institute of Cosmetology is a Maryland-licensed private career school. The Institute has been in business in Montgomery County in the State of Maryland since 1985. Current programs include Cosmetology, Esthetician, Nail Technician, and Makeup Artistry.
Career Success Tablet
When enrolling at the Aesthetics Institute of Cosmetology, the student is offered our Career Success tablet which is the ultimate tool to help them not only thrive in their education but also set them on the road for a successful career in the beauty industry. The iPad is designed especially for creative, visual learners utilizing the following:
Milady CourseMate
The interactive eBook provides students with an online version of the printed textbook and features several interactive tools to help them study: highlighting, study notes, in-text search, bookmarks, definitions of key terms with audio pronunciations, chapter reviews, quizzes, tests, and much more!
All-in-One Device
Students have their textbooks, review materials, notes, and anything else that will benefit their learning process and future all at their fingertips in one, convenient device.
Career Advancement Tools
Using the tablet, students can start to build their resume and portfolio as well as learn how to search and apply for jobs.
Ability to Download Industry Apps
With the tablet, students are able to download many of the hottest apps in the industry including Bloom, a social networking app made especially for stylists.
Focus on Social Media
Students can show off their work by simply snapping a photo with their tablet and sharing it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest!
PSI Testing Information
"Creating Salon Masters since 1985"
Conveniently located at Lake Forest Mall in Gaithersburg, MD
View Larger Map

subset: commoncrawl


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Accessories Wedding Fashion
Bridal Accessories Fashion Look Book
We have been poring through a ton of great wedding attire lately, i.e. really beautiful dresses for bride and bridesmaid alike but now we are here to delve into what comes after you find that perfect frock. Yes, we're talking about the almighty headgear. And our latest edition to the SMP Look Book, Tessa Kim, is proving that gorgeous accessories can be the proverbial cherry on top of your wedding day look.
Tessa Kim's pretty accessories have totally captured our hearts and we love, love, LOVE that every piece is completely handmade. Whether you are a whimsical bride looking to rock a halo of flowers on your big day or a more classic design is your cup of tea, there is bound to be something just right in this lineup of beauties. So if you are on the hunt for that perfect veil or floral/feathered adornment, definitely take a trip over to the Look Book and Tessa Kim's collection of fabulous bridal pieces. We have a feeling you are going to fall head over heals for these little gems.


text: Anywake is an alarm clock that takes you places. It wakes you up to the sound of a randomly selected city in the world. To turn off the alarm, you have to guess which one. If you get it right, you get a discount on a plane ticket to that city. Anywake is a free application from Lufthansa, available only for the Swedish market at this stage.


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Making a memorable birthday
50th Birthday Party Songs
Related Articles |
Special Low-Cost Birthday for Husband
Surprise 30th Birthday Party My Story: 40th Birthday Surprise |
50th Birthday Song Suggestions?
We are having a 50th birthday party for my husband in October and I need some suggestions for songs about growing up to go with pictures of his childhood through adulthood.
Always a Tear Jerker
I suggest Forever Young
by Rod Stewart. This song is always played at our kindergarten graduation along with a slide montage of all the kids during the year. There isn't a dry eye in the house.
Web Sites to Check Out
To find the greatest hit songs listed by Year, click on Music at: PopCultureMadness.com
To find a quotation to go with photos, click on By Topic or Author at: QuoteLand.com
A Trip Down Memory Lane
Ask his mother about his favorite childhood activities (like collecting baseball cards, fishing with pals, etc.). Then do a more nostalgic-theme party with items that he played with when he was a child. Just set a few things on the table or tie a bit of fishing line around the object and hang it from the ceiling with a thumbtack.
You could also rummage through the attic boxes for some of his old clothes and tack them to the walls for a "remember when you wore that favorite shirt?" effect. As far as music goes, call your local "oldies" station and ask them what songs were on the top ten list when he was born or when he was ten. Then take him for a trip down memory lane.
A Variety of Song Choices
Here are a few songs that I think might work:
- Country Roads
- Blowing in the Wind
- Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
- When You Wish Upon a Star
- High Hopes
Put the Photos to Song
If you have any children, a great song would be Grandpa
from the Judds. I did that with my dad on his 50th and he loved it. Everyone cried and laughed with the photos and the song. It was a big hit!
Shop for party supplies and decorations at The Oriental Trading Company!
Make a Treasure Book
Try "I Won't Grow Up, I Don't Want to Grow Up, The World is Getting Older" by Jon Dichter, and Cat's In The Cradle
by Harry Chapin. For my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary, everyone in the family was given one sheet of paper with the instructions to write a favorite memory or two. We then put it into a book for them. They treasured that book and I believe it was their favorite present. Good luck on the birthday party!
Match the Song to the Interests
In order to pick appropriate songs, you need to look at the pictures and get a feel for what kind of events they depict. Is the person a baseball lover? "Take Me Out to the Ball Park" would be perfect. Was he in the military? Then try the "Star Spangled Banner". Your husband may be more whimsical. Then try "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy". Let the pictures direct you to the song.
PowerPoint Presentation
I did a 50th birthday party for my boss a couple of years ago. I scanned in pictures from his childhood, marriage, and his own children. I then used PowerPoint to create a presentation entitled "Seasons in the Sun" (it was after the song by the same name) and pulled in pictures to match the verse on each slide (1 line of the song for each slide). My boss was totally surprised by the presentation and he loved it. We still look at it from time to time.
Take the Next Step:
- Download 50th Birthday Party Songs
- 50th Surprise Birthday Party Ideas
- My Story: Birthday Surprise
- Ideas for Making Adult Birthdays Special
- Could spending 5 minutes reading a newsletter twice a week save you time and money every day? Dollar Stretcher Tips readers think so. Subscribe and find out how many ideas stretch your day and your dollar! Subscribers get a copy of our ebook Little Luxuries: 130 Ways to Live Better...For Less for FREE.
Prices keep rising while my income remains stagnant and I worry I am heading for debt trouble. Tell us: Yes, I think I am heading for debt trouble and could use some help! or No, I am not in debt trouble but I am always looking for new ways to help keep my budget on track!
More Money-Saving Lifestyle Tips
- Reap the rewards of off-season travel
- 5 things to sell on eBay instead of at a yard sale
- 20 ways to have a less expensive more meaningful wedding
- 4 steps to a simpler (and more frugal) life
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- Secrets to living luxuriously for less
- Saving-money secrets of the rich and frugal
- This week's Readers' Tips


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Corona could ban donation drop-off boxes in parking lots across the city because some have become eyesores overflowing with clothes and shoes or blanketed with graffiti.
The proliferation of the yellow, blue and green containers in commercial areas across the country has prompted some cities to pass restrictions that have been welcomed by companies that own the boxes.
Two national groups with donation containers in the Inland area say restrictions would help solve the problem, but banning the boxes hurts cities by sending more items to landfills and increasing trash hauling costs.
The Corona City Council expects to vote Wednesday, May 16, on banning collection containers outside of stores in the city and giving operators 90 days to remove them. After 90 days, the city would remove the boxes and charge operators removal fees, according to a city report.
Five sea blue metal containers occupy three parking spaces in a far corner at The Home Depot parking lot on Ontario Avenue in Corona. Three organizations, or companies, own them. On Monday, May 14, one was stuffed to the brim, bulging over with a bag of discarded clothing propped against its lid.
âI think they need to be completely banned,â Corona Mayor Eugene Montanez said. âIâve seen mattresses laying to the side, clothes, toys, all kinds of things that youâll see propped up to the side of these, and theyâre really an eyesore.â
City officials say the boxes blight commercial areas, saturate city parking lots and stalls, and strip some local charities of potential donations.
The proposed regulations would exempt recycling centers for glass, paper and aluminum products, according to the draft ordinance. Local charities with buildings could ask to place bins on their properties and the request would be reviewed, Corona Senior Planner Jason Moquin said.
Some cities, such as San Bernardino, have few restrictions on the boxes. Riverside does not allow the containers outside.
Corona does not want to regulate the boxes because that would require staff time and could prove costly and difficult to oversee and enforce.
âWhen we started this in December, The Home Depot had three,â Moquin said. âNow they have five. They put them in overnight.â
Banning some bins and not others would violate state and federal laws that prohibit differential treatment, the report said.
Riverside city officials said they require boxes to be staffed and to operate from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. They cannot take up parking spaces. San Bernardinoâs code is virtually silent on bins, but a policy requires that they not take up parking spaces.


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TOP PICK: 'Lie To Me' (9pm ET on Fox) **Season Finale**
Foster's former patient, one of the founders of a social-networking app, comes to the Lightman Group when she thinks she's being squeezed out by her partner. When she turns up dead a short time later, Lightman fights against the prevailing evidence to expose the truth behind the murder in the all-new "Killer App" episode.
KEY EPISODE: 'Gossip Girl' (9pm ET on The CW)
Blair is ecstatic to land an internship at W Magazine, but the thrill quickly fades when she finds out that Dan has secured one of the coveted positions as well. Chuck may have finally met his match with Russell Thorpe (guest star Michael Boatman) – and his daughter Raina (guest star Tika Sumpter) – back on the Upper East Side. Nate receives alarming news about his father's (guest star Sam Robards) business prospects.
WATCH: 'Harry's Law' (10pm ET on NBC)
After getting a tip from a priest, Harry helps defend Jeffrey Rollins, an inmate serving life for a murder he did not commit. Meanwhile, legal woes continue to worsen for the laundromat after Adam risks disbarment by going behind Tommy's back to offer the fired employee her job back. Elsewhere, Malcolm and Tommy form an unlikely partnership when they team up to help an overweight woman sue multiple fast food giants.
DVR: 'Pretty Little Liars' (8pm on ABC Family)
The girls try to resume a sense of normalcy in their lives, but even the simple tasks of dating and extra-circular activities meet with strife. Emily must deal with a jealous teammate who is threatened by Emily's return to the pool, as Aria and Ezra plan their first date out in the open. And Hanna is still stuck playing "A's" game, but the next hurdle might just have complications for another Liar. With "A" pulling the strings and making matters worse, will the girls be able to weather the storm and lie their way out of it, or will they have to face the ugly truths?
DVR: 'The Bachelor' (8pm ET on ABC)
The eleven remaining bachelorettes leave the mansion and travel to exciting Las Vegas, but two nervous women – Ashley H. and Ashley S. – face the dreaded "two-on-one" date where one of them will be sent home immediately. How will Brad handle making a heartbreaking decision at the end of the night? The Bachelor takes eight competitive ladies out for the ride of their lives at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Talk Show Listings:


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Australian and New Zealand Gardening: Bromeliads for novices and Addicts - Dec 2012, 1 by works4me
Communities > Forums
Image Copyright works4me
In reply to: Bromeliads for novices and Addicts - Dec 2012
Forum: Australian and New Zealand Gardening
Back to post | Next photo >>> |
works4me wrote: Hi all, as Jen said, another very hot day here in Brissie today. I did manage to repot a few of my larger vrieseas that were getting very cramped. No post from Nev today, I hope his thumb hasn�t dropped off. Seriously Nev, I hope it is healing well and you will be back typing up a frenzy again soon. Sue, I think I will move my neo Cane Fire to where it will get less light as you did with yours as I am still very attracted to the variegated broms. I do like your pic 5 �Exotica Satin� or whatever, love that colour and the striations are clearly visible on the lower leaves. Bree, I prefer the white margined Cane Fire but wouldn�t part with mine, and I love the colour of Jen�s too. Jen, hope you are enjoying the school hols. You have some really lovely broms, I have a few that I have bought at Wendy�s sales. I adore Neo marmorata albo and it�s one I have been chasing for a while now. If you ever get a spare pup, I would love to buy or swap please and that lovely neo Cane Fire purple too. Trish, just one more day and it�s the weekend. Do you have to work Monday, I would imagine a lot of people would be taking a day�s leave and having 5 days off. I feel sorry for the poor shop assistants who get only one day off and then there�s the hectic boxing day sales. Just a couple of pics tonight, neo hazel mac and an unnamed small black neo. Bye for now, Shirley |
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The Anderson County Burgoo Festival has a lot of exciting events for 2017! Make plans to attend the festival in downtown Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, September 22, 23, and 24. On Saturday, a pancake breakfast will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Western Avenue. There will be many other activities throughout the weekend. The festival officially ends at 5:00 p.m. Sunday. Lawrenceburg is located in the heart of central Kentucky on US 127, just miles south of Frankfort.
There will be lots of burgoo, music, and entertainment, as well as vendors of all kinds. Vendors will fill all avenues of the festival with crafts, food, and other assorted goods beginning on Friday morning and will be open during all festival hours.
There are many sponsors that make the Burgoo Festival possible. We thank each of them for their generosity in supporting this annual community celebration.
2015 Winners of Burgoo Pageants
Miss Burgoo - Mallory Moore
Miss Pre-Teen - Katelyn Brandenburg
Winner of drawing at fall craft show for Elf on a Shelf, "A Christmas Tradition." Rose Rogers


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Nas, 2 Chainz, Fabolous, Miguel + More - Capitale - 4/30/13
"All I want for my birthday is a kinda sorta hip-hop version of Farmville!" - 2 Chainz for Gig IT
Photos Dan Rys
Better Than: Farmville
"Why am I here?" That's the refrain that kept running through my head as I walked into Capitale on the Bowery last night, where Nas, 2 Chainz, Miguel, Elle Varner and a whole host of hip-hop and R&B artists emerged to celebrate the launch of Gig-IT, a new performance-based Facebook app that was celebrating its launch. At first the question seemed legit; this was a corporate event to the max -- industry types mingled with a crowd dressed strictly for the club in the impressively immaculate room -- but the talent on display rendered the question mostly irrelevant.
It was strange, that's for sure -- the event was kept almost completely under wraps, or at least that was what it seemed beforehand, with few people even having heard it was happening. But don't tell that to the hip-hop community. The number of artists that were just there to hang out -- Ne-Yo, French Montana, Raekwon, Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, and alleged appearances by Rick Ross and Jamie Foxx -- didn't even match those that hit the stage. In a stacked lineup that didn't even seem possible, much less real, Miguel, Elle Varner, Fabolous, 2 Chainz and Nas all played abbreviated performances in what could only be described as one of the greater bills that could fit on just one side of an old cassette tape in recent New York history.
Everyone was there due to their involvement, to varying degrees, with Gig-IT, a new app that allows users to create digital showcases on their Facebook pages, with customizable outfits, set lists, performances, and everything in between. It almost functions as a hip-hop Farmville, a comparison that the creators were eager to both play up and distance themselves from with their slogan of #This Aint No Farm, which permeated most aspects of the heavily-branded room. But for what essentially works as seemingly just another app to add on to your already-crowded Facebook pages, the star power they've nabbed is enough to give it a certain level of legitimacy.
"How many shares would it take for you to leave with me?" - Miguel for Gig-IT |
Upcoming Events
Munich Philharmonic Orch
TicketsSun., Apr. 2, 7:00pm
Paxtor, Micky, Evelyn Cools, Alex Martin
TicketsMon., Apr. 3, 7:00pm
Sinners Are Winners the Invocation Album Release Party
TicketsWed., Apr. 5, 8:00pm
Town Hall Presents Anoushka Shankar
TicketsWed., Apr. 5, 8:00pm
The night kicked off a little before 9 p.m. with a performance by Allison Smith, whose Grace Potter-esque, powerful vocals were a welcome introduction to the evening, though many were not paying attention. But everyone snapped to as Miguel took the stage, adorned as he was with a leather jacket and enough soulful falsetto to bring the crowd streaming to the front of the stage. Kicking his set off with his Grammy-winning "Adorn," Miguel then dedicated a birthday tribute of "Sweat That" which left the majority of people wishing it was they to whom it was dedicated.
But the corporate aspect to the night reared its strange and obnoxiously-dressed head to the forefront during each performance. This was the type of show people watched through the screen of their iPads, despite the fact that there were maybe seven hundred people in attendance and the majority of the audience was within 15 feet of each performer at any given time (Full disclosure: horrible judge of telling number of people in a room, much less jelly beans in a jar). Once you've watched someone take a photo of Miguel on their iPad, then turn the camera on themselves to check out and fix their hair (WHILE MIGUEL IS STILL PERFORMING 10 FEET AWAY), you've really grasped the fact that the music was really a secondary attraction to the "scene" itself. And, of course, an open bar goes a long way toward encouraging shameless narcissism.
"THERE'S ONLY FIVE SHARES LEFT!" - Busta Rhymes for Gig-IT |
The guest celebrity highlights were near-constant, though they were mostly limited to Gig-IT-endorsing cameos. The one that got the biggest pop was Busta Rhymes -- an unannounced guest, who nonetheless showed up with Miami's DJ Irie to tout the greatness of the new app. "This is Gig-IT. This is the future," Irie said, before deferring to the night's hosts DJ Khaled and LaLa, who proceeded to bring French Montana out on stage immediately afterward. The hits, as they were, just kept coming.
"It's the Honey Nut Cheerios of Apps!" - LaLa and DJ Khaled for Gig IT |
But even though no performance lasted longer than 10 minutes or so, that didn't stop some artists from making a big impact. Elle Varner, who is quickly gaining serious attention as both a songwriter of considerable skill and a fantastic singer, only did one track -- but her rendition of "Refill" was stunning in its almost effortless execution. She had such command over her voice that it almost seemed she could reach any octave she put her mind to at a moment's notice, and flashed that skill brilliantly. Fabolous followed with a cameo that included "You Be Killin 'Em," before Khaled re-emerged to remind everyone that President Obama came out to his track "All I Do Is Win" at the White House Correspondents' Dinner this weekend -- ironically, mind you, since the only way to ingest DJ Khaled is with a healthy dose of irony -- by saying "if you got love for We The Best Music AND Barack Obama, make some noise!" A shameless plug during a night that was full of them.
"All I want is one App, one Gig, one share..." - Nas for Gig-IT |
Almost ironically -- if it wasn't so branded to the hilt, that is -- the two headlining performers, 2 Chainz and Nas, were squeezed into about a 20 minute-block of time as the event tried desperately to finish at its previously-appointed 11 o'clock end time. While the Hair Weave Killa came out to the beginnings of "Birthday Song," he quickly transitioned into a toned-down cocktail of "I'm Different" and "No Lie," -- which despite their brevity, were outstanding -- before tossing the microphone nonchalantly and walking coolly off stage. It's not going to come as a surprise to many anymore, but 2 Chainz can't really do any wrong these days, since he's both the most ridiculous rapper in the game right now (all respects to Riff Raff and his ilk, but Chainz blows him out of the water and then some) and one of its best performers, what with his insanely catchy hooks and even more insanely catchy stage persona. And Chainz was off stage for all of three minutes before Khaled introduced "the star... the icon... the legend..." and brought out the pride of Queensbridge.
Coming out to "The Don," Nas ran through abbreviated renditions of "It Ain't Hard to Tell" and "If I Ruled the World" -- forgetting the words to the second verse of the latter -- before he hustled off the stage. People actually left before Nas went on, even though his set ended before the clock struck 11 pm. Any other time, you'd NEVER be able to see a living legend that early in the evening, particularly in New York. New York hip-hop may be on the up and up, but please, let's not forget who delivered us there.
Still, despite the suit-and-tie, scene-centric and semi-stuffy atmosphere, the opportunity to see such great artists all together at such a small event can't really be sneezed at. Though it left me to wonder, in the end, in the midst of all this corporate back-patting and self-promotion, "Why was I here?" Time to check my Facebook.
Number of Times 2 Chainz Yelled "2 Chainz!": 7 (unofficial, though may have been in the hundreds) Number of People Blinded by Shininess of Raekwon's watch: 2 officially confirmed
Most Ridiculous Corporate Aspect: The bathrooms had business cards informing those washing their hands that shares of the parent company of Gig-It were available for 2 bucks a pop, with a minimum investment of $5k. Everything I own added up together would not be worth that much money, though to most in the room it probably wasn't a stretch.
The Top 20 NYC Rap Albums of All Time: The Complete List The Kanye You Once Loved Is Dead and Gone Frank Ocean Is Boring: The Year Lifeless Music Found Critical Praise
Follow @soundofthecity
In Case You Missed It
Upcoming Events
Indo Out Part III
TicketsFri., Mar. 31, 7:00pm
Salif Keita
TicketsSat., Apr. 1, 7:00pm
16th Annual Eric Clapton Birthday Show: Godfrey Townsend & Friends
TicketsSat., Apr. 1, 7:30pm
Dorthaan's Place Jazz Brunch: Bucky Pizzarelli, Ed Laub Duo
TicketsSun., Apr. 2, 11:00am
Sponsor Content


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Popularity ScoreReferrals to Site/Downloads
0 1+ 250+ 1000+ 10000+
Magento Connect 1.0 change
Magik Extra Fee is the most powerful and feature rich extension for creating flexible extra fees and additional charges ( like Gift Wrap, Insurance, Rush Delivery etc.) for Magento-powered ecommerce stores.
Demo:The best place to start if you need help with a specific extension is to contact the developer. All Magento developers have both a contact email and a support email listed.
If you need support for a Magento platform, there are different options for support depending on which Magento platform you are using. Below are links for specific platforms.
This extension was developed by and is supported by MagikCommerce
We built Magento Connect using the latest techniques and technologies.
This makes Magento Connect faster and easier to use.
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Compare free quotes from Gardening Tutors now
Gardening Tutors in Linlithgow
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We create and maintain individually tailored gardens that combine contemporary and traditional design.
"Bark quickly finds the best professionals for any job - consider it done."
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BBC's 'The Apprentice'


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Hi guys, I'm Amanda, 18 years old.I am a Brazilian cosplayer C: Other cosplay related links: http://amandaamr.deviantart.com/ o3o
Hello everyone! [Brazilian cosplayer] That's my WC page! Welcome! Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FLovettCosplay DeviantART: http://flovett.deviantart.com/
(´;ω;`)onegai.... please do not upload my picture without my agreement. I don't want to share my pics to any other websites that I don't upload. 写真を勝手に持って行かないでください 사진을 무단도용,허락없이 가져가지마세요 특히 페북,트위터,카스등 sns에 사용하는것을 원치않습니다. 특정 커뮤니티에서 사진 불법게시하는 경우 전부 신고,삭제하고있습니다. 제 사진은 mussum 계정과 트위터에서만 보실수있습니다. 이상한 댓글은 삭제합니다. Photo blog- http://mussum8585.blog.me
[大] DAI x [空] SORA 【Blog】: soon 【TW】: https://twitter.com/DaixSora 【FP】: https://www.facebook.com/DaixSora 【DAI】: https://www.facebook.com/dai.fukurou 【SORA】: https://www.facebook.com/sora.fukurou 【IG】: http://instagram.com/daixsora 【TUMBLR】: http://daixsora.tumblr.com
Hello i am larni a cosplayer from the uk :) im only really starting out with cosplay so hopefully my pictures and costumes will improve throughout my profile :) please keep an eye out for more. my deviant art url is http://uguutora.deviantart.com/ so please take a look at that too :)
Hello! I'm Shua, a cosplayer from Russia (since 2007). In 2012 together with my friend we became Russian champions and went to Japan. My costumes are handmade. I love travelling to cosplay convetions abroad. I'm also the organiser of Wasabi-fest convention in Russia. Welcome to my website http://www.storenvy.com/stores/239381-shuacosplay
I am a Brazilian cosplay! What started recently, surprise, surprise! I hope you enjoy my photos see more here: http://www.facebook.com/jeyke.gb
Hey! Welcome to my simple profile World Cosplay! I hope you enjoy and like them as much as me and accompany me in their evolution! ^^ Cosplayer since 21/10/2012! - Ask me: http://ask.fm/RebeccaPerillo - My Page: https://www.facebook.com/BeccaPerilloCosplay
Hi O__o Uhm, my name is Safiara ^^ I'm 21 years old and I live in Thailand. Uh.. I like cosplay and Anime Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/sukitori.kawaii https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cosplayer-M-M/486463204771914 I love Hibari kyoya forever.
Hi everyone! I'm a russian cosplayer, cosplaying since 2002 I hope you like my works ^^ Enjoy! http://www.facebook.com/RRartgroup http://www.youtube.com/user/RRartgroup http://ryoko-demon.deviantart.com/ http://www.cosplay.com/member/69011/ http://www.youtube.com/user/RyokoRR http://instagram.com/ryoko_demon You can support our works on PATREON https://www.patreon.com/RRartgroup
★ YuMe - São Paulo/BR ★ I like pinku, unicorns, nebulas and kawaii shiet as well. My links: Ask.fm - http://ask.fm/yuyume Tumblr - http://bubblegum-wa1fu.tumblr.com/ deviantART - http://getmaaad.deviantart.com/
Hi! My name is Chris I'm cosplayer from Thailand. Thank you for coming to see my profile. ^_^
Hello, I'm Poliana Melo. I am a Brazilian cosplayer. I hope you like my cosplays, I love every one of them, because they make me feel closest of my favorite characters. Thank you for visiting my profile. ^‿^ 【Facebook】https://www.facebook.com/PolianaFMelo
~ N e e Y u m i Hello ~ ★ I am Brazilian cosplayer, since July 2008 ~ =^_^= ♥ Thank you all for visiting my profile. <3 【Facebook】http://www.facebook.com/NeeYumiCosplay 【Curecos】http://en.curecos.com/profile/?ch=231130 【DeviantART】http://neeyumi.deviantart.com/ 【Twitter】https://twitter.com/NeeYumi 【Instagram】http://instagram.com/neeyumi


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At Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System our nurses are not only committed to their patients, but to the community and beyond. Learn about some of the ways they are giving back:
"I was aware of Malawi from TV, but had no idea of the extent of need until I went there," remembers Laura Bomarito, RN, CCC. When the assistant pastor of her church retired, he and his wife left for a five-year mission to Malawi. "Nurses were needed so a friend and I decided to go and work in the clinics. When we arrived, we found that the clinics were for 'rich' people so we went out into the bush of Africa." The 18-day mission in April 2009 took the team to five remote villages where Laura and her friend cared for 500 people. "We had to turn away about 100 people in each village," said Laura. In October 2009 they are going back with four additional nurses in hopes of seeing 1,500 more people. "My experience in Malawi confirmed the reasons I became a nurse. I know I can't save the world, but I can make a difference in Malawi and at home."
Several nurses from Salinas Valley Memorial formed a team that participated in the June 2009 Relay for Life. Their efforts raised $4,000 to support the American Cancer Society.


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Gmail Success: Is viral / referral marketing the future of the net?
| by David Callan It seems to be a favorite strategy of those who play catch-up and end up succeeding in a big way on the net.Bill Gates used viral marketing in setting up his free email service Hotmail when he suddenly
had to change gears after initially failing to see the impact that the World
Wide Web was going to have. He needed an effective strategy to catch up with
industry leaders Yahoo.
Now Google have successfully used the same strategy to successfully launch their free email service gmail. As a matter of fact, many other wildly successful new services have used the referral marketing strategy to launch their ventures and grow at blinding speed.
Referral Strategy Solves A Major Problem With Free Services Online
One of the huge advantages that viral marketing techniques have brought is to correct a major emerging problem with free services. Free services and tools on the net have proved to be the norm. In fact free samples even in the offline days has always been considered one of the most powerful marketing and distribution strategies ever created.
However free things tend to lose value fast when they are widely available even to those who do not need them. Free samples have always worked best, offline, when you specifically have to request for them, giving your contacts details and in many cases your physical address.
Online free services are so widely available that it is becoming increasingly difficult to market anything free online.
However, everything changes rather dramatically when a free service is no longer widely available but requires somebody to refer you. This requires some effort from the potential user of the free service or tool to actively seek out users to try and get a referral. It also gives current users a value perception of the free product they are using because it is not widely available to anybody.
The new free email service from Google, Gmail, has been extremely successful in penetrating the fiercely competitive world of free email, already dominated by much older players like rivals Yahoo and MSN. Apart from the great new features which includes 2.5 GB of email storage and great search features, one of the main reasons for the rapid expansion and accomplishment of Google's gmail within such a short period of time, has been the viral marketing strategy. Although gmail is a free service, it is not accessible to everybody, you have to be introduced or reffered by somebody already using the service.
Why Referral Marketing Is The Future That Is Already Here
All indications are that referral marketing and many variations of other referral marketing techniques will continue to play a central role on the net for many years to come.
Apart from helping to create value in free services and products, it is also a great way to advertise and create awareness in an online environment where other marketing methods are proving increasingly difficult to use.
For instance, banner advertising at web sites usually produces very poor results and an extremely low response rate. One of the reasons is that it is very similar to offline conventional advertising and the truth of the matter is that people hate to be advertised to online. This is the reason why ugly textual ads that do not have the benefit of full color, are very effective and always out-perform banner ads or any other form of online advertising. The reason is that they look more like part of the content at a site than advertisements.
The other extremely powerful online marketing tool has always been email. However the problem with email is that the widespread problem of SPAM has forced ISPs to take increasingly stringent measures to curb the menace. The result is that quite often, we are not able to receive, even mail that we want. This has been a big blow to many legal and acceptable forms of email marketing like the use of opt-in email lists.
The magic with referral marketing or viral marketing as it is often called is that one can start with a handful of clients or subscribers and rapidly grow their client list from these few people who will introduce the product and recommend it to their friends, who will in turn do the same.
There is really no denying the power and impact of referral marketing. Not connected : No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it.


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Imperial Aurora Jewels Southern Belle Bell $ 60.00 She is gorgeous! She stands about 6" high and her skirt is about 3 3/4" across the bottom. The bell tone is great. The aurora jewels color is beautiful and I find no damage. There is a paper label on the inside of her skirt. If you are a bell collector, this piece is a must.
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When Things Fall Apart
Rob Weir discusses what to do when life intervenes in a major way in plans for your semester.
Those who don't work in higher education often assume that professors only work a few hours per week and spend their non-classroom time doing whatever they want. Don't we all wish that were true? Academics are jugglers, our arms wheeling circles of Indian clubs marked "Teaching," "Advising," "Scholarship," "Planning," "Service," "Meetings," "Intellectual Enrichment," and "Personal Lives." We don't dig coal for a living, but most of us do work more hours than miners. Even when things go well, most of us are exhausted by the end of a semester and need down time to re-energize. But what do we do when things don't go at all well? How do we set job priorities when things fall apart?
These are questions I had to ask myself this semester. As I write this column it is week 12 of a 15-week semester, and it's the first time I can even pretend that I'm on top of things. This past summer I contracted pneumonia. It wasn't life-threatening, and when I objectively place it on a list of the world's great injustices, it barely registers. When I recovered — about two weeks before the opening of fall semester — I tried to shrug it off by making ironic remarks such as, "What kind of an idiot gets pneumonia in the summer?" My lame attempt at levity did little to mask the reality that my illness took a two-month chunk out of my normal planning routine. When September rolled around, I felt like the 12-year-old who had to go to summer school and never got to have any fun. Even worse, all the "work" I thought I had done during recuperation was worthless; it had the earmarks of having been completed by a mind that was as sharp as an anvil. How to proceed?
First of all, we must acknowledge that things will go wrong at some point(s) in our careers. If you are a person who has an ironclad blueprint of where you and your career need to be by a certain time, toss it immediately. Chances are good that your targets will be roughly as successful as the Five-Year Plans the former Soviet Union used to issue. My entry into teaching (1978) got delayed by four years because the stagflation of the U.S. economy meant that jobs were being severely trimmed. If you want to be in academia for the long haul, the first thing you need to be is enormously flexible. An acquaintance had a far more heart-wrenching dilemma than I. She chose to stay at a community college rather than take a job several time zones west because she needed to be nearby to deal with her mother's slow demise from Alzheimer's disease. That wasn't in the plan; it was just the reality.
Family … illness … quality of life…. Those are long-term decisions we must all consider, but what do we do if we're staring at short-term challenges? The first thing is to learn a word that academics are notoriously loath to utter: "No." We academics love to complain about our workloads, but in truth many of us are jugglers as much by choice as necessity. We live in our minds; consequently we are total suckers for projects that strike us as "interesting." When things fall apart the very first thing we must do is say no to future projects and, if possible, beg off those we have no realistic chance of completing. Have you agreed to do a book review by December 1? As a journal editor I'd much rather you tell me on November 1 that you can't do it than force me to track you down December 20 and ask why I don't have the review. Have you been contacted for a project you'd really like to take on? Don't.
There are tons of things to which we can and should say no if circumstances beyond our control dictate. By this time of the semester I have usually attended a dozen talks and seminars; this fall I've been to just a handful. By November 1, I've usually gone to three conferences; this year I only went to one and I wouldn't have gone to it except that I'm the executive secretary of the organization sponsoring it. I've usually updated the organization's website by now, but it won't happen until January this time around. Such decisions were not easy; they were necessary. I could say no to writing for Inside Higher Ed this fall and did so — not because I wanted to, but because I literally had no spare time.
Setting priorities is essential. Those who are seeking tenure or who are devoted to research university careers may disagree, but in my mind the first club we should grab from the air is the one labeled "Teaching." If you have limited time and energy, make sure your classes get the bulk of it. In most places it's easier to get a one-time tenure review extension than it is to recover from horrible teaching reviews. (Teaching reviews, at last, are starting to weigh just as heavily as scholarship at research universities, and they always were number one at most non-research institutions.) Take a hard look at all the things you do and only do the things you must. Can you be removed from a committee or two? Make it so. Must you go to every meeting? Skip those you can. Are you part of informal groups? Explain your absence, but be absent. Do you have a freelance career outside the university? Put it on hold.
Another useful shift during difficult times is learning the difference between good and good enough. This is hard for academics. We are, simultaneously, perfectionists who don't believe in perfection. If pressed to describe what academics do, I say that we bring to bear our critical training to frame, research, revise, and reframe. I like to prepare lessons and articles early and tinker with them constantly until the very moment I deliver them. I've been known to rewrite most of a sixty-minute lecture on the twenty-minute bus ride to campus. Not this semester! Last week I attained what will be my semester's biggest achievement — I finished the last lesson plan for the fall semester. I've done way more backpedaling than tinkering, and I simply must accept that my lessons are as good as they can be given the circumstances, not as good as I'd like them to be.
The latter point leads to another suggestion: tap into your confidence reserves. One thing I've re-learned this fall is that I'm plenty good enough to handle my teaching demands. When one is pressed for time, it's simply foolish to waste any of it being paranoid. We need to go into each class confident that we are — with very rare exceptions — the smartest person in the room. If you find, as I have, that you are merely one lesson ahead of your students, you need to trust that this is okay and that you will still impart considerable knowledge. Maybe it won't be as extensive or as clear as it might be, but it will be still be much more than it would be if students were left to their own devices.
My final slice of advice is this: Don't tell me you can't cut back anywhere. The reality is that you must, even if your choices are Hobbesian. I learned another hard lesson this summer: one can either make hard choices or life will make them for you. I am a doctor's nightmare — a bad patient because I lack the essential qualification for being a good one: patience. In July I unilaterally decided that three weeks was plenty of recovery time. I even scheduled a small vacation. Need I tell you that this did not turn out well? By refusing to scale back and take all the time I needed, I ended up requiring greater more time. And therein lies the most bitter lesson of all. Misfortune is a harsh mistress who does not care what's on our calendars, how many duties we have, or how irreplaceable we deem ourselves to be. She is to be obeyed, not resisted.
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"There was no such thing as the Scientific Revolution, and this is a book about it." With this provocative and apparently paradoxical claim, Steven Shapin begins his bold vibrant exploration of the origins of the modern scientific worldview.
"Shapin's account is informed, nuanced, and articulated with clarity. . . . This is not to attack or devalue science but to reveal its richness as the human endeavor that it most surely is. . . .Shapin's book is an impressive achievement."—David C. Lindberg, Science
"Shapin has used the crucial 17th century as a platform for presenting the power of science-studies approaches. At the same time, he has presented the period in fresh perspective."—Chronicle of Higher Education
"Timely and highly readable . . . A book which every scientist curious about our predecessors should read."—Trevor Pinch, New Scientist
"It's hard to believe that there could be a more accessible, informed or concise account of how it [the scientific revolution], and we have come to this. The Scientific Revolution should be a set text in all the disciplines. And in all the indisciplines, too."—Adam Phillips, London Review of Books
"Shapin's treatise on the currents that engendered modern science is a combination of history and philosophy of science for the interested and educated layperson."—Publishers Weekly
"Superlative, accessible, and engaging. . . . Absolute must-reading."—Robert S. Frey, Bridges
"This vibrant historical exploration of the origins of modern science argues that in the 1600s science emerged from a variety of beliefs, practices, and influences. . . . This history reminds us that diversity is part of any intellectual endeavor."—Choice
"Most readers will conclude that there was indeed something dramatic enough to be called the Scientific Revolution going on, and that this is an excellent book about it."—Anthony Gottlieb, The New York Times Book Review
'There is no such thing as the Scientific Revolution, and this is a book about it.' With this arch opening to his masterly essay, Steven Shapin wastes no time in telling us where he is coming from. . . .Most readers will conclude that there was indeed something dramatic enough to be called the Scientific Revolution going on, and that this is an excellent book about it.


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Tropical Fish Keeping - Aquarium fish care and resources
- Cyprinids and Atherinids
- - Does my Oranda look bloated?
Does my Oranda look bloated? Hi everyone, I've had some issues with my Oranda. For the last week we think she's been pretty good - we noticed she had some 'floaty' episodes which we attributed to a bit of overfeeding and water temp being too cold. I have since upped the water temp to approx. 22 Degrees C which seems to have helped no end. Her dorsal fin seems to be much more perky and the 'floaty' issues have now completely stopped. My issue now is that i've not seen her poo very much and the only time recently that I have, it's been really thin and stringy.. she used to do pretty big poo's. She's been fasted twice in the last 4 weeks while we've been trying to get her back to normal and we generally feed her much less. We feed once a day and only as much as her eye / as much as she can fit in her mouth. We mix her food between New Life Spectrum small fish formula and TetraColour pellets. I also give her a pea / little bit of blanched spinach but what i've noticed recently is that she seems to gobble up the pea (I only feed half a pea cut into 4/5 smaller pieces as she's only a tiny fish) and then 5 minutes later it's all back on the bed of the tank. I'm worried that she's got digestive issues.... In these photo's does she look bloated to anyone else? I can tell that she's not as bloated as she was before we upped the water temp. but i'm not convinced she's 100% happy. Can anyone suggest anything? Many Thanks Here are the photo's http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/...o129/Mona4.jpg http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/...o129/Mona3.jpg http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/...o129/Mona2.jpg http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/...o129/Mona1.jpg |
Hey Rich. Sorry to hear that you are having trouble again. I'll reply in this thread since it has pictures. I'm sorry to say, but your third photo confirms my fears. Those scales poking out are a sign of dropsy. I don't have much experience fighting it, but some people have been able to conquer it. The worst part about is that it's more like a symptom of an illness rather than an actual illness. The white stringy poop sounds like an internal parasite infection. If you can, bring the water temp up to about 25C and add Metronidazole to her food (soak it in that before feeding it to her). If you can get Metro Meds as these have been shown to fight the infection that is causing the dropsy. I wish you the best with Mona. |
H Izzy, Thank you for the message. I really think I'm cursed :-( I just can't seem to catch a break and provide an excellent home for a fish. Each time I think I've sorted out the tank or fish, something else just seems to happen. Ok in attempting to save my poor fish I've raised the water temp and I've dosed with wardley promethyasul, it's all my store had so I thought I'd try it. Can you give me any advice when treating and water changes? Thank you Izzy. Rich |
I'm really sorry you've had such a run of bad luck. Dropsy is something really tough to win against. As for water changes it depends on your medicine. I've had some that instructed me to do extra water changes are part of the dosing routine. If you do water changes that aren't part of the normal routine then you will need to redose the new water with the same amount of medication that you took out. For example, if you do a 50% water change and remove 5 gallons of water, and the medication doses 1 tablet per 10 gallons, you would need to add another half tablet of medication to the water to make up for the medication removed. Did I explain that well enough? |
Dropsy sucks, 3 of my goldfish had it, and now two bettas. Apparently fungus cure is a treatment for it. I think that the right name. I'll email my friend about it, was going to get some form her, but got a bit sidetracked. . . Dropsy is caused my kidney failure, so I dont think there is anything you can really do, I'm so so sorry. |
Hi Pearl, Thank you for your post. Could the kidney failure have been something I have caused by having the water temperature too cold or over feeding? Also how long to fish generally continue with dropsy before it gets the better of them? I really hate the idea of my poor little fishy suffering. :-( I am treating with wardley promethyasul at the moment which is apparently broard spectrum... Could I be doing anything better? Thanks you |
The organ failure is usually caused by internal infections. Sometimes there is something you could have done, but sometimes there isn't. A lower than average temp could have caused her immune system to react slower, but there is really no way to tell. It's impossible to pinpoint the exact cause of the dropsy unless an autopsy is done. A broad spectrum antibiotic is a great thing to try to fight the infection with. Could you tell us the exact type of antibiotics in it? Because you talk about white stringy poop, I think she has an internal parasite infection. Garlic food like New Life Spectrum's Thera A is great for combating internal parasites. Metronidazole is another good anti-parasitic medication. |
Hi there Pearl, The ingredients in the treatment are:- Mafenide hydrochloride Aminacrine hydrochloride Malachite green I am looking to try and get some PraziPro as I can't seem to find any Metro+ from anywhere... It seems you need a vet prescription for it. I've recently (within the last month) had Planarian in my tank so I was wondering if my fish may have worms of some variety. I treated yesterday with the wardley promethyasul am would normally change the water today... I'm wondering about changing and adding some aquarium salt as well. I used to add a teaspoon of salt per 9 litre change as standard but then thought that it would be killing off my plants but until last week I'd been adding salt every weekly change. If I do a change today could I treat the changed water and could I try some additional treatments mid week if she survives that long? I think she may be constipated though because I've hardly seen her poo much in the past 7-10 days. Rich |
As for the Metro+, I'm not surprised. Different countries have different regulations. But getting the Prazi is a great idea as it will get rid of external parasites. Adding salt to your water changes is good, too. Unless the medications say not to mix with salt. I know Prazi and salt are fine together. If she survives the week, treating her with something else sounds like a great idea. If you can get them, Maracyn plus and Maracyn 1 & 2 would b great to treat her with. But I still think antiparasitic meds are going to be the way to go. |
Wow, I'm sorry it's come to this.. Poor girl, I hope she feels better soon. :-( |
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MEXICO CITY — About 800 fishermen in the northernmost crook of the Gulf of California have taken up the government's offer of payments to stop fishing with nets and, in some cases, to stop fishing altogether, Mexican conservationists said on Tuesday.
The offer is intended to save a small porpoise that is threatened with extinction as an unintended byproduct of commercial fishing. The porpoise, called a vaquita, is often trapped and killed in the gill nets that fishermen use to catch shrimp, mackerel and sharks.
Probably no more than 150 vaquitas survive, conservationists say. The population could fall to 100 in a couple of years. If that occurred, there would be too few sexually mature adults left for the species to recover.
"We have one or two years," said Omar Vidal, the director of the World Wildlife Fund in Mexico and a biologist who has studied the vaquita for 25 years. "We're on the brink."
The Mexican government agrees. It has spent about $20 million over the last two years on conservation measures, primarily to persuade 800 of the 4,000 registered fishermen in the area to accept its offer to stop using nets or to cease fishing entirely, according to the environment minister, Juan Elvira Quesada. Next year, officials hope to spend an additional $13 million to continue the plan.
Many of the fishermen who have accepted the offer will use the money to start businesses. For those fishermen reluctant to give up their livelihood, there is a new net, developed with the help of the World Wildlife Fund, that does not trap the vaquita.
With dark doe eyes and pale skin, the vaquita looks as if it had been drawn by a child who outlined the eyes and mouth in black felt-tip pen. It inhabits the Gulf of California's shallower waters.
The conservationists' sense of urgency is driven by a sad precedent. Last year, a cousin of the vaquita, the Chinese river dolphin, was declared extinct.
"I see this as our last opportunity," Mr. Vidal said.
Continue reading the main story


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Tag: An Inconvenient Truth
Lawrence Bender, Producer of An Inconvenient Truth (Podcast)
Inglorious Bastards. Good Will Hunting. Pulp Fiction. Kill Bill. An Inconvenient Truth. With a roster of iconic films and a whole shelf of gold statues, Lawrence Bender is one of America's most acclaimed producers. Since the release of Al Gore's
Stanley Greenberg, World-Renowned Pollster, Talks Enviro-Politico Shop
Never heard of Stanley Greenberg? Probably means you've been living under a rock for the last, say, twenty years. He's a political mastermind — akin to being described as the world-champion of public opinion
Prejudism and the Green Entrepreneur
As the mortgage and banking industry collapsed last year, a painful reminder that prejudice banking still exists echoed over thousands of foreclosed homes whose minority owners had taken out a second mortgage (with
"Carbon Nation" Pumps Up CO2 Reduction Solutions
It's stuff we all know about - compact fluorescent lighting, wind energy, efficiency, green jobs - the kind of stuff we talk about incessantly on TreeHugger.
Al Gore: Uncommitted Superdelegate Committed to Stopping Climate Change
On Friday night I went to see Al Gore at Radio City Music Hall. The former Vice President walked onto the stage to thunderous applause and a fan shouted, "You rock Al!" (Although, I'm an obsessive Gore fan- that wasn't me). Al has been
The Stern Report for Australia From Ross Garnaut
When Britain's chief bean counter came out and said climate change is likely to be equal to two world wars and the Great Depression rolled in together, people round the world started to take notice. The Stern Report has become
The Film and Entertainment Recycling Initiative: Helping Movies and TV Productions Cut Back on Trash
TreeHugger has seen a handful of greening initiatives in the film and entertainment industry, from films like Syriana, An Inconvenient Truth and Sweet Land going carbon neutral to a new film studio going green from the ground up; while all these
Celebrity Eco-Hypocritique
Back to back articles covering celebrity "eco-hypocrites" appeared recently in the L.A. Times and Daily Mail. Both articles made a fuss about various green celebrity transgressions, the majority of which involve air travel (both private and
One Year Ago in TH: Prius Fever, eGo Cycle Reviewed, Naked Energy + More
One year ago at TreeHugger, we had a touch of Prius fever, as the 2007 Touring Edition was on its way and we learned about a way to get a free Prius (but be sure to read the fine print). We also had the chance to hop aboard the electric eGo Cycle 2 and
TH Forums Highlights: Toyota's Plug-In Hybrid, Moral Environmentalism, "Militant Vegans" and More
If you haven't been to The TreeHugger Forums lately, then you're missing out. There are tons of new ideas, interesting questions and lively discussions happening every day, along with a few threads that seem to have touched a nerve and continue to
This Month in I.D. Magazine: July/August 2007 Annual Design Review
This month's I.D. magazine takes a curated, contemplative look at the best design (consumer products, graphics, packaging, environments, furniture, equipment, concepts and interactive) from the past year, and showcases some really interesting and
Al Gore's Fight Against the Climate Crisis in Rolling Stone Magazine
Rolling Stone magazine has devoted a sizable portion of their latest issue (on newsstands until June 28) to talking about the dangers we face relating to global warming. They've enlisted help from some heavy hitters, including media juggernaut and
Convenient Truths: More Ways to Enjoy An Inconvenient Truth
First, Groovy Green alerts us to a full
The TH Interview: Lawrence Bender on 18Seconds.org
Not content with co-producing An Inconvenient Truth, Lawrence Bender (who also happens to have produced Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, Good Will Hunting, Pulp Fiction, Anna and the King, Jackie Brown, and Reservoir Dogs) really does want to change the
TreeHugger Picks: One Year Ago in TH
A lot can happen over the course of a year, so we got to wondering: what was on TreeHugger's radar one year ago today? We hadn't heard of the Tesla, hadn't seen An Inconvenient Truth (or any Convenient Truths videos, for that matter) or shown our green
Most Huggable: Al Takes Heat, Mexico Protecting Butterflies, and Detoxing Your Kitchen,
A firm in Washington earns LEED Platinum for commercial interiors. Here's how they did it
The 2007 Globie Awards: May I Have the Envelope Please...
The votes for over 20,000 people have been tallied, and the winners of Environmental Defense's first annual Global Warming Globie Awards (we first mentioned them here) have been announced. Without further ado, the awards (and congratulations) go to:
An Inconvenient Truth: Oscar Winner
AP Photo Like nearly every Grey's Anatomy episode, the Oscars generally make me cry and laugh out loud at least twice. This year of feel-good internationalism and "every nominee is a winner" egalitarianism was no exception. However, a brand new, twist


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Keep your cooking notes and shopping lists organized, or simply leave a handwritten note with this adorable notepad featuring an illustrated teaball and strainer. 8.25" x 3.5" pad2 notedpads, 50 sheets each
Saying you're sorry is simple with this cute, handy notepad. Own up to your behavior by checking the corresponding box, and you and the afflicted party will be giggling about the whole misunderstanding in no time. 5.25" x 4" p
Pair these bright, multicolored abstract floral print stationery sheets, envelopes and stickers any way your heart desires. Contains 16 stationery sheets with envelopes and stickers7.5" x 5.75" sheets
Pair these lovely blue, gray, and taupe geometric and floral print stationery sheets, envelopes and stickers any way your heart desires. Contains 16 stationery sheets and envelopes plus stickers7.5" x 5.75" sheets
Lighten up a kitchen or bathroom with this ivory ceramic soap dish featuring a cute bird and scalloped edge. Features a two part design to allow excess water to drain into the bottom trough. 5.25" length
This tiny brown table clock adds an antique touch to any room with its ornamental design and zinc finish. Requires 1 AAA battery. 3.875" height
This glass picture frame features a mirror border with an antique-finished green and cream baroque print overlay. Fits one 3" x 3" picture.

This outdoor pillow case features a vibrant floral print and a sun and water resistant nylon fabric.

100% Polyester
 18"L x 18"W

This embossed ceramic bowl is crafted in a charming green leaf design. 2.5'' tall5'' diameter
This cream iron wall hook, complete with three swivel hooks, is finished with antiqued imperfections and shabby chic charm. 3.25'' in length
Store your memorabilia and trinkets inside this wooden apothecary chest in brown. Finsihed with beautifully designed ceramic drawers. 6.75"L x 3.75"W x 7" H
This playful smock by Bella Tunno is perfected with pretty patterns and laminated fabric, which makes for easy clean up. Perfect for children ages 3 and up. 100% Cotton FabricPolyether Polyurethane CoatingMade in USA13" x 20"
"Create, Eat, Wipe, Clean, Repeat!" Perfect for any child, this versatile placemat features two essential sides: one for chalk masterpieces and one for tasty treats. Includes twelve pieces of colorful chalk and a removable chalk pouch.
Perfect for tea, this ceramic mug in lavender is detailed with embossed peony flowers. Ceramic4.75" tall, 3" diameter

Crafted from renewable and natural resources, this serving tray will be a beautiful addition to your collection. Dish washer safe.

18.5" x 12.6"

A set of three, these towels are crafted from 100% cotton and are the perfect addition to your kitchen or bathroom.

 Approx. 14"L x 8"W

This set of gold colored picture frames will add a touch of charm and elegant detail to your home.

Square: 3.6" tall
Oval: 4.4" tall
Rectangle: 4.2" tall

This glass candle holder is wrapped in burlap and accented with shabby-chic details.

2.75" diameter
3.25" tall

Perfect for the party host, this gorgeous serving platter is crafted from renewable and natural resources.

13" diameter

A part of the artist's "It's a Passion" series, this vintage-inspired camera print is created from a hand-drawn ink illustration and rich colors. Perfect for any room and photography lover.

9" x 11"

Beautiful and practical, this bamboo cutting board features a sturdy design with a removable glass insert. Hand wash.

10" x 14.75" x 0.5"

Incredibly soft, this plush green frog pillow will add a touch of charm to a child's room.

17" x 15'

This ceramic pet dish features a teacup design with a vintage inspired print in orange.

5" diameter
2" tall

This ceramic pet dish features a teacup design with a vintage-inspired print in brown.

5" diameter
2" tall

Perfect for the little one, this incredibly soft pink piglet unfolds into a plush pillow with a velcro closure.

100% Polyester
 Approx. 11"H x 13"L (standing up)
 20" length when laid flat

A perfect accent for any room, this vibrant vintage-inspired print is created from a hand-drawn ink illustration. Parada Creations, the artist, hopes this print will brighten your room and bring a smile to your face everyday.

9" x 11"

We are inspired by Emily Chalmers' stylistic advice on how to create a vintage style with a contemporary touch. Full of inspiring photos for every nook of every room, soon you'll have a cozy modern vintage nest all your own.

Hardcover
9" x

Apart of the artist's "It's A Passion" series, this print is created from a hand-drawn ink illustration. Perfect for any room and music lover.

9" x 11"

This beautiful jewelry box features a beige fabric cover with colorful yarn embroidery. Completed with an interior mirror and jewelry compartments.

2.25" x 10" x 5.5"

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The Trans-Pacific Partnership and the downside to free trade.
…According to the World Health Institute, "nearly 80 percent of the world's one billion smokers live in low- and middle-income countries." Multinational corporations are seeking their own Treaty of Nanjing: they are using free trade agreements to usurp national sovereignty and stymy economic development. Tobacco kills six million people each year, and if current trends continue, it will kill one billion people in the twenty-first century.
Enter the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This free trade agreement between the United States, Canada, and ten Asian-Pacific countries is currently in negotiation, but has been dragged out far past its deadline (and slowed by the President's lack of "fast track" authority). The TPP covers 40 percent of U.S. exports and imports and may well be the most under-reported story this year.


text: Snap, Tackle, PopAnna Holmes5/15/09 12:10pmFiled to: Snap JudgmentLingerie Football LeagueSportsLflFootballGettypic61EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalink[Freeport, New York; May 14. Image via Getty]Aspiring players for the Lingerie Football League (LFL) relax after taking part in training drills during an open tryout session by the New York Majesty team in Freeport, New York, May 14, 2009. The LFL, a 10-team nationwide American football league, featuring women playing football in their underwear, will start in September 2009 for a 20-week season. In Freeport, just outside New York City, two dozen young women stripped to skimpy gym clothes, displayed their skills to trainers during the tryouts in hope of being selected. AFP PHOTO/Emmanuel Dunand (Photo credit should read EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images)Reply61 repliesLeave a reply


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[author: John L. Culhane, Jr.]
The CFPB has announced that its complaint system has begun taking complaints about credit reports. The issues a consumer can select to describe his or her complaint are: (1) incorrect information on the consumer's credit report, (2) a consumer reporting agency's investigation, (3) improper use of a credit report, (4) inability to obtain a credit report or credit score, and (5) problems with credit monitoring or identity protection services.
This expansion of the CFPB's complaint system will not only impact consumer reporting agencies who are the subject of complaints, and in particular, those consumer reporting agencies that will be examined by the CFPB as larger participants, but will also impact banks and other companies that report to such agencies or use consumer reports. (Last month, the CFPB released its examination procedures for consumer reporting agencies.)
Complaints about bank or other companies could result in targeted CFPB examinations of Fair Credit Reporting Act compliance and/or CFPB enforcement activity. In addition, such complaints could be referred by the CFPB to other federal regulators or state regulators.
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DISCLAIMER: Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations.
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UBS Ascends G-3 Bond Ranks on Contacts With Rich: China Credit
Tanya AngererUBS AG used contacts with China's richest people to help it climb into the top-five arrangers of G-3 bonds in Asia for the first time since 2011.
The Swiss lender, which runs the Asia-Pacific region's second-largest private bank, has jumped five spots from last quarter to become the third-biggest arranger of notes in dollars, euros and yen, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Citic Telecom International Holdings Ltd., a unit of China's largest state-owned investment firm, picked UBS among managers of its inaugural U.S. currency bond, while China Vanke Co., the country's largest developer, also hired the bank for its debut dollar offering.
"We've had the right focus on the right clients and have had a pretty high hit rate in terms of focusing marketing," said Paul Au, the head of syndicate at UBS in Hong Kong. "We work extremely well with our wealth management colleagues in terms of deal origination and identifying the right product for our clients."
UBS helped arrange high-yield bonds for Chinese issuers as dollar offerings in Asia excluding Japan have risen to a quarterly record of $45.3 billion. Yields on dollar debt from China have fallen 223 basis points, or 2.23 percentage points, in the past 12 months to 5.5 percent, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co. indexes. That's a bigger decrease than the 64 basis point decline to 4.32 percent for notes in the currency sold by all Asian companies, the indexes show.
HSBC Leads
Asia is a bright spot for Switzerland's largest lender, which announced in October that it would largely exit fixed-income trading and fire a total of 10,000 workers from that and other divisions. The bank has fallen 2 spots to 14th in U.S. bond rankings this quarter from the previous three-month period, Bloomberg-compiled data show.
In Asia, HSBC Holdings Plc held its No. 1 position in arranging debt in G-3 currencies, taking 15.5 percent of all deals, up from 14.7 percent in the last three months of 2012.
"We have a large and diversified client base in Asia who regard us as being a safe pair of hands to lead manage their bond deals," said Stephen Williams, head of debt capital markets for the Asia-Pacific region at HSBC. "Connecting with different parts of the organisation is critical. We have had several deals this quarter that have emanated from referrals from our private banking business."
Standard Chartered Plc followed with an 11.2 percent market share, up from 5.9 percent last quarter when it ranked seventh among arrangers, according to the data. UBS has 9.3 percent so far this year.
Private Bank
"Clients understand we are product agnostic and can deploy a range of alternatives, depending on their requirements," said Aaron Russell-Davison, the global head of bond syndicate at Standard Chartered. "Bonds have been attractive in the first quarter, but issuers also appreciate that we bring other products to their table."
Citigroup Inc. is the fourth-largest underwriter in Asia so far this year, with an 8.3 percent share, down from 10.6 percent last quarter when it ranked third, the data show. JPMorgan Chase & Co. is in fifth place with 8.1 percent of issuance, down from fourth with 10.5 percent in the three months ended Dec. 31.
"We aren't targeting to be a certain number on the league tables," said Murlidhar Maiya, the Hong Kong-based head of debt capital markets for Asia ex-Japan at JPMorgan. "What we are targeting is generating good solutions for our clients and at the same time running a profitable business."
Developer Debt
James Griffiths, a Hong Kong-based spokesman for Citigroup, declined to comment on the bank's position in the league table. Citigroup was the biggest private bank in the Asia-Pacific region by assets in 2011, followed by UBS, according to a Private Banker International survey released in October last year.
Chinese developers have sold dollar debt as authorities stepped up a three-year campaign to avert a bubble in property prices. The State Council, now led by Premier Li Keqiang, called for higher down payments and interest rates for second-home mortgages in cities with "excessively fast" price gains, according to a statement on March 1. Bond investors have speculated the measures will help discourage the builders from excessive investment.
Hong Kong-listed Greentown China Holdings Ltd. hired UBS along with other arrangers to sell $300 million more of its existing February 2018, 8.5 percent bonds on March 26. Wharf Holdings Ltd., controlled by the family of billionaire Chairman Peter Woo, invested HK$5.1 billion in June buying shares and convertible bonds in Greentown.
Economic Growth
Outside of the real estate sector, steelmaker Citic Pacific Ltd. sold seven-year dollar bonds to yield 6.375 percent through lenders including UBS yesterday.
Faster growth in the world's second-biggest economy is fueling demand for assets from the nation and leading to rises in the currency. Gross domestic product expanded 7.9 percent in the three months through December, up from 7.4 percent in the previous period.
The yuan touched 6.2095 on March 25, its strongest level since the government unified official and market exchange rates at the end of 1993. It traded at 6.2146 per dollar as of 10:52 a.m. today in Shanghai, prices from the China Foreign Exchange Trade System show.
High-Yield Bonds
The yield on China's benchmark 10-year government note was at 3.56 percent compared with 3.58 percent at the end of last year. Average yields on top-rated onshore corporate bonds with similar maturities have declined 11 basis points to 5.18 percent, narrowing the premium to 161.5 basis points.
The cost of insuring China's sovereign bonds from non-payment for five years has fallen 2 basis points to 71 from a high for the year in February, according to data provider CMA. The contracts pay the buyer face value in exchange for the underlying securities or the cash equivalent if a government or company fails to adhere to its debt agreements.
UBS led underwriting of high-yield notes in dollars, euros and yen in Asia this year, with 12.5 percent of the market compared with 12.2 percent for HSBC, which ranks second, according to Bloomberg's league table as of 2:00 p.m. today in Hong Kong. Sunac China Holdings Ltd. sold $500 million of five-year notes at 9.375 percent yesterday, with HSBC among the arrangers, according to Bloomberg-compiled data.
"Unlike previous years, bond issuance year-to-date has shifted from investment-grade to high yield," said UBS's Au. "We had a plan to cover some of our Chinese property clients which worked out well in terms of the market trend."
Shifting Bias
For all of 2012, HSBC led the high-yield category with 15.5 percent, trailed by UBS with 12.8 percent, according to the data. Investors have shifted funds into higher-yielding asset classes as policy rates in Europe, the U.S. and Japan remain near zero.
"With credit spreads at all time lows, the demand especially from the retail bond community has been towards higher-yielding notes," said Desmond Soon, a Singapore-based senior portfolio manager at Western Asset Management, which managed $461.9 billion of assets globally as of Dec. 31. "This has shifted the composition of newly issued Asia dollar bonds towards high-yield this year."
Beyond China, UBS was also hired to help arrange the debut dollar offering for billionaire Sunil Mittal's Bharti Airtel Ltd. and for Petron Corp., the largest refiner in the Philippines.
The Swiss bank's use of its wealth management business to help boost its bond underwriting comes after it posted a second straight quarterly loss at the end of 2012. The lender is cutting group risk-weighted assets by about 100 billion francs by the end of 2017 as it shrinks the fixed-income business at the investment bank. The unit will need three to five years to fully transform itself, Andrea Orcel, CEO of the investment bank, told staff at town-hall meetings in November, according to two people who heard him speak.
"We are exiting some part of our fixed income businesses, but client-facing and credit businesses remain core for us," said UBS's Au. "UBS is quite unique in Asia - whereby as a firm we have a very strong presence in wealth management and we are able to connect the dots.


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HAVE YOU EVER SPENT MONTHS courting a customer, touting your firm's expertise, providing demos, proposals, and elegant solutions to their biggest problems, only to have that customer reject your bid on price? Or have you aggressively sought a piece of business with low prices only to lose out because the client didn't feel you could meet their needs? Matching what you sell to what the customer is buying is one of the most basic and most difficult challenges faced by your sales force. Getting ...
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Cool Rider: The Cult Musical Sequel
في Duchess Theatre
Perhaps the greatest sequel ever told, COOL RIDER, the cult musical sequel is BACK and in the London West End. Book your tickets for COOL RIDER in London here!
The film told the heady and daring love story of two unlikely lovers and their road to romance from bowling alley to burger joint, sing-a-long-a-sex education class to talent show, and long (and beautifully lit) romantic motorcycle rides to a slightly incongruous luau ending. Much like its musical prequel, the story follows the ancient High School motto: if you want the guy/girl, change your personality beyond recognition and wear overly tight leather in the finale.
The concert features the hit songs 'Who's That Guy?', 'Score Tonight', 'Cool Rider' (which will be sung precariously atop a step ladder without the aid of wires for safety), 'Girl for all Seasons' and the haunting melody of 'Rock-a-Hula Luau (Summer Is Coming)', and will pay homage to the films sheer brilliance (and shortcomings) with many surprises along the way.
So grab your leather jackets, book your tickets, rat that hair, hide those hickeys and head to the Duchess Theatre for this classic cult cinematic concert!
حجز التذاكر
استمارة الحجز
حجز لغاية
مدة العرض:
1 Hour 45 Minutes


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Athletes aren't the only ones racing against the clock this week in Beijing. A team of skilled scientists is working 24 hours a day at a drug-testing lab in Beijing's Olympic Sports Center, analyzing approximately 4,500 blood and urine samples for banned substances. Their work is part of an ever-evolving arms race between scientists and sports cheats who try to stay one step ahead of the latest detection methods.
On Monday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the first athlete to fail a drug test in Beijing: Spanish cyclist Maria Isabel Moreno, who tested positive for the red-blood-cell-boosting hormone erythropoietin (EPO). But IOC president Jacques Rogge has predicted that 30 to 40 athletes will test positive during the games.
EPO is used therapeutically to treat anemia, but it also boosts blood oxygenation in healthy people, and it has proved troublesome for scientists to detect. For one thing, traces of the drug are quickly eliminated from the body. "When the drug is gone, the urine test becomes negative, but the effect of the drug lasts longer and the athlete is still enhanced," says Don Catlin, founder of Anti-Doping Research, a nonprofit research institute based in Los Angeles that is helping oversee drug testing in Beijing during the games. "Therefore, athletes game the test, trying to figure out the dosing regimens that will keep them beneath the radar."
In an attempt to catch those athletes out, the Olympic antidoping lab has dramatically stepped up testing compared with previous games, conducting 1,000 more tests than in Athens in 2004 and double the number at the Sydney games in 2000. That increase comes largely from greater numbers of tests per sample, rather than from an increase in the number of samples collected.
The IOC and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) are also developing new testing techniques, although they won't give details about any new tests that they plan to run at this year's Olympics. "We need the elements of secrecy to try to be ahead of the game," saysCatlin.
This secrecy won WADA a dramatic victory at the Tour de France last month. Its drug-testing lab caught several cyclists using a longer-lasting form of EPO called CERA. Soon after the athletes were caught, it was revealed that the agency had been working with Swiss drugmaker Roche to develop a test to detect CERA while the drug was still being tested by the U.S. pharmaceutical company Amgen.
Unfortunately, generic versions of the drug are popping up all over the world. And because each has a chemical composition slightly different from the original version, scientists must design a new test for each variety. (Scientists detect the different forms of EPO using a standard laboratory technique called electrophoresis, which separates molecules based on their charge. The man-made versions have a different charge than the peptide made naturally in the body.)
Catlin says that many more versions of EPO are likely to emerge, as well as a related class of drugs called next-generation erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, or ESAs. One of those, Hematide, is already in late-stage clinical trials. "As soon as that's out, it will find its way into the hands of sportsmen and -women," Catlin says.
He ultimately hopes to use mass spectrometry, the gold standard in analytical chemistry, to detect all forms and variants of EPO with a single test. Mass spec measures the unique spectral profiles generated by different molecules, giving an unambiguous method of detection. While the technique is already used to detect other banned drugs, the chemical structure of the EPO molecule makes it difficult to measure using traditional mass spectrometry. "It is a complex drug with glyco groups hanging off it," says Catlin. "We have to get rid of these groups or find a way to characterize the whole intact molecule."
Another significant challenge for the antidoping authorities is human growth hormone (hGH). This drug is virtually identical to the most common form of growth hormone produced naturally by the body. It is made by inserting the human gene for the growth hormone into bacteria.
The current test for hGH was first used at the 2004 games in Athens, and it will be used more broadly in Beijing. The test analyzes the ratio of different forms of the hormone in the blood. "If an athlete uses recombinant hGH, which is identical to the major isoform of natural hGH, the ratios that normally occur are influenced and significantly altered," says Mario Thevis, a professor of preventive doping research at the German Sport University Cologne. "This can be measured and visualized, and enables the detection of hGH misuse." Thevis is also working on a more sensitive test that can detect different varieties of hGH.
And while WADA prefers to stay mum on the specific details of new tests currently under development, the agency has disclosed details of a broader new approach that might overcome some of the challenges associated with detection of EPO and hGH. Using new technologies, such as microarrays, which can simultaneously measure changes in the expression of thousands of genes, proteins, and other biomarkers, scientists can quickly search for biological changes induced by such drugs. "The new armamentarium doesn't look for drug X; it looks for the effects of drug X," says Theodore Friedmann, a physician scientist at the University of California, San Diego, who is working with WADA. Thanks to this approach, altering a drug so that it becomes invisible to testing will no longer be possible, he says.


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I thought I had water figured out.
Municipal tap and all its goodies like chlorine, fluoride, pharmaceuticals, and toilet paper residue were long gone from my reality. When I would see friends and family drinking it I would cringe inside. We are giving ourselves a light dose of antibiotics when we drink chlorinated water. Google fluoride for more information on that water additive.
I was a bottled water drinker. I hated the idea of all the plastic, but I tried as much as possible to buy gallon bottles and to reuse them for watering my plants or other duties. I figured they were quickly recycled anyway.
Then I started to learn about xenoestrogens (estrogens found outside of nature, such as in PLASTIC), and how they were totally screwing with our endocrine systems. Feminizing men and giving cancer to women...wha?
Just because plastic is EVERYWHERE, doesn't mean that its ok to use. We are not only what we eat, but also what we drink. Drink more plastic...could it be? So what to do about all of this?
I came across Daniel Vitalis through the website We Like it Raw. He has been experimenting with optimal nutrition for 15 years, going through vegan to raw-vegan to wild foods, and now even grass fed animal products. He is about thriving, and his approach to nutrition has inspired me immensely.
His most influential work so far in my opinion were the breakthroughs with water and the sharing of that information, which has empowered and elevated many people lucky enough to come across the info.
His approach to water? Drink water directly from the source, the natural mountain spring, and store it in glass until consumed. No plastic if possible, no pressured pipes and shipping. Water that has been incubating under the ground for perhaps thousands of years.
He has been doing this for over three years, and myself, 6 weeks. But the thought of buying plastic bottled water again really seems unlikely. I will now rent a car, bring 4 bottles that each hold 5-6 gallons, and will supply our apt with drinking and tea water for a month. We spend a day in nature, go for a hike, and harvest the best water possible.
Everyone I have shared the water with KNOWS what I am talking about. Its far more difficult to get friends and family into eating healthy, but getting them excited about highly-structured spring water directly from the source is definitely a different story. They GET IT. The idea of pre-industrial revolution era water MAKES SENSE.
Here is me harvesting some water in northern New Jersey of all places. 70 minutes outside of NYC.
I realize that I am using plastic, but it is for a very short period and I get it into glass as soon as possible!
Here is Daniel talking about water and health, very powerful ideas here.
Think about it. I would prefer to RENT A CAR and drive for 2 hours roundtrip to get water. There is obviously something special about this stuff.
Its empowering and really life-changing. I would highly recommend check out Daniel's spring database site HERE and His Elixercraft Mastery page HERE.
Despite the driving (and we could all carpool), this is the greenest way to get your water. Watch the videos for more info and inspiration!
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The most predictable governing body on the planet, the U.S. Congress, is again doing some of its sleaziest sleight-of-hand work at year's end, with the comfort of knowing that we lowly proletarians are focused on holiday festivities.
The average American is totally confused about the flurry of year-end legislation and political posturing coming out of the nation's capital, and with good reason: Politicians work hard at creating confusion.
Now, let's see if I understand this. The Dems want to "cut taxes" by extending a "tax holiday" on some of the money workers pay into the Social Security retirement "fund." Could it be that Democrats aren't as liberal as some of us have believed them to be? After all, they can't be so bad if they actually favor a tax cut.
Would that it were true. But, unfortunately, it's not. The truth is that it's nothing more than a gimmick to keep American piglets mesmerized while feeding at the government's entitlement trough.
I realize many true-blue conservatives and libertarians believe any tax cut is a good tax cut. In theory, they're right. But cutting payroll taxes is an illusory tax cut. It's attacking the symptom (payroll taxes) rather than the cause (Social Security). And like it or not, for now Social Security is a fact of life in the People's Republic of America.
That being the case, if enough money is not extracted from workers to pay Social Security benefits to those who currently qualify for them, it has to be taken through an invisible tax ("inflation") or paid for by politicians' favorite tax targets – our children and grandchildren (by borrowing the money needed to cover the shortfall).
So far, so bad.
NOW TO THE second part of the year-end razzle-dazzle game: extending unemployment benefits. Has any Republican member of Congress taken the trouble to ask, "What do unemployment benefits have to do with extending the payroll tax cut?"
Will Republicans ever say "no" to an extension of unemployment benefits? Absolutely, positively not. After all, principles can get in the way of capturing votes. Progressive Republicans in the House and Senate are very convincing when they rail against wealth redistribution in front of the TV cameras – then turn right around and vote for it even more convincingly. Truth be known, Republicans have never met a piece of wealth-redistribution legislation they didn't like.
Segue to the third piece of Congress' year-end game of razzle-dazzle – the Keystone XL pipeline, which has absolutely nothing to do with either payroll taxes or unemployment benefits. It's just more of the same – spin, twist, obfuscate and lie convincingly enough, and the anesthetized public, too fatigued from Christmas shopping and football, can be counted on to not understand that they're getting wronged – again.
What the Keystone XL pipeline issue does is give accommodating Republicans the escape hatch they always seek to falsely claim victory in their losing efforts against Democrats. After all, how can you not applaud Republicans for agreeing to a bill that gives the illusion of moving forward with an oil pipeline from Canada, a project that promises to create thousands of jobs and help wean America off its dependency on foreign oil?
AND IF THAT'S what it did, maybe you could forgive Republicans for again extending unemployment benefits in exchange for getting their way on the Keystone XL pipeline. But that is not what it does. As always, there's an out for our humble leader in the White House.
The out I'm referring to is that the wording in the bill requires Obama to grant a permit for the pipeline unless he decides that it's "not in the national interest." Gosh, I wonder what the likelihood is of his deciding it's not in the "national interest"! Sounds a bit like "that depends upon what the meaning of is is."
Interestingly, Obama's former national security advisor Jim Jones, who almost never contradicts his one-time boss, said last week, in a press call sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute, "(A)ny threat to this project, by delay or otherwise, would constitute a significant setback. The failure to (move forward with the project) will prolong the risk to our economy and our energy security (and) send the wrong message to job creators."
Risk to our economy, risk to our energy future, sending the wrong message to job creators – sounds to me like it's a Christmas wish list for Barack Obama. After all, you can't expect a mere $4 million Hawaiian vacation to satisfy a high-falutin' community organizer of his stature.
(The writer is an author, motivational speaker and entrepreneur.)